Pathfinder Volume One: Dark Waters Rising

Pathfinder Comic Anthologies

by Jim Zub, Andrew Huerta (Illustrator), Ivan Anaya (Illustrator)

The warrior Valeros can rely on his sword arm and his friends—mysterious sorceress Seoni, quick-witted elven rogue Merisiel, powerful wizard Ezren, well-traveled dwarven ranger Harsk, and courageous cleric Kyra—but nothing can prepare him for the dangers that lurk ahead. The scattered goblin tribes of Varisia are unifying in ways no one has ever seen before. At the heart of this strange evolution is an ancient force of evil looking to establish itself anew in the world of Golarion!

Paizo's award-winning fantasy world, fiction line, and tabletop RPG is now the ultimate fantasy comic! With an action-packed story written by Jim Zub (Street Fighter Legends, Skullkickers) and incredibly detailed artwork by newcomer Andrew Huerta, this first volume introduces readers to a richly envisioned fantasy world filled with compelling characters and impressive sights.

This collection features:
- Issues 1-6 of the hit series by Jim Zub and Andrew Huerta
- The exclusive, never-before printed tale, "The Last Mosswood Goblin," by Jim Zub and Ivan Anaya
- All 31 beautiful covers by Matteo Scalera, Lucio Parrillo, Erik Jones, Tyler Walpole & Dave Dorman
- An introduction by Paizo Publisher Erik Mona
- 42 pages of encounters, characters, and world detail for the Pathfinder RPG
- An all-new, removable poster-map of the region explored in the comic
And more!

Genres: Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Adventure, Gaming, Role Playing Games

224 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

Jim Zub is a writer, artist and art instructor based in Toronto, Canada. Over the past fifteen years he’s worked for a diverse array of publishing, movie and video game clients including Disney, Warner Bros., Capcom, Hasbro, Bandai-Namco and Mattel.

He juggles his time between being a freelance comic writer and Program Coordinator for Seneca College‘s award-winning Animation program.

Reviews

[Sean Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jim Zub’s insightful and pellucid allegory of the inherent dangers of a stratified class structure in an autocratic society is a searing commentary on the need for…

No, no—wait a second. I think I got this confused with a different story. Let me...yeah, yeah—I did. Sorry about that. Let me try this again.

Jim Zub’s story about a bunch of adventurers bashing goblins in and about the head is fun. Groundbreaking or brilliantly crafted? No. Still, if you’re looking for a diverting hack-and-slash yarn with some fun moments and solid (if occasionally muddled) art (and really big pages, which enhances the art), you could do worse than check this book out.

(I’ve never played the Pathfinder RPG, so can’t comment on the utility of the world background and adventure hooks included in the collection, but I suspect the supplementary content would be a welcome and enjoyable read for Pathfinders. Speaking of—I’d be curious to hear from those of you who have played both Pathfinder and D&D to see how they compare…thoughts? I get the impression that the game mechanics are very similar…)

3.4 Stars

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like a D&D encounter with your friends that someone turned into a comic, which isn't a bad thing. The only bad thing really was the art. It's horrible. I couldn't tell what was going on in half the battle scenes, between the crummy art and poor coloring. I did like that the book was published in an oversize, squared off format that actually looked like a role-playing book. The back half of the book does have all the character sheets, scenarios, maps, etc. that one would need to play a Pathfinders campaign using everything from the story.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid fantasy story based on the tabletop game. However the art got a little muddled everynow and then.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable fantasy / adventure story which brings together a great band of characters each well developed with a unique subset of abilities and detailed backstory set among an interesting fantastical setting which is complimented by moody art. Having not been familiar with the RPG previously I found the story worked perfectly well in it's own right. Glad I tried this. 5/5 stars.

[ScottIsANerd (GrilledCheeseSamurai) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a pretty big tabletop gamer. Pathfinder is an RPG that I am very familiar with and I have traveled a lot of the world of Golarion in my past. I never really had the itch to read any D&D comics before, let alone Pathfinder...and yet here we are.

This first volume was fun. It's basically like reading a little mini-campaign that my friends and I would have played, stoned out of our heads, and drinking too much soda pop or coffee. I especially enjoyed issue 5 of this volume and it is responsible for the four-star rating I gave this instead of the planned three-stars I was going to give it (It probably should still only be 3 stars but I really liked that issue 5).

I was also very much into all the actual game content that this gave me in the back matter of the book. Each issue is full of character sheets for NPC's, maps, encounters...things that you can take directly to your table and use in an actual game. Very cool, and now that I think about it...that would be a good enough reason to give this comic a 4-star rating too.

Anyways, this book isnt breaking any new ground, it isn't revolutionary and it's not going to make the world a better place to live. However, if you are into RPG's, dig the lore of Pathfinder, or are just looking for some heroes kicking the shit out of some Goblins, you could do worse than this book.

[Merewyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

☺

Fun adventuring romp through Sandpoint and the surrounding areas in the world of Golarion. Likeable characters and easy to follow story. The art... Meh, not my favorite style, but I did like all of the different samples/examples that were also included. Plus, there were plenty of "adventure hooks" for running your own Pathfinder campaign for levels 1-6 (depending on what hook you choose). 🙂 Lots of fun details and stat blocks about the heroes, villains and other npcs. This was a great deal on Amazon Prime, and I think I might just have to go and buy the rest of the series to find out what happened to the gang later on!☺

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I had heard of Pathfinder, the RPG, but never played so I was not sure what to honestly expect here. Let me say that you do not have to be a gamer to enjoy this graphic novel. Although, if you are, it really adds to the story.

Each character is very unique in personality. They are very stereotypical of their various class. The warrior was a drunk and blindly charges in, the zealous cleric, the elder wizard, etc. I can easily see a group of gamers playing these roles.

Then there are the goblins. Shocking to say, but...I LOVED THEM. Ugly, nasty creatures that there were they amused me so much! They spoken in rhyme and, oh the things they said. "Meat and Spice! Chop and Slice!" or "Goblins Creep, Goblins Leap, take the gold then go to sleep." So many amusing expressions!

This book had me laughing or at least smiling through almost the entire book. Things like referencing Dwarven Woodsmen (when dwarves like to me amongst their rock typically) or the quote here: "When I imagined myself traveling the world finding adventure, staying up all night spying on a junk pit was not part of the dream."

What I could have done without were the giant spiders. I hate spiders!! Also, the artwork was a bit chaotic at times and certain character expressions were a bit odd at times. Otherwise very nice. Great color use!

As a bonus, at the end they have information about pathfinder, the world, character, etc. Including stat sheets and other useful gaming updates. Now I need to find some fellow gamers to check this out!

This book was provided by Diamond Book Distributors, courtesy of Netgalley. So special thanks to both those teams! And of course, the game creators deserve a round of applause for the creation of Pathfinder. This book was given in exchange for a fair, honest review.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess this comic series was created to promote a tabletop RPG that was a lot (I mean A LOT) like D&D but at the same time wasn’t D&D? Fair enough, and I enjoyed the blood ‘n’ guts melees and snarky relationship building between members of the Party (or in Pathfinder is it called a Group? Squad? Crew?), it tickled my nostalgia for the original Final Fantasy and simpler times but ultimately nothing too amazing. I doubt I’ll continue the series right away unless I can be persuaded it gets better or more unpredictable.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeing as this is set in the DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS universe, the world-building is fantastic. The story is also pretty solid, though the main characters aren't developed very well. Perhaps that will come later. But what really brings the book down are all the failed attempts at witty banter. Jim Zub may be a decent writer, but he's no Joss Whedon.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://magicandmeteors.wordpress.com...

Pathfinder Volume 1: Dark Waters Rising delivers a captivating blend of adventure, action, and rich world-building that will excite anyoneand serves a great infdroduction for the characters.

The first thing that grabs your attention is the stunning artwork. Jim Zub puts the characters through the wringer! The way that they are all tested and put through their paces works brillianlty! The visuals truly capture the heart of the Pathfinder world. Every panel is alive with vibrant, detailed illustrations that showcase both the rugged landscapes and the epic battles. Each character is rendered with great care, their unique personalities clearly reflected in their design and expressions. The art feels dynamic, and there's a palpable sense of movement in each scene, especially during combat. You can feel the heroism and action leaping off every page.

The heroes of Dark Waters Rising are brought to life in a way that makes them feel like real, three-dimensional beings. There's Seoni, the mysterious sorceress with her calm demeanor and hidden depths; Merisiel, the quick-witted elven rogue, who brings a mix of humor and agility to the group; Ezren, the powerful wizard, whose wisdom contrasts with his haunted past; Harsk, the well-traveled dwarven ranger, who blends a gruff personality with undeniable loyalty; and Kyra, the courageous cleric, whose faith and bravery make her a natural leader. Each character feels distinct and memorable, with meaningful interactions and plenty of opportunities to show their unique strengths.

The world-building in Dark Waters Rising is as intricate as it is exciting. Readers are quickly drawn into the vast, adventurous landscape of Golarion, with its myriad of towns, forests, dungeons, and magical realms. The setting serves as more than just a backdrop; it's a living, breathing world that feels full of history and mystery. From intense battles with menacing foes to tense negotiations with local powers, every moment feels full of tension and wonder, driving the characters ever deeper into this epic, action-packed world.

Overall, Pathfinder Volume 1: Dark Waters Rising is a thrilling start to the series, with its heroic characters, dynamic art, and deep world-building. Fans of high fantasy and adventure will find themselves guessing as to what is going to happen in a tale full of heroics, adventure and action!

[Nenatie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich weiß auch nicht so recht was ich von diesem Comic halten soll. Die Geschichte und die Charaktere waren eben typisch Fantasy. Aber für Pathfinderspieler sehr hilfreich um die verschiedenen Klassen auch mal in Aktion zu sehen.
Der Zeichenstil war leider nicht so meins.

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would (or should). It's fantasy at its least original but I had fun reading it. Sometimes clichés feel warm and comfortable.

On top of this, each issue has a short section of location overviews, monster statblocks, plot hooks, maps, and encounters for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. These were honestly really well done. While I don't play Pathfinder, I can see myself using some of the ideas for my D&D games.

[Koen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actuall really liked this .. Great characters, interesting story..
Sometimes the artwork feels a bit rushed, tóo much... But in this case it works surprisingly well.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It is pretty funny to see the iconics in action, especially after a few thousand PFS sessions of watching them suck. There are a few really neat character moments for each one--Valeros grabbing that guy's fist in the first book, for instance--that really just make the whole thing. The plot lines are a little derivative of every other damn thing published about Varisia, but that's okay.

From a gender perspective, there are some issues. On the one hand, Seoni winds up being the tactical leader in most situations, which is unexpected. Also, the Kyra/Mersiel chat about sexual freedom was actually pretty cool. On the other hand, there's a lot of girl-on-girl flirting--which is in keeping with the overall Paizo idea that the iconics are, for all intents and purposes, bisexual--but there's none of the guy-on-guy that should result from that same situation, which means it's just typical "omg look at the lesbeeens!" crap. Similarly, I wish Paizo concept art would stop being so obsessed with BREASTS. Seoni's got sideboob from the front, Mersiel's cleavage is out to here ... it's just tiresome. I realize it's not the fault of the comics--I remember seeing a Quasit with double-Ds at one point, and Quasits don't even have genders, from what I can tell--but I feel like it wouldn't kill us to have some female comic heroes who are fully clothed.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the comic is set in Sandpoint, location for the Rise of the Runelords game I am running, I was curious. It doesn't follow the campaign's storyline but instead shows us the Pathfinder iconics dealing with a goblin threat to the area and an evil cult of Lamashtu.

I hated the art style. No lie. The story itself feels fairly generic. That it gets three stars is only for the really outstanding Pathfinder RPG material that comes with every issue. Lots of new encounters and background info on the Sandpoint hinterlands. Seriously outstanding for anyone looking to spice up Burnt Offerings.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd much rather play D&D than read someone else's adventures....

[John Kowalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an action packed adventure. The art style complimented the chaos of the writing. The characters were a mess in a compelling way. You wonder how they managed to stay together.

[Victor Sanchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an interesting comic, although a little linear and jumping several points that made the antagonists in the original adventure "Rise of the Runelord" nuanced and enjoyable, letting them decay into cannon fodder for the protagonist. But what baffled me a little was the very different art in the rules and encounters in the last pages of the issues with what was shown in the comic.

For example, Giants are literally not that big in Pathfinder. A normal hill giant is 14 to 20 feet (4 to 6 meters) while the one shown in the flashback must be at least 20 to 30 meters, although this is something that happens a lot in the sourcebook and adventure path covers, so it's understandable. What it baffles me is the description of "Waters of Lamashtu" which are defined as clear, pure water while being a horrible foul concoction. In the comic, it looks like the combination of a boiling tar and cesspool water.

**Spoiler**

Also, while the inclusion of a magical language for spells was great, most of the time I don't know what Ezren or Seoni are doing or how many spells they are using. In fact, going by the fluff of their intros in the adventure path, they should be level 1 and not being able to do a fourth of what they do in the adventure. I mean, how can I have a sense of suspense if I don't know how they are using their abilities or what limits do they have. This also goes with the other adventures, who were easily taken down by the goblins in an ambush and nearly killed twice by numbers, yet they went toe to toe with a great beast? that consumed the souls of the entire tribe, had regeneration and magic, after being tortured by the priest not minutes before.

And I guess that's the problem. There doesn't seem to be any limits or sense of their actions except "the plot demands it" and while it's obviously an alternate universe from the adventure path, the audiobooks and other side stories, the fact that it puts the original information that in several instances downright contradicts the adaptation, weakens the overall setting at large.

Also, the art is very weird with stomach muscles and with the shadows of the face. They just look kind of awkward.

[Trike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reads like a fictionalized retelling of someone’s RPG session, which is probably what it is. Because it’s from Jim Zub it’s more entertaining than most versions of this type of story, but it can’t shake the “extended corporate advert” nature of the exercise. The party of adventurers conveniently has one member of each race, as well as one example of each class. They don’t really learn new skills, and the encounters feel like typical RPG minion -> lieutenant-> boss progression.

There is a humorous brief tale tacked on to the end that’s told from the POV of dimwitted goblin minion which feels much more like the quirky, clever Jim Zub of Skullkickers: Treasure Trove, Volume 1.

At the end there is some Pathfinders information about the creatures, lands and characters contained in the story, complete with character stats and maps. Those are cool, and something I always enjoy reading because they are pure worldbuilding. Also there are various covers from the individual issues, including spoofs of famous comic book covers like the “Spider-Man No More!” story and a parody of the movie poster Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.

Which brings me to the art by Andrew Huerta. In some places it is workmanlike just to get through the story and occasionally hard to follow the flow of the action (I suspect because he’s new), but mostly it’s solid, and the detail given to characters and backgrounds is amazing. All of the layers of clothing, with jackets and belts and armor and quivers and straps and tassels and jewelry and so on, must have been a ton of work for both artist and colorist. But as a result it is sumptuous to the eye.

I mean, look at this:
https://goo.gl/images/YvTdvB
https://goo.gl/images/Hk4KC4
https://goo.gl/images/Qv6S2G

So as an introduction to this world, it’s pretty good. If you’re into that sort of back-to-basics fantasy adventuring, check it out.

[Peekablue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief respite

I recently finished a book that was not so good in parts and needed a bit of a break before deciding on the next book. I've had this comic hanging out on my Kindle for several months, so I decided to give it a go.

First, I read comics only occasionally and usually they are of the superhero variety (Justice League, He-Man) . I read a lot of fantasy and have played a few RPG's (Fable, Dragon Age, Ultima Online) but never anything like D&D. So, I am not really familiar with the world in which this story takes place.

I liked the characters but there is little development. We have a typical group of mercenary fighters (swordsman, elven rogue, sorceress, wizard, axe-wielding dwarf, and a mystical cleric).

Overall, the story is interesting. The characters attempt to be witty, at times, and it's mostly corny but passable humor. What really detracts from the story is the artwork. I'm not sure I can describe it correctly...It is rather gritty and busy. There's a lot going on and it's sometimes difficult to really see what is happening. Sometimes the characters look good (mostly attractive) and sometimes they look really bad (odd anatomy/strange facial expressions/crazy hair). I might have added another star if the illustrations were different.

In addition to the story, there are profile pages for each of the main characters, maps and descriptions for the locations, and descriptions for the monsters. There are also pages that apparently have something to do with the game but I just skipped over those sections, since I don't play.

Overall, I did like the story and am interested in reading more but it's not of high priority on my "want to read" list.

[Scott Firestone · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't believe they published a series of comics with artwork this bad. It's not just terrible art, though. The art gets in the way of understanding what's happening in the panel. There were so many times I said to myself, "What is happening here?" "What is that thing?" "Which character is that, and what did she do to that monster?" So bad.

(Oddly enough, there was a small 8-page story at the end that used a different artist, and that art was great! If the whole book had been drawn by that artist, I might have given this another star.)

The story itself is super standard RPG fare. I assume Paizo was using this as a vehicle to get people into the RPG. It's got a warrior, rogue, sorcerer, cleric, ranger, and wizard all coming together to fight a group of goblins that are behaving in not-gobliney ways.

You've also got the hilarious habit of people yelling things in the middle of battle. "Run or face my blade, you little wretches!" Or, "Wretched monsters screaming in the night, flee or face my wrath!" Who does that?! No one!

Over the course of the six issues they figure out what's going on, with a great deal of issue 5 containing 2- to 3-page flashbacks for each character that show a bit of their backstory. It was too short, and too late in the story for me to care. There was no nuance or surprise here--other than the few RPG things added at the end of the book, such as town descriptions, settings, encounters, and so forth. So if someone did end up getting into the Pathfinder RPG through this route, they'd have a few extra bits for having bought this book, which is cool. But there's no real reason to read this.

[Silas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an solid volume that captured the feel of a low-level roleplaying game adventure well. The adventurers deal with fairly realistic threats, and have interesting backstories and individual personalities, and come together in a somewhat organic way and take on a satisfying adventure here. The story doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it is a good fit for the brand, and has some interesting hooks that you might not expect. The art, though, leaves something to be desired at time, and is often hard to follow because of the deformity of some of the goblins and the sketchiness of some of the drawings. I also particularly disliked the depiction of the fighter who is just way more hideous here than in the stock drawings, and the sorcerer is rather cheesecakey at times, and there are several gratuitous butt shots throughout. There were also extensive text sections at the end of each issue that gave some interesting campaign setting ideas, stats for characters and locations, and planned out encounters. These were creative and useful, but also tediously long at times, coming as they did in between the more action packed issues. I did notice that those sections got a bit shorter as I went, so maybe they figured that out, and future volumes would work a little bit better. I liked this enough to check out another volume, and hope that some of the issues improve next time.

[Jeremy Blum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A standard fantasy roleplaying campaign condensed into comic form, with the motley band getting together to bash some goblin skulls. The art runs the gamut from serviceable to slapdash, and the story's full of tropes and could only be considered original if you've never played an RPG before. Nevertheless, for someone who likes the Pathfinder universe and wants to know more about the iconics like Valeros, Seoni and Ezren who represent each character class, this is worth a peep. Also, there's supplementary material and stat blocks at the end of each issue outlining some of the locations the characters visit as well as the enemies they encounter, and this is stuff which could actually be used in a tabletop game and is possibly more intriguing than the main plot. I've gotten ideas to incorporate Lamashtu (the goddess worshiped by the cultists in this volume) into one of my campaigns thanks to this, so as thanks I'll give this comic a nice 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

[Adderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical Pathfinder Really...

Now, in my opinion, Pathfinder is an RPG system that is somewhat bloated and convoluted - more so than it really needs to be and whilst I can respect some people like that I do not. Unfortunately this trend seems to have spread to this comic series as well because even though it has a good and interesting story at its core, this book twists that into a bit of a mess with the publisher also deciding to slot in previews of other comics between chapters (why? Just why?) until it gets back on track to then main point of the plot once again and simplified itself down into what would make the story good.

Slow to get going, this book had the potential to roll high on a quality check but instead critically failed to leave any impression that wasn't mediocre at best. A +0 charisma modifier if I've ever seen one.

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made as a companion of the Pathfinder roleplaying game, this comic series presents the meeting of a group of characters, each one an archetype of one of the character classes, as they embark on a mission to defeat a group of oddly behaving goblins that terrorize a small city.

Through the comic, you will understand what kind of character is each one and what their strengths and weaknesses they bring to a group. The story might seem a standard one, where nothing is what it seems and even after defeat, evil still lurks somehow, but again, that's what you would desire from a strong roleplaying campaign.

Written by Jim Zub and with art by Andrew Huerta, it's a gorgeous looking series that doesn't dissapoint. Now, where do I have my dice?

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ties into the RPG

This is a tie in to the game of the same name. The comics in this volume provide action and adventure, and are interspersed with narratives that detail people, places and things, building out the world in which the stories take place. The illustrations are fantastically detailed. The storyline was fine but overall I feel the volume would be more interesting to someone involved in the game because of how much it is referenced. You certainly get all the information you need to follow the characters in this volume. Maps and diagrams included as well.

[O'Rety · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jim Zub's story here is definitely better than his work for DnD, but I couldn't bear Huearta's art.

I mean, I get that art should be expressive and the guy is for sure plenty talented. But there are limits to sanity and clarity. He goes way overboard with the expressiveness. It looks borderline crazy or literally crazy at times. And only if it looks like anything at all - frequently you won't be able to make head or tails of his strokes.

I don't know if it was his intention, but for me at least it felt like he was awfully not happy with this particular assignment.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

You get what the book says it is. A bunch of Pathfinder iconics fighting goblins by Sandpoint. It's cool seeing the various iconics brought in and given some more personality than you might get just reading a wikipedia article or stat block or something. I do think much of the charm comes from it being a Pathfinder story and how I could recognize the various characters and parts of lore, but there were a few scenes I did really enjoy (like the flashbacks/origins towards the end in particular) and some of the big fight scenes with creepy monsters were great.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was... not great but I wasn't expecting much. The thing that bothered me the most was the art style. Mostly in terms of body proportions and, at times, the faces looked [i]weird[/i]. It was very off-putting. Throughout the characters were drawn pretty inconsistently. The writing itself was not bad - about what I expected for a comic of a ttrpg. I enjoyed ragtag group of adventurers and their antics.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is some of the hardest to swallow that I've seen in a professionally published comic. Not to me tastes and a little difficult to decipher at times. As a story, this is just okay. Feels very much like a transliteration of an RPG campaign. But that's the strength because this is really just a novel way of selling an RPG supplement. Used that way, this is a totally reasonable, if a little too straightforward, product.