Epic NPC Man: Hero Outage

by Fred Van Lente, Bailie Rosenlund (Illustrator)

Based on the Viva La Dirt League streaming show Epic NPC Man, Hero Outage features the heroic stylings of the heroes of Honeywood, a humble crew of farmers, fisherfolk, and blacksmiths. Can these NPCs level up and save the world of Azerim from falling into the worst fate of all: utter boredom?

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels

82 pages, ebook

Published October 23, 2024

About the author

Fred Van Lente is the New York Times-bestselling author of comics as varied as Archer & Armstrong (Harvey Award nominee, Best Series), Taskmaster, MODOK's 11, Amazing Spider-Man, Conan the Avenger, Weird Detective, and Cowboys & Aliens (upon which the 2011 movie was based), as well as the novels Ten Dead Comedians and The Con Artist.

Van Lente also specializes in entertaining readers with offbeat histories with the help of his incredibly talented artists. He has written the multiple-award winning Action Philosophers!, The Comic Book History of Comics, Action Presidents! (all drawn by Ryan Dunlavey), and The Comic Book Story of Basketball with Joe Cooper (Ten Speed September 2020).

He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Crystal Skillman, and some mostly ungrateful cats.

Reviews

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an Epic NPC Man comic book. Of course I loved it! It was nice getting to see the NPCs actually gain their own appearance without relying on the Viva guys, since they're not supposed to all look the same but, ya know, they share an actor xD It was so cool getting to see the beloved characters going on a journey, and the art style was very nice as well! The lore intermixed, especially with the devs and coding areas was *chefs kiss*. Also, gotta love the grave diggers and their wall breaks xD Overall, I loved this, and I recommend it to anyone who loves Epic NPC Man, or just video game nerdiness! I will admit the story felt a littttle disjointed at parts, hence it being a 4-star, but I so hope we get more comics from Viva!

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Viva La Dirt League Epic NPC Man sketches on YouTube. So when I saw that there was an actual graphic novel featuring the characters I jumped on the pre=order.

I was not disappointed. This comic is everything you could want from a long form Epic NPC Man adventure and more. It has all of the fun video game tropes, the same witty characters, and the perfect storm of self aware commentary plus ignorant meddling. If you haven't seen the YouTube sketches then this is still an enjoyable jumping on point. All you need to know is that these are characters MMORPG but to them it's just their lives.

A great read for anyone who enjoys gaming, comics or quirky YouTube content.

[Bart Van Loon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Epic NPC Man.' It resonated well with me in its written form, although I concur with other reviewers that it's probably best appreciated by those familiar with the corresponding YouTube series.

Even so, the story stands on its own with its uniqueness, providing an extra dimension to the characters and offering sheer enjoyment throughout.

A commendable first publication for Viva La Dirt League!

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t help but hear each character's voice from the YouTube shorts as I read the dialogue — it really brought the story to life in a fun way. The writing is lighthearted and engaging, making it an enjoyable read from start to finish. The ending feels a bit open-ended, leaving just enough room for a potential sequel, which definitely piqued my curiosity. Overall, a fun read with plenty of heart

[Pavel Kasperovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it might be a bit flat for those who do not follow Viva La Dirt League on YouTube. There are a lot of cross-references to their YouTube show, so better watch it first, then reading this will be fun!

[Fen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, that was fun... I've really been enjoying the opportunities we've had to see the characters in larger stories, between this comic and the Baelin's Route short movie. It looks like they've set things up for a sequel and I will definitely be picking that up!

[Gianni Pratico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Viva La Dirt League. This was a great new medium for them. Fun and epic

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Viva La Dirt League this is the companion piece you didn't know you needed. This was incredible and follows well with their Youtube series of the same name.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun adventure where the NPCs try to save the day. It made me laugh anyway!

[Teo · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025.04.01–2025.04.01

Van Lente F & Rosenlund B (illustrator) (2024) Epic NPC Man - Hero Outage