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The Adventure Zone Graphic Novels #7
The Adventure Zone: Story and Song
The triumphant final installment in the #1 New York Times-bestselling Adventure Zone graphic novel series, a meta-fictional D&D adventure story based on the smash hit podcast.
After six beloved and bestselling installments, The Adventure Zone series returns one final time for a grand Story and Song. Our heroes—Taako, Magnus, and Merle—are about to discover the long-lost truths about themselves, their shared history, and the nature of the threat they’ve been facing since they first agreed to join the Bureau of Balance. But just as their eyes are opened to the truth—mere moments after being reunited with long-lost loved ones—the forces that have hunted them for all these years catch up in a spectacularly horrifying fashion.
After six beloved and bestselling installments, The Adventure Zone series returns one final time for a grand Story and Song. Our heroes—Taako, Magnus, and Merle—are about to discover the long-lost truths about themselves, their shared history, and the nature of the threat they’ve been facing since they first agreed to join the Bureau of Balance. But just as their eyes are opened to the truth—mere moments after being reunited with long-lost loved ones—the forces that have hunted them for all these years catch up in a spectacularly horrifying fashion.
Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
Griffin McElroy
27 books356 followersGriffin McElroy is a podcaster, video producer, composer and writer living in Austin, TX.
He does a comedy podcast called My Brother, My Brother and Me, which was adapted into a TV show for Seeso in 2017.
He also does a bunch of other podcasts with my friends and family.
He was chosen as one of Forbes' 30 Under 30 for the Media category in 2017, which he's still kind of in shock about.
He was a Senior Editorial Producer over at Polygon, which is a long-winded way of saying he made goofy videos for them full time. He also occasionally does a bit of writing.
He does a comedy podcast called My Brother, My Brother and Me, which was adapted into a TV show for Seeso in 2017.
He also does a bunch of other podcasts with my friends and family.
He was chosen as one of Forbes' 30 Under 30 for the Media category in 2017, which he's still kind of in shock about.
He was a Senior Editorial Producer over at Polygon, which is a long-winded way of saying he made goofy videos for them full time. He also occasionally does a bit of writing.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
July 14, 2026
i'm not crying you're crying
March 24, 2026
The Adventure Zone: Story and Song by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, and illustrated by Carey Pietsch brings the saga to a vibrant and emotionally charged close.
This final installment reveals the hidden past of Taako, Magnus, and Merle while bringing their long battle with a mysterious, relentless force to its climax. As buried truths come to light and lost connections resurface, the story builds toward a dramatic and high stakes confrontation.
What stands out most is how much depth this volume adds to the overarching narrative. The extensive backstory is full of imaginative ideas and genuinely enriches the world, even if its retelling nature makes parts feel a bit slower compared to the more immediate, adventure driven energy of earlier volumes. Still, the variety of experiences keeps things engaging, and longtime readers will appreciate the many callbacks to beloved characters encountered along the way.
The antagonist is a highlight, offering compelling interactions that add tension and emotional weight. All of this culminates in a resolution that feels both epic and well earned, delivering a satisfying payoff to the journey.
Carey Pietsch’s artwork once again shines throughout. The illustrations are bold, expressive, and bursting with color, perfectly matching the tone of the story and elevating every moment. As a whole, this volume serves as an epic conclusion that celebrates everything that made the series memorable.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher First Second Books and 23rd St. for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This final installment reveals the hidden past of Taako, Magnus, and Merle while bringing their long battle with a mysterious, relentless force to its climax. As buried truths come to light and lost connections resurface, the story builds toward a dramatic and high stakes confrontation.
What stands out most is how much depth this volume adds to the overarching narrative. The extensive backstory is full of imaginative ideas and genuinely enriches the world, even if its retelling nature makes parts feel a bit slower compared to the more immediate, adventure driven energy of earlier volumes. Still, the variety of experiences keeps things engaging, and longtime readers will appreciate the many callbacks to beloved characters encountered along the way.
The antagonist is a highlight, offering compelling interactions that add tension and emotional weight. All of this culminates in a resolution that feels both epic and well earned, delivering a satisfying payoff to the journey.
Carey Pietsch’s artwork once again shines throughout. The illustrations are bold, expressive, and bursting with color, perfectly matching the tone of the story and elevating every moment. As a whole, this volume serves as an epic conclusion that celebrates everything that made the series memorable.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher First Second Books and 23rd St. for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2026
“I have magic powers.”
An incredibly iconic line from Taako, one that may seem simple but holds a lot of weight. It’s also unironically one of my favorites. Not the only one amongst dozens that live rent free in my head and of which I think of on the regular.
It’s amazing to get chills over a story you’ve heard before—in this case one I’ve literally heard at least three or four times before. This was an iconic end when I listened to Balance for the first time and it’s still an iconic end reading it here. I love TAZ, I love this story and these characters. I LOVE getting to see Lup here at last—she’s such a fun and important character to the overall story.
It’s sometimes hard to compare something that is strictly audio to a different media of paper and no speaking whatsoever, but I do think the team has done well, especially with any changes to the original story to make everything more cohesive. Meandering storylines and confusion can sometimes go hand in hand with an improve storytelling format, even when the end result is spectacular, so I do like and agree with changing things up a bit.
I can’t leave here without shouting out Carrie for the incredible art. I’m so excited to see it in person and have all those boys on my shelf in one place. I still love the character designs, they all look so perfect to how I imagined and I simply cannot improve upon her designs. Brava.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an early arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the last 5 years honestly. I’m so sad it’s over, but ready for a new story from the hoys
An incredibly iconic line from Taako, one that may seem simple but holds a lot of weight. It’s also unironically one of my favorites. Not the only one amongst dozens that live rent free in my head and of which I think of on the regular.
It’s amazing to get chills over a story you’ve heard before—in this case one I’ve literally heard at least three or four times before. This was an iconic end when I listened to Balance for the first time and it’s still an iconic end reading it here. I love TAZ, I love this story and these characters. I LOVE getting to see Lup here at last—she’s such a fun and important character to the overall story.
It’s sometimes hard to compare something that is strictly audio to a different media of paper and no speaking whatsoever, but I do think the team has done well, especially with any changes to the original story to make everything more cohesive. Meandering storylines and confusion can sometimes go hand in hand with an improve storytelling format, even when the end result is spectacular, so I do like and agree with changing things up a bit.
I can’t leave here without shouting out Carrie for the incredible art. I’m so excited to see it in person and have all those boys on my shelf in one place. I still love the character designs, they all look so perfect to how I imagined and I simply cannot improve upon her designs. Brava.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an early arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the last 5 years honestly. I’m so sad it’s over, but ready for a new story from the hoys
July 16, 2026
4.5 🌟 There is so much good in this volume! I really liked the shift of perspective to have Lucretia tell the Lost Century arc. That was always my least favorite arc from the podcast because of how it stalled momentum and meandered, and I felt like they managed to keep things largely pretty well wrapped together in this book. The most surprising thing to me is that I was not more sympathetic to Lucretia's perspective regarding the choices she made by the end of the arc, since I would have expected to be based on it focusing on her POV as the narrator. But every single person told her, "No, that is actually a bad idea and everyone will almost certainly die," and then she decided to steal her friends' memories and do it anyways? I just didn't find myself very sympathetic toward that perspective, and was surprised that the POV didn't help.
Cuts wise, the only cut that I noticed that I felt like had any impact was Merle's friend line. The scene was still really good and wonderfully executed even without it, but it did feel like a missing piece.
Everything was wonderfully done and executed, but my biggest detractor was definitely the fact that while the art of the hunger looked incredible and eye-catching, it was difficult to see the spell effects when Merle or Takko were fighting (and fighting took up a decent percentage of the last half of the book) so it all just got a little lost and samesy looking in some of the panels.
Overall, a great end to an adaptation of the podcast that got me into Dnd, and a story that I have loved for years.
Cuts wise, the only cut that I noticed that I felt like had any impact was Merle's friend line. The scene was still really good and wonderfully executed even without it, but it did feel like a missing piece.
Everything was wonderfully done and executed, but my biggest detractor was definitely the fact that while the art of the hunger looked incredible and eye-catching, it was difficult to see the spell effects when Merle or Takko were fighting (and fighting took up a decent percentage of the last half of the book) so it all just got a little lost and samesy looking in some of the panels.
Overall, a great end to an adaptation of the podcast that got me into Dnd, and a story that I have loved for years.
July 15, 2026
AND IF I CRIED, SO WHAT
July 16, 2026
It’s been just around or a little over a decade since I first started listening to TAZ, right around when Petals to the Metal was wrapping up and Crystal Kingdom was kicking off. I distinctly remember laughing and crying on a drive in a rental car as I was dealing with some repairs on my first car, my 2008 blue Honda Civic. I’d been running my Edge of the Empire campaign for probably a year or so at that point and the McElroys, especially Griffin as DM, had already left a huge impression about what I could do with world building and drawing on pop culture as a resource to infuse the stories I wanted to tell with the telltale elements of the Star Wars Universe. When Story and Song wrapped up, I was worried about ever listening to TAZ again, and whether I could ever get as into a live play podcast as I did this one (I’ve largely stayed away from Critical Roll for that reason, in addition to the run time being like four times that of TAZ). I’ve loved Amnesty and TAZ vs Dracula and really hope some of those stories also get GN adaptations in the future (or animated series?!). Since that time, I’ve also come back around to listen to Balance 2-3 times all the way through, and I imagine I’ll do it again in the next 6-12 months.
Suffice it to say, that’s a LOT of expectation to pile onto a single, final, seventh issue of a graphic novel run. That so much of the team was preserved from issue to issue and that Carey stayed the illustrator across an 8-year run is just astounding. There are choices in this I didn’t love — I’ve never really loved the obfuscation of the Hunger, even if narratively I understand the reason. There are a few blips in here where I couldn’t track characters clearly (one that really stuck out as a series of panels where we see Kravitz done a half-skull as “face paint” and then moments later see him in what appears to be a full skull mask and the a panel later he’s back to half-face paint, so I’m not even sure we’re seeing Kravitz in that midpoint panel…), and while we got a TON of the most memorable lines from Story and Song in particular, I was a bit bummed that Lup’s climactic reappearance in the present was rushed in terms of flashback and didn’t conjure up the totality of the “phantasmal and resplendent” moment of her apotheosis. I was also a bit perplexed by the sounds — a lot of “shaaaaa” that felt like it took both the place of shooting sounds, the ebb and flow of tidal waves, and even the sounds of the Voidfish (and I’m willing to concede maybe the conflation WAS the intent).
HOWEVER…I love this overall. Managing and effective delivery of the Stolen Century is no small feat, and Carey does a great job alongside Cliff and other contributors to make sure all the seeds are laid in that arc for payoff by the end. There are plenty of “oh shit” moments and you could really tell everyone wanted to make sure that while Magnus and Merle and Taako stayed front and center, Lucretia and Lup got to really own a huge chunk of this last chapter. And yet we never lose Barry or Davenport either. That this still hit all the emotional beats for me is a testament of the translation to this other medium. As I’ve said before, I’m not sure how clearly this will read for folks who haven’t listened to the podcast, but at this point…what are you doing having made it to the seventh and final entry in this series if you have YET to dip into the podcast? Go listen! It’s great!
It’s always bittersweet to have the finale of a series in your hands, especially after such a long stretch of time. I’ve had that happen MANY times but rarely gotten around to actually finishing a long form series of this scope. Seriously other than Harry Potter and The Inheritance Cycle and some of the longer Star Wars arcs — The New Jedi Order (where I somehow read 19 books over the span of like 4-5 years?! How did I do that?!), The Legacy of the Force, and The Fate of the Jedi (both 9-book series I actually finished!) — I’m not sure I’ve read anything with 4+ books where I was catching most of them soon after publication for at least most of the run. I’ve read these TAZ graphic novels almost always within a day or two of getting my hands on them. Hopefully these won’t be the last the McElroys do — I’d love a series of one shots or combined releases of some of the standalone stories from live TAZ events. Having a Christmas and Halloween collection would be AMAZING.
So, in closing, I loved this warts and all. I’m deeply grateful this was something I invested my time in, and I’m glad both the podcast and the comic run left me feeling fulfilled. Thank you Carey, and thank you Boys. You did good.
Suffice it to say, that’s a LOT of expectation to pile onto a single, final, seventh issue of a graphic novel run. That so much of the team was preserved from issue to issue and that Carey stayed the illustrator across an 8-year run is just astounding. There are choices in this I didn’t love — I’ve never really loved the obfuscation of the Hunger, even if narratively I understand the reason. There are a few blips in here where I couldn’t track characters clearly (one that really stuck out as a series of panels where we see Kravitz done a half-skull as “face paint” and then moments later see him in what appears to be a full skull mask and the a panel later he’s back to half-face paint, so I’m not even sure we’re seeing Kravitz in that midpoint panel…), and while we got a TON of the most memorable lines from Story and Song in particular, I was a bit bummed that Lup’s climactic reappearance in the present was rushed in terms of flashback and didn’t conjure up the totality of the “phantasmal and resplendent” moment of her apotheosis. I was also a bit perplexed by the sounds — a lot of “shaaaaa” that felt like it took both the place of shooting sounds, the ebb and flow of tidal waves, and even the sounds of the Voidfish (and I’m willing to concede maybe the conflation WAS the intent).
HOWEVER…I love this overall. Managing and effective delivery of the Stolen Century is no small feat, and Carey does a great job alongside Cliff and other contributors to make sure all the seeds are laid in that arc for payoff by the end. There are plenty of “oh shit” moments and you could really tell everyone wanted to make sure that while Magnus and Merle and Taako stayed front and center, Lucretia and Lup got to really own a huge chunk of this last chapter. And yet we never lose Barry or Davenport either. That this still hit all the emotional beats for me is a testament of the translation to this other medium. As I’ve said before, I’m not sure how clearly this will read for folks who haven’t listened to the podcast, but at this point…what are you doing having made it to the seventh and final entry in this series if you have YET to dip into the podcast? Go listen! It’s great!
It’s always bittersweet to have the finale of a series in your hands, especially after such a long stretch of time. I’ve had that happen MANY times but rarely gotten around to actually finishing a long form series of this scope. Seriously other than Harry Potter and The Inheritance Cycle and some of the longer Star Wars arcs — The New Jedi Order (where I somehow read 19 books over the span of like 4-5 years?! How did I do that?!), The Legacy of the Force, and The Fate of the Jedi (both 9-book series I actually finished!) — I’m not sure I’ve read anything with 4+ books where I was catching most of them soon after publication for at least most of the run. I’ve read these TAZ graphic novels almost always within a day or two of getting my hands on them. Hopefully these won’t be the last the McElroys do — I’d love a series of one shots or combined releases of some of the standalone stories from live TAZ events. Having a Christmas and Halloween collection would be AMAZING.
So, in closing, I loved this warts and all. I’m deeply grateful this was something I invested my time in, and I’m glad both the podcast and the comic run left me feeling fulfilled. Thank you Carey, and thank you Boys. You did good.
July 16, 2026
SO GOOD.. i love how they adapted this story 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 i need to relisten
July 4, 2026
“You’re going to be amazing!”
Is something I have been telling myself constantly throughout life after listening to this podcast many years ago. Since the first time I listened to TAZ Balance I’ve gotten married and had 3 kids. This book brings all those emotions right back to me at once, and as I did listening to the podcast, reading this story made me cry. A lot.
A story about three idiots becoming family and saving the world. Who couldn’t like that?
Bravo to the entire team to bring the audio story to life. This book series will be a cherished treasure on my bookshelf for as long as I live.
Is something I have been telling myself constantly throughout life after listening to this podcast many years ago. Since the first time I listened to TAZ Balance I’ve gotten married and had 3 kids. This book brings all those emotions right back to me at once, and as I did listening to the podcast, reading this story made me cry. A lot.
A story about three idiots becoming family and saving the world. Who couldn’t like that?
Bravo to the entire team to bring the audio story to life. This book series will be a cherished treasure on my bookshelf for as long as I live.
July 15, 2026
(I read a 400 page graphic novel in one sitting, let me breathe for a sec.)
ETA: Review time!!
What a beautiful end to a beautiful series. Balance as a whole means a lot to me, and I've been so excited to see the Stolen Century and Story & Song arcs illustrated by Carey that I actually took the day off work so I could get the book and just read in bed all day and let me tell you: that was a great idea. It was such a joyful way to spend a day.
Even with as chonky as this book is - the longest in the series - some things obviously had to be cut. There were a few cuts that surprised me, maybe even disappointed me a little (for example, Taako & Barry's conversation on the beach cycle, most of the Stone Judges, and Merle's "are you my friend?" to John) but considering how much they did manage to pack in there, I get why some things had to be left in the podcast alone. I'm always curious to see what things are added into the graphic novels, what the boys felt was important to retcon with the opportunity of hindsight. Things like Merle and Taako's modern flashbacks during the epilogue with Killian and Lucretia were especially great, the twins' tween flashback, Lucretia's overall POV of the Century, and I actually love the switch to have the bond engine help the boys in the form of their friends down on the ground. Moments I loved, just in general, just for seeing them laid out in front of me after living in my mind for so long: the first escape from the animal plane, the Best Day Ever, Back Soon, the Forgetting (all three parts, WOOF), Angus' declaration, Magnus' ending.
Look, if you know me personally, you know that Balance as a story means a lot to me. I listened to the podcast towards the end of 2018, and in 2019 I was in a pretty bad spot; I didn't realize it at the time, but in hindsight I was pretty depressed and the only thing that brought me any kind of joy, the only thing I could focus on outside of the shitty situation I was in that year was Balance. I just listened to Balance over and over again for almost an entire year. Quotes like Merle's "choose joy" and Magnus' "do good recklessly," Lucretia's "I made it, I fucking made," and Davenport's "have we not earned a little wrath?" burned themselves into my brain. Just hearing the Balance theme song now makes my shoulders relax. Balance is a story about people fighting for the whole world and the world steps up to fight back for them, too. It's a story about a family who forgot that they loved each other, and then fell back in love again. It's a story about finding something to live for, and people to protect. Balance lead me to other actual play shows, like D20 and NADDPod, that have since become important to me as well, and it was the first D&D-related media I ever interacted with, and now I've been DMing a home game with some friends for 4+ years.
The boys like to say that Balance is the story of four nerds who played D&D so hard they made themselves cry. Well, they made me cry, too. And they made my world a little brighter at a time when I desperately needed it. And this book is filled with beautiful art and a reminder to choose joy, and love, and each other.
ETA: Review time!!
What a beautiful end to a beautiful series. Balance as a whole means a lot to me, and I've been so excited to see the Stolen Century and Story & Song arcs illustrated by Carey that I actually took the day off work so I could get the book and just read in bed all day and let me tell you: that was a great idea. It was such a joyful way to spend a day.
Even with as chonky as this book is - the longest in the series - some things obviously had to be cut. There were a few cuts that surprised me, maybe even disappointed me a little (for example, Taako & Barry's conversation on the beach cycle, most of the Stone Judges, and Merle's "are you my friend?" to John) but considering how much they did manage to pack in there, I get why some things had to be left in the podcast alone. I'm always curious to see what things are added into the graphic novels, what the boys felt was important to retcon with the opportunity of hindsight. Things like Merle and Taako's modern flashbacks during the epilogue with Killian and Lucretia were especially great, the twins' tween flashback, Lucretia's overall POV of the Century, and I actually love the switch to have the bond engine help the boys in the form of their friends down on the ground. Moments I loved, just in general, just for seeing them laid out in front of me after living in my mind for so long: the first escape from the animal plane, the Best Day Ever, Back Soon, the Forgetting (all three parts, WOOF), Angus' declaration, Magnus' ending.
Look, if you know me personally, you know that Balance as a story means a lot to me. I listened to the podcast towards the end of 2018, and in 2019 I was in a pretty bad spot; I didn't realize it at the time, but in hindsight I was pretty depressed and the only thing that brought me any kind of joy, the only thing I could focus on outside of the shitty situation I was in that year was Balance. I just listened to Balance over and over again for almost an entire year. Quotes like Merle's "choose joy" and Magnus' "do good recklessly," Lucretia's "I made it, I fucking made," and Davenport's "have we not earned a little wrath?" burned themselves into my brain. Just hearing the Balance theme song now makes my shoulders relax. Balance is a story about people fighting for the whole world and the world steps up to fight back for them, too. It's a story about a family who forgot that they loved each other, and then fell back in love again. It's a story about finding something to live for, and people to protect. Balance lead me to other actual play shows, like D20 and NADDPod, that have since become important to me as well, and it was the first D&D-related media I ever interacted with, and now I've been DMing a home game with some friends for 4+ years.
The boys like to say that Balance is the story of four nerds who played D&D so hard they made themselves cry. Well, they made me cry, too. And they made my world a little brighter at a time when I desperately needed it. And this book is filled with beautiful art and a reminder to choose joy, and love, and each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As wtih most people who are reading this series, TAZ (especially the Balnce Arc) is very special to me. I was thrilled when they did a graphic novelization of the series, and when I saw Story and Song on NetGalley the WAVE of nostalgia that washed over me was huge. The Stolen Century and Story and Song are easily some of my favorite parts of the Balance arc. And I think this is a fantasic novelization. BUT I think readers that may not listen to the podcast (WHY THO?!?!) will miss some of the most amazing character growth that happens in the podcast but is not included or felt a little rushed in the novel. A lot of the point of The Stolen Century was the boys' chahnce to really flesh out Taako, Magnus, and Merle's backstories. They each get timelines that really explain a part of their character's personality or point of view. Like Magnus and the Power Bear in particiular. We see it, we meet the Bear in the book but it flashes by so quickly that when they meet again later...you lose the weight of it. I KNOW you can't have everything in a book, The Stolen Century was 7 episodes ON ITS OWN. But it's been years and those episodes still hang in my brain and I would get eager to see something and then it would either not happen or it felt very rushed.
I sound like I'm ripping this book up, but I genuinely loved every minute of reading it. I got to see some of my most favorite moment's from the arc come to life and it was amazing. I laughed. I cried. It was great. I didn't know who Carey Pietsch when this series started, but I don't know if anyone else could have done the boys justice now.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, First Second Books, and 23rd Street Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I sound like I'm ripping this book up, but I genuinely loved every minute of reading it. I got to see some of my most favorite moment's from the arc come to life and it was amazing. I laughed. I cried. It was great. I didn't know who Carey Pietsch when this series started, but I don't know if anyone else could have done the boys justice now.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, First Second Books, and 23rd Street Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I will admit up front that this is a biased review. As a long time TAZ Balance was my first ever actual play podcast, and one of my first podcasts in general. The McElroys are very near and dear to my heart.
The Stolen Century arc was so beautifully done, and honestly even more well-suited to the graphic novel medium than it was to the audio medium. Seeing the different planes and worlds visually was so cool, and it added a lot of weight to Lucretia's character and decision making throughout the story to see what she went through documenting the crew's journey.
As someone who cried right along with the idiots that played D&D so hard they made themselves cry during my initial (and subsequent listens if I'm being totally honest), I will say that the epilogue did not carry the same emotional weight for me that it does on listening. Tying up that many loose ends is hard to do effectively in this medium without feeling choppy. Some moments still had the payoff, particularly with Magnus, but the rest didn't quite hit the same for me. It is a very high bar to meet and perhaps an unfair comparison.
This entire series has been so lovingly adapted, both in the writing and the artistry (I have been made into a Carey Pietsch fan through this to the point of recognizing her work in things like my library's 2025 summer reading materials without looking it up first). I am sad it is over, but damn what a delight it was to read.
Carey and the McElroys, whatever you do next I will follow you. You're going to be amazing.
I will admit up front that this is a biased review. As a long time TAZ Balance was my first ever actual play podcast, and one of my first podcasts in general. The McElroys are very near and dear to my heart.
The Stolen Century arc was so beautifully done, and honestly even more well-suited to the graphic novel medium than it was to the audio medium. Seeing the different planes and worlds visually was so cool, and it added a lot of weight to Lucretia's character and decision making throughout the story to see what she went through documenting the crew's journey.
As someone who cried right along with the idiots that played D&D so hard they made themselves cry during my initial (and subsequent listens if I'm being totally honest), I will say that the epilogue did not carry the same emotional weight for me that it does on listening. Tying up that many loose ends is hard to do effectively in this medium without feeling choppy. Some moments still had the payoff, particularly with Magnus, but the rest didn't quite hit the same for me. It is a very high bar to meet and perhaps an unfair comparison.
This entire series has been so lovingly adapted, both in the writing and the artistry (I have been made into a Carey Pietsch fan through this to the point of recognizing her work in things like my library's 2025 summer reading materials without looking it up first). I am sad it is over, but damn what a delight it was to read.
Carey and the McElroys, whatever you do next I will follow you. You're going to be amazing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
5/5 stars
So, disclaimer. The Adventure Zone podcast was a huge part of my life when the Balance arc, which these graphic novels are based on, was being released. I loved it so much that I actually have a tattoo of the Bulwark Staff and a quote about Lucretia. So I suppose it’s no surprise that I’ve been deeply excited for these books. It’s hard for things to stand up to the hype that happens when you love the original source material so much, but I gotta say. This stood up and made me feel all the same emotions all over again.
Genuinely, I have no notes, besides the fact that I’m sad they cut the actual encounter with the Stone Judges during the stolen century, because that year in particular was so impactful and so cool. But! With so much to adapt, not everyone’s favorite bits get in, and that’s such a tiny quibble. The art is phenomenal- I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job than Cary Pietsch. Everything about the adaptation is so, so good.
For those who listened to the podcast, it’s an incredible experience that will bring back those memories. You’ll hear the most memorable lines in the actual voices and feel the same emotions. For those who are experiencing it for the first time… buckle up, because holy shit is it a wonderful ride.
5/5 stars
So, disclaimer. The Adventure Zone podcast was a huge part of my life when the Balance arc, which these graphic novels are based on, was being released. I loved it so much that I actually have a tattoo of the Bulwark Staff and a quote about Lucretia. So I suppose it’s no surprise that I’ve been deeply excited for these books. It’s hard for things to stand up to the hype that happens when you love the original source material so much, but I gotta say. This stood up and made me feel all the same emotions all over again.
Genuinely, I have no notes, besides the fact that I’m sad they cut the actual encounter with the Stone Judges during the stolen century, because that year in particular was so impactful and so cool. But! With so much to adapt, not everyone’s favorite bits get in, and that’s such a tiny quibble. The art is phenomenal- I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job than Cary Pietsch. Everything about the adaptation is so, so good.
For those who listened to the podcast, it’s an incredible experience that will bring back those memories. You’ll hear the most memorable lines in the actual voices and feel the same emotions. For those who are experiencing it for the first time… buckle up, because holy shit is it a wonderful ride.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The phenomenal conclusion to this excellent graphic novel adaptation of a TTRPG podcast classic really delivered. A little personal history, back when TAZ: Balance was airing, was one of the hardest years in my adolescence and I truly credit this podcast and the McElroys in general for giving me hope to get through it all. I listened to them constantly and they continue to be very dear to my heart as an adult. (Fun fact! I did get to appear on their show My Brother, My Brother and Me at a liveshow in Tampa to ask a question about my parent's pheasants! Can't help but plug that since it is one of my finest accomplishments, and 15yr old me would go insane if she knew she got to do this lol Episode 751: Tragic Mike Tour) All that said, it is an absolutely buckwild feeling to be able to ARC read the final installment of the TAZ Graphic Novels.
I truly devoured this edition and the combination of the last two sections was a great idea. While there were a few bits I wished were not cut for time, the story flowed well and the humor and heart jumped off the page. Carey Pietsch's art style fits this story so well and I'm always in love with her designs and panel choices. Such a wonderful ending and I cannot wait to get a copy in July!
Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I truly devoured this edition and the combination of the last two sections was a great idea. While there were a few bits I wished were not cut for time, the story flowed well and the humor and heart jumped off the page. Carey Pietsch's art style fits this story so well and I'm always in love with her designs and panel choices. Such a wonderful ending and I cannot wait to get a copy in July!
Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Adventure Zone: Story and Song is a triumphant and visually stunning conclusion to the "Balance" arc that fans of the McElroy family have cherished for years. Having followed Taako, Magnus, and Merle since the early days of the podcast, seeing their journey from a simple tabletop game into this graphic novel series is nothing short of incredible. The transition to a visual format is particularly effective here. The podcast's finale was chaotic and difficult for me to track in the audio podcast form alone so seeing it in a visual format provided much-needed clarity for me. I especially loved the creative choice to represent Griffin as the DM within the narrative, allowing the characters to interact with their creator in a way that perfectly honors the spirit of the original play sessions. While this is strictly for established fans as the weight of the story is impossible to grasp without the context of the previous volumes or the podcast it is a deeply moving and beautiful wrap-up for these beloved characters. I give this grand finale a well-deserved 4/5 stars for finally bringing the Bureau of Balance's mission to a clear and heart-wrenching close.
Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the advance reader copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the advance reader copy.
June 17, 2026
Thank you SO much NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook in exchange for my honest opinion!
As always with TAZ comics- Perfection, oh my god. I can hear the boys' voices in my head as I read, and the art.. I swear it gets more beautiful with every edition of this series! I will admit, I definitely had to go back and reread the other comics as a refresher, but it's absolutely worth it. The final arc installation was so, so beautiful. Of course they had to cut a few parts which I will forever mourn, but the comic, as always, really captured the heart of the podcast.
It makes me want to erase my memory (with the jellyfish perhaps.) so I can go relisten to the podcast and fall in love with our favorite boys all over again.
I cannot believe the final book is here, and concluding The Adventure Zone- I absolutely teared up at the ending because this is one of my favorite podcasts of all time. They all did such a beautiful job bringing Taako, Magnus, and Merle's story to life and it's still so amazing that it brought an equally beautiful book series with it.
I cannot wait to have this copy in my hands and complete the series. Seriously, that empty spot on my bookshelf is killing me.
As always with TAZ comics- Perfection, oh my god. I can hear the boys' voices in my head as I read, and the art.. I swear it gets more beautiful with every edition of this series! I will admit, I definitely had to go back and reread the other comics as a refresher, but it's absolutely worth it. The final arc installation was so, so beautiful. Of course they had to cut a few parts which I will forever mourn, but the comic, as always, really captured the heart of the podcast.
It makes me want to erase my memory (with the jellyfish perhaps.) so I can go relisten to the podcast and fall in love with our favorite boys all over again.
I cannot believe the final book is here, and concluding The Adventure Zone- I absolutely teared up at the ending because this is one of my favorite podcasts of all time. They all did such a beautiful job bringing Taako, Magnus, and Merle's story to life and it's still so amazing that it brought an equally beautiful book series with it.
I cannot wait to have this copy in my hands and complete the series. Seriously, that empty spot on my bookshelf is killing me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
And that concludes the story of four idiots who played D&D so hard they made themselves cry...
And it also made me cry. Often. With many tears. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book. Reading off a screen does not do the illustrations justice. Carey Pietsch did an incredible job illustrating the graphic novels. It’s hard to accurately rate a story I’ve loved for almost a decade, but Carey and the boys did a fantastic job bringing the podcast to life in these graphic novels. I was nervous when I saw that Stolen Century and Story and Song were being combined, but I think this flowed very well and helps weave the conclusion together. It retained so many of my favorite parts and brought me back to the first time I listened to the podcast — Merle’s conversations with John, Lup’s departure, and, of course, the epilogue. TAZ: Balance, you’ll always be so special to me.
Now maybe I’ll go back and listen to it again.
And that concludes the story of four idiots who played D&D so hard they made themselves cry...
And it also made me cry. Often. With many tears. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book. Reading off a screen does not do the illustrations justice. Carey Pietsch did an incredible job illustrating the graphic novels. It’s hard to accurately rate a story I’ve loved for almost a decade, but Carey and the boys did a fantastic job bringing the podcast to life in these graphic novels. I was nervous when I saw that Stolen Century and Story and Song were being combined, but I think this flowed very well and helps weave the conclusion together. It retained so many of my favorite parts and brought me back to the first time I listened to the podcast — Merle’s conversations with John, Lup’s departure, and, of course, the epilogue. TAZ: Balance, you’ll always be so special to me.
Now maybe I’ll go back and listen to it again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Shout out to NetGalley and First Second for this ARC! The Adventure Zone graphic novels adaptions just get better and better. When they announced that Balance would be made into a graphic novel, I was so curious about how they would adapt the last two arcs of the series. It's a hefty, heavy chunk of story that wraps up Balance Campaign so well. The same can be said about the graphic novel. It was such a good move to combine The Stolen Century and Story and Song into one graphic novel. This was incredible. It hits the emotional beats of the podcast while still remaining unique and its own artform. Carey Pietsch has always done an excellent job and Story and Song only hammers her abilities home. One of the reasons I love McElroy Family Universe (MFU) so much is its deep sense of sincerity and the love they have for each other, this really comes across in the final installment of the graphic novel series. Love, love, love those good McElboys!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I adored The Adventure Zone. It defined my 2017, so getting to return to this story nearly ten years later is such a blast, literally. The art is beautiful and such a wonderful job has been done in adapting the podcast to the graphic novel medium and also in fleshing out the characters. There’s so many iconic scenes from the podcast, too many to name honestly, that have been adapted here and the emotional impact hits just as hard as the original. Incredible fight scenes. I’m crying. This installment makes me want to go back and read through the rest of the graphic novels, to experience TAZ all over again. I’m emotional.
(I also didn’t know that Sloane and Hurley)
Thank you to First Second and NetGalley for the ARC.
(I also didn’t know that Sloane and Hurley)
Thank you to First Second and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the ARC!
The Adventure Zone Story and Song, a fantastic ending to a heartfelt story.
I have followed the McElroy Family for some time and I have listened to this arc of The Adventure Zone podcast multiple times. Despite knowing how the story goes and knowing how it ends, the McElorys and Carey Pietsch have managed to make me feel all the emotions again.
We get to see every one of our favorite characters from the rest of the series come back in this last epic fight against The Hunger! Story and Song has brought this series full circle and concluded it beautifully.
The Adventure Zone is my favorite podcast and now the graphic novel series is in my top 5 favorite series of all time. This book will stay on my shelf for as long as I am alive. (except for when I’m re reading it of course)
The Adventure Zone Story and Song, a fantastic ending to a heartfelt story.
I have followed the McElroy Family for some time and I have listened to this arc of The Adventure Zone podcast multiple times. Despite knowing how the story goes and knowing how it ends, the McElorys and Carey Pietsch have managed to make me feel all the emotions again.
We get to see every one of our favorite characters from the rest of the series come back in this last epic fight against The Hunger! Story and Song has brought this series full circle and concluded it beautifully.
The Adventure Zone is my favorite podcast and now the graphic novel series is in my top 5 favorite series of all time. This book will stay on my shelf for as long as I am alive. (except for when I’m re reading it of course)
July 17, 2026
I've said it before but it's worth repeating, TAZ Balance is one of my favourite stories of all time, in any medium, full stop. It's so stunningly wonderful. Honestly I can't even write a proper review for this book because what is there to say? I put off reading it for days after getting it because it suddenly hit me that this is it, it's ending all over again, and I couldn't face it. But now I have, and I'm feeling a lot of very big feelings! 👍 It's a great adaptation and I'm so impressed and so grateful for it all. I owe everyone who contributed to bringing this story to life (twice!) my life.
(special shoutout to my "fantasy adventure reading" playlist for shuffling into The Journey to the Grey Havens track from LotR with truly impeccable timing during, you know, that part of the epilogue. I appreciate it and I'll be crying for the next 24 hours I guess)
(special shoutout to my "fantasy adventure reading" playlist for shuffling into The Journey to the Grey Havens track from LotR with truly impeccable timing during, you know, that part of the epilogue. I appreciate it and I'll be crying for the next 24 hours I guess)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley, First Second and the authors for this advanced reader copy
The Adventure Zone: Bureau of Balance is one of my comfort podcast listens, I can’t even count how many times I’ve listened to it, so to be able to read and review the final book in their graphic novel series meant the world to me. They managed to combine two of the most important arcs, Stolen Century and Story and Song, into this last book without losing the heart, humor and joy that made the podcast so amazing. Carey Pietsch’s art added so much to this already amazing story, the emotions and heart of the story are in every facial expression, color, and tiny detail. I cried at the end, and while I’m sad it’s over I’m so grateful they brought this story to life.
The Adventure Zone: Bureau of Balance is one of my comfort podcast listens, I can’t even count how many times I’ve listened to it, so to be able to read and review the final book in their graphic novel series meant the world to me. They managed to combine two of the most important arcs, Stolen Century and Story and Song, into this last book without losing the heart, humor and joy that made the podcast so amazing. Carey Pietsch’s art added so much to this already amazing story, the emotions and heart of the story are in every facial expression, color, and tiny detail. I cried at the end, and while I’m sad it’s over I’m so grateful they brought this story to life.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Did I almost cry 4 times at work reading this? Yes, I did. Was it worth it? 100%. As someone who listened to the podcast 7 years ago and read the graphic novel a while ago, I thought I had forgotten most of the story. But all the emotional moments hit just as hard. This is a beautiful finale to this story that meant so much to people. It makes me want to re-listen to the podcast again.
As always, the art was beautiful. It is colorful and so expressive. The design of John and The Hunger was a standout. It was a treat to read. The end was satisfying and tied everything together. If you are a fan of the podcast and/or the graphic novels, this book is the perfect conclusion to the epic story.
As always, the art was beautiful. It is colorful and so expressive. The design of John and The Hunger was a standout. It was a treat to read. The end was satisfying and tied everything together. If you are a fan of the podcast and/or the graphic novels, this book is the perfect conclusion to the epic story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*Thank you to 23rd Street Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
It's rare that an adaptation surpasses the source material, but Story and Song ding dang did it. They captured all of the drama of this final story arc without losing the trademark McElroy humor. The art, the colors, the romance, everything was just spot on. (Needs more Garfield, but I'm not going to complain.) The action scenes were so dynamic, Carey Petsch absolutely killed it on the art. I'm pretty sure she invented at least 7 new colors (not to mention some quite interesting onomatopoeias).
Now I just want to go back and reread the entire series.
It's rare that an adaptation surpasses the source material, but Story and Song ding dang did it. They captured all of the drama of this final story arc without losing the trademark McElroy humor. The art, the colors, the romance, everything was just spot on. (Needs more Garfield, but I'm not going to complain.) The action scenes were so dynamic, Carey Petsch absolutely killed it on the art. I'm pretty sure she invented at least 7 new colors (not to mention some quite interesting onomatopoeias).
Now I just want to go back and reread the entire series.
Review of advance copy
Almost a decade ago now, a friend recommended a podcast to me to listen to while I worked. And 8 years later I have finally been able to read the story that altered my brain chemistry.
Griffin, Justin, Travis, and Clint created one of the best stories I’ve ever listened to and I’m so glad I got to go on this journey with them for all these years, reliving Balance again and again. This final chapter, not just of the story but of the graphic novel, brought me to tears just like the finale did all those years ago, and I’m so thankful to them (and Carey) for creating these graphic novels for us.
You’re going to be amazing ❤️
Griffin, Justin, Travis, and Clint created one of the best stories I’ve ever listened to and I’m so glad I got to go on this journey with them for all these years, reliving Balance again and again. This final chapter, not just of the story but of the graphic novel, brought me to tears just like the finale did all those years ago, and I’m so thankful to them (and Carey) for creating these graphic novels for us.
You’re going to be amazing ❤️
July 15, 2026
Getting to experience one of my favorite stories of all time in comic book form for the last 7+ years has been such a fun and devastating ride. I love TAZ Balance dearly and I'm so sad to say goodbye to it again. I truly think I'll love this story for the rest of my life. <3
'This world's troubles have not ended. It's inhabitants' paths will diverge and conflict, in due time. It is unavoidable. But...I suspect this realm will know more peace and joy than most. Because of the story you told. Because of the path they walked together'
'The song is now yours, just as the story has always been yours.' ;3;
'This world's troubles have not ended. It's inhabitants' paths will diverge and conflict, in due time. It is unavoidable. But...I suspect this realm will know more peace and joy than most. Because of the story you told. Because of the path they walked together'
'The song is now yours, just as the story has always been yours.' ;3;
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2026
They’ve done it again.
It’s hard to put into words what this series has meant to me, and thousands of others over the years. Story and Song is the culmination of almost 15 years of work, and I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
While all the graphic novels stray a little from the original source material, you kind of have to so that you can include people who haven’t listened to the podcast, the one thing that it does not stray from is heart.
The boys have said it the best, “[this is] a story of four idiots who played D&D so hard, they made themselves cry”
I found myself crying almost every 10 pages.
It’s hard to put into words what this series has meant to me, and thousands of others over the years. Story and Song is the culmination of almost 15 years of work, and I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.
While all the graphic novels stray a little from the original source material, you kind of have to so that you can include people who haven’t listened to the podcast, the one thing that it does not stray from is heart.
The boys have said it the best, “[this is] a story of four idiots who played D&D so hard, they made themselves cry”
I found myself crying almost every 10 pages.
June 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for providing this electronic advanced copy for review!
It was so exciting to finish the final graphic novel adaptation of the Adventure Zone Balance arc. It made me want to re-listen to the Balance arc all over again. The art was beautiful and I enjoyed the adaptive choices that were made to still capture the tone and story of the podcast, but also make it a cohesive narrative and do justice to its ending. I teared up multiple times reading this. Just a wonderful graphic adaptation of a wonderful story!!
It was so exciting to finish the final graphic novel adaptation of the Adventure Zone Balance arc. It made me want to re-listen to the Balance arc all over again. The art was beautiful and I enjoyed the adaptive choices that were made to still capture the tone and story of the podcast, but also make it a cohesive narrative and do justice to its ending. I teared up multiple times reading this. Just a wonderful graphic adaptation of a wonderful story!!
Review of advance copy
Would recommend listening to the song Voidfish (Plural) by Rachel Rose Mitchell while reading this book
My order came in alot earlier than I expected and I am reeling from the experience, I read all the previous books before this and I listened to the campaign when it was coming out so I knew what was coming but that didnt stop the excitement and tears that followed. The author(s) The McElroys and the Illustrator Carey Pietsch did a wonderful amazing job, I thank them for letting me real live the finale all over again.
My order came in alot earlier than I expected and I am reeling from the experience, I read all the previous books before this and I listened to the campaign when it was coming out so I knew what was coming but that didnt stop the excitement and tears that followed. The author(s) The McElroys and the Illustrator Carey Pietsch did a wonderful amazing job, I thank them for letting me real live the finale all over again.
Review of advance copy
I'm going to be completely honest and say that I was worried for this final volume after the last book. I was afraid that it was going to be rushed, that the heart of the podcast's finale would be piecemealed together in a way to make it digestible to a larger audience, but my god was I wrong.
Finishing this felt like finishing TAZ Balance for the first time again. This book was amazing and phantasmal and resplendent.
Thank you Barnes & Nobel for fucking up and putting this out damn near a week early because I'm an emotional mess and will need the extra time to recover
Finishing this felt like finishing TAZ Balance for the first time again. This book was amazing and phantasmal and resplendent.
Thank you Barnes & Nobel for fucking up and putting this out damn near a week early because I'm an emotional mess and will need the extra time to recover
Review of advance copy
I was able to grab a copy of this the day before it was meant to be officially released, and god I completely forgot how earth shatteringly important this series was for me when I was younger. It's surreal getting to see lines that propelled me through some of my darkest times illustrated in a book years after I initially heard them. The adventure zone series definitely has its flaws but ultimately it touched me in a way that truly left me feeling changed. Im so happy that I get to be here today reading this adaptation of one of my favorite stories :]
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