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Dungeon Crawler Carl Graphic Novel #1
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The Apocalypse WILL be televised!
You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Getting stuck on a sadistic alien game show with her cat. Join Carl and Princess Donut as they try to survive the end of the world — or just get to the next level of a trap-filled fantasy dungeon.
You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Getting stuck on a sadistic alien game show with her cat. Join Carl and Princess Donut as they try to survive the end of the world — or just get to the next level of a trap-filled fantasy dungeon.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
May 22, 2026
I miss Carl's inner monologue, but I really like the visuals.
May 29, 2026
Attention crawlers: This was amazing, I loved the novels by Matt Dinniman and this adaption is so amazingly done! It was also really amazing to dive back into the beginning of everything (I'm kinda craving a reread although I'm half way through novel number 8). Now go out there and read, read, read.
June 3, 2026
*stupefy* Donut can talk?
Did Not Finish
July 4, 2026Soft DNF: Chapter 2
Other books just seem to be calling my name right now. Maybe I’ll return to this during the Fall Season?!?! Idk. We shall see. 😬😬😬.
~~~~~~~
***Pre-Read:*** I’ve been to B&N. I stay at my library. I know how long and thick these books look. The Graphic Novels feels more like my speed. 🤭🤭🤭.
Other books just seem to be calling my name right now. Maybe I’ll return to this during the Fall Season?!?! Idk. We shall see. 😬😬😬.
~~~~~~~
May 25, 2026
This graphic novel volume adapts the first 16 chapters of Dungeon Crawler Carl (up to page 133 of my copy). It's a fairly accurate adaptation so far, so this review will be less focused on the story and more on the graphic novel aspects.
Art-wise, I'm okay with this, even though I'd never have matched this particular art style up with this series. Neither Carl nor Princess Donut look how I pictured them, but that's not unusual for an adaptation. The important thing is that Donut, with her massive eyes, is so expressive and charming that her essence is still the same. And Carl's fine too. (We all know that Donut is the most important character here.)
That said, some of the action was occasionally difficult to follow, and if I hadn't read the book this was based on, I'm not sure I'd have fully understood everything that was going on. Another issue I had was with all the AI text. There is a LOT, and in order to include all of that loot box and achievement text, the font was occasionally very small. I imagine this was less of a problem for those reading the original Webtoon, but I, unfortunately, occasionally found it impossible to read in print, particularly when the boxes were orange with white text. The description text for the Crown of the Sepsis Whore was a triple whammy: lengthy, white text on an orange background, and located in a panel close to the inside of the book. If I'd actually tried to read it all, I'd probably have broken the book's spine.
I don't know how many people are jumping straight into the graphic novel adaptation without having read the books, but it's always safest to assume at least some people are. While I don't necessarily think this is a terrible way to go and may continue reading the graphic novel (accepting that there will be parts I just won't be able to properly read) just for the joy of seeing more Princess Donut, I personally prefer the original books.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Art-wise, I'm okay with this, even though I'd never have matched this particular art style up with this series. Neither Carl nor Princess Donut look how I pictured them, but that's not unusual for an adaptation. The important thing is that Donut, with her massive eyes, is so expressive and charming that her essence is still the same. And Carl's fine too. (We all know that Donut is the most important character here.)
That said, some of the action was occasionally difficult to follow, and if I hadn't read the book this was based on, I'm not sure I'd have fully understood everything that was going on. Another issue I had was with all the AI text. There is a LOT, and in order to include all of that loot box and achievement text, the font was occasionally very small. I imagine this was less of a problem for those reading the original Webtoon, but I, unfortunately, occasionally found it impossible to read in print, particularly when the boxes were orange with white text. The description text for the Crown of the Sepsis Whore was a triple whammy: lengthy, white text on an orange background, and located in a panel close to the inside of the book. If I'd actually tried to read it all, I'd probably have broken the book's spine.
I don't know how many people are jumping straight into the graphic novel adaptation without having read the books, but it's always safest to assume at least some people are. While I don't necessarily think this is a terrible way to go and may continue reading the graphic novel (accepting that there will be parts I just won't be able to properly read) just for the joy of seeing more Princess Donut, I personally prefer the original books.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
June 8, 2026
Actual rating: 2.5 for visual challenges, 5 for huge Donut eyes
Now that I am obsessed with this series, I enjoyed seeing the choices they made while turning part of the first book into a graphic novel. While I enjoyed it, I don't think it was as successful as, say, the graphic novel adaptation of The Adventure Zone podcast, which is the most similar kind of zany but also dark adaptation I could think of.
I really like the art style, especially the depiction of Carl and Donut (especially Donut!), but the action scenes were hard to follow, especially in the beginning (the destruction of Earth's buildings, etc., and creation of the dungeon, Carl's first foray into the wrong, trapped, hallway with the goblins, etc). I wonder how well people who came to the graphic novel first followed the initial beats of the story. I think too much is lost in the translation.
Speaking of things being lost in translation, a complaint about font choice and size. I wear glasses, and even with those, I could NOT read some of the text. In the print book, I found Carl and Donut opening the loot boxes and reading through the achievements peak fun (probably because I play a lot of video games and also because they are very funny), but here, in order to cram in a lot of this content, the text was so tiny, like the back of a pill bottle tiny, made worse by choosing blocky white letters on a light orange background. Maybe a person with young eyes could do this, but I needed a magnifying glass on top of my actual glasses. I had to give up in places and that's never a good feeling.
I'm glad this version of the story exists, and I'll probably skim through the other graphic versions just to see Donut's huge eyes, Carl's hilarious heart boxers, and the inevitable pedicure scene, but this won't be my preferred format.
Now that I am obsessed with this series, I enjoyed seeing the choices they made while turning part of the first book into a graphic novel. While I enjoyed it, I don't think it was as successful as, say, the graphic novel adaptation of The Adventure Zone podcast, which is the most similar kind of zany but also dark adaptation I could think of.
I really like the art style, especially the depiction of Carl and Donut (especially Donut!), but the action scenes were hard to follow, especially in the beginning (the destruction of Earth's buildings, etc., and creation of the dungeon, Carl's first foray into the wrong, trapped, hallway with the goblins, etc). I wonder how well people who came to the graphic novel first followed the initial beats of the story. I think too much is lost in the translation.
Speaking of things being lost in translation, a complaint about font choice and size. I wear glasses, and even with those, I could NOT read some of the text. In the print book, I found Carl and Donut opening the loot boxes and reading through the achievements peak fun (probably because I play a lot of video games and also because they are very funny), but here, in order to cram in a lot of this content, the text was so tiny, like the back of a pill bottle tiny, made worse by choosing blocky white letters on a light orange background. Maybe a person with young eyes could do this, but I needed a magnifying glass on top of my actual glasses. I had to give up in places and that's never a good feeling.
I'm glad this version of the story exists, and I'll probably skim through the other graphic versions just to see Donut's huge eyes, Carl's hilarious heart boxers, and the inevitable pedicure scene, but this won't be my preferred format.
July 5, 2026
This is a 3.5 stars read for me. The comic's rendition of the novel is great but I find the images to be too zoomed-in making it difficult to decipher what is happening.
June 13, 2026
This was such a nice Graphic Novel!!!
Loved the art, loved having images of what I read in the book.
It’s a nice complement to the novel ✨
Loved the art, loved having images of what I read in the book.
It’s a nice complement to the novel ✨
May 9, 2026
A fun adaptation of the novel that brings the characters to life in an entertaining way even if the visuals didn’t quite live up to the same events in my head from reading the original. Nevertheless, I will continue to look for these graphic novel versions.
Special Thanks to Vault Comics and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Vault Comics and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
June 29, 2026
Of course this graphic novel was AMAZING!
May 11, 2026
Was a very pleasant surprise when a customer purchased this at work yesterday as I had no idea we had them already 👀
Naturally, I loved it. Anything in the DCC universe is top tier. Although not everything was pictured the same in my head, the art rendition was so funny to follow. I would certainly give this to someone who is overwhelmed of the series. A great starter point to see if you want to continue.
Naturally, I loved it. Anything in the DCC universe is top tier. Although not everything was pictured the same in my head, the art rendition was so funny to follow. I would certainly give this to someone who is overwhelmed of the series. A great starter point to see if you want to continue.
June 30, 2026
4/5 Stars
Format: Paperback
Spoilers: No
I was one of the few people who was not a huge fan of the original Dungeon Crawler Carl book. I tried reading, audio, and immersive, and it just didn't work for me. The story was so over the top, the humor got repetitive for me, and I felt like I wanted a lot more character work. On top of that, the LitRPG thing just didn't work for me - I like playing a game, not reading one. However, it is such a beloved series, and when I heard they were making a graphic novel version, I thought it might work in this format.
Overall, I was right - this story works well as a graphic novel. The video game stuff and inventories seem more at home in an animated format, and the format forced a lot of the repetitive jokes to be cut back. I even felt like I got a bit more emotional connection between Donut and Carl in this version.
I'm hoping they keep putting these out, as it was a fun interlude in between heavier books, and again I would love to see how the story progresses in a format that works for me.
Format: Paperback
Spoilers: No
I was one of the few people who was not a huge fan of the original Dungeon Crawler Carl book. I tried reading, audio, and immersive, and it just didn't work for me. The story was so over the top, the humor got repetitive for me, and I felt like I wanted a lot more character work. On top of that, the LitRPG thing just didn't work for me - I like playing a game, not reading one. However, it is such a beloved series, and when I heard they were making a graphic novel version, I thought it might work in this format.
Overall, I was right - this story works well as a graphic novel. The video game stuff and inventories seem more at home in an animated format, and the format forced a lot of the repetitive jokes to be cut back. I even felt like I got a bit more emotional connection between Donut and Carl in this version.
I'm hoping they keep putting these out, as it was a fun interlude in between heavier books, and again I would love to see how the story progresses in a format that works for me.
May 23, 2026
That was a fun read. I was a little unsure about the art style at first, but it worked. It did a good job at conveying the story.
I’m a big fan of the original series, so it was fun to read it in another format. It stayed true to the story, and even had a couple extra tidbits added in. Overall, I’d be interested in continuing. It was a fun read.
I’m a big fan of the original series, so it was fun to read it in another format. It stayed true to the story, and even had a couple extra tidbits added in. Overall, I’d be interested in continuing. It was a fun read.
June 16, 2026
Achievement Unlocked: Visual Learner!
It’s like the book but less words and more pictures.
It’s like the book but less words and more pictures.
May 27, 2026
absolutely exquisite
May 24, 2026
A fantastic pictorial romp through the beginning of the Dungeon Crawler universe, in which Carl and Donut get swept away in a competition they never wanted to join.
Seeing Dinniman approved art and reading a shorter retelling was a vibe I am glad I did not miss.
Seeing Dinniman approved art and reading a shorter retelling was a vibe I am glad I did not miss.
May 27, 2026
After finishing A Parade of Horribles it was fun to go back to the beginning with this graphic novel. I initially thought that Volume 1 = Book 1...but it was pretty quickly clear based on pacing that was not the case. This volume is roughly the first third of Dungeon Crawler Carl.
There's been a lot of hot takes regarding the artwork, but I liked it (yes...even though Carl looks like a teenage boy and Donut is white instead of tortoiseshell). It's fun, the characters are expressive, and it's cool seeing parts of the dungeon come to life outside my head.
My only real complaint is that so much of the AI explanations have to be included to make the story make sense so the writing is SO TINY sometimes. There's also a few times where I think the plot would be confusing if you hadn't already read the novel (you just simply can't jam everything into a graphic novel), so I'd be curious to speak with someone reading this in isolation.
I'm not sure how quickly all these volumes will be released, but I suppose it's something while we wait for Book 9.
There's been a lot of hot takes regarding the artwork, but I liked it (yes...even though Carl looks like a teenage boy and Donut is white instead of tortoiseshell). It's fun, the characters are expressive, and it's cool seeing parts of the dungeon come to life outside my head.
My only real complaint is that so much of the AI explanations have to be included to make the story make sense so the writing is SO TINY sometimes. There's also a few times where I think the plot would be confusing if you hadn't already read the novel (you just simply can't jam everything into a graphic novel), so I'd be curious to speak with someone reading this in isolation.
I'm not sure how quickly all these volumes will be released, but I suppose it's something while we wait for Book 9.
May 22, 2026
It’s so cool seeing the characters in print! My only complaint is the book, and therefore the print, is too small. It’s hard to read sometimes.
May 30, 2026
Super fun to revisit the world in graphic format.
It makes sense that we don’t get all of book one in volume one but I do feel eager for volume two and not satiated.
The details were hazier and so you do lose more of the plot. Having read the novel first I had a better sense of things, some parts wouldn’t make sense and perhaps they are just relying on the fan base having read the novel first.
I had a great time regardless!
It makes sense that we don’t get all of book one in volume one but I do feel eager for volume two and not satiated.
The details were hazier and so you do lose more of the plot. Having read the novel first I had a better sense of things, some parts wouldn’t make sense and perhaps they are just relying on the fan base having read the novel first.
I had a great time regardless!
May 31, 2026
Its really weird to go back to the beginning of this series. The art is amazing and the graphic novel is very true to the source material. I do miss some of the inner thoughts of Carl and some pieces of information that are well worked out in the books are just 1 panner in the graphic novel. Still a must read for anyone who is already into Dungeon Crawler Carl OR if you want a great staring point
June 27, 2026
I really enjoyed this adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl in to graphic novel.
I love all the little details in the artwork, but the artwork itself feels a little plain. Hopefully this complaint of mine will drift away as the graphic novel develops its own sense more.
Fan of the book series or not, this is still a solid and fun graphic novel.
I love all the little details in the artwork, but the artwork itself feels a little plain. Hopefully this complaint of mine will drift away as the graphic novel develops its own sense more.
Fan of the book series or not, this is still a solid and fun graphic novel.
May 26, 2026
This was a fun adventure! I listened to a snippet of the audiobook, and it wasn’t for me. I was turning to the original first book, even though it’s not normally a genre I would read, but then the graphic novel came out RIGHT as I was thinking about it, so I went that route, and I love how the idea is portrayed visually. The overall plot feels like Hunger Games run by aliens with video game rules.
The graphic novel only covers about the first 30% of the original book, but I’m very much looking forward to the next one (est. October).
Parts are not appropriate for younger audiences (language, some graphic scenes), but if that’s not a problem, then I’d recommend.
Princess Donut is spectacular.
The graphic novel only covers about the first 30% of the original book, but I’m very much looking forward to the next one (est. October).
Parts are not appropriate for younger audiences (language, some graphic scenes), but if that’s not a problem, then I’d recommend.
Princess Donut is spectacular.
May 29, 2026
The visuals really help with the world building, and it'll be interesting to see how they present some things like the game pop ups in text. But it's funny and I can only imagine how much funnier the novel is.
June 11, 2026
Parasti grafiskās noveles nevērtēju, bet tas ir DCC galu galā.
Dīvaini redzēt tēlus, kad grāmatas ir lasītas vairāk kā 3 gadus un savā galvā priekšā stāv iedomātais tēlu izskats.
Dīvaini redzēt tēlus, kad grāmatas ir lasītas vairāk kā 3 gadus un savā galvā priekšā stāv iedomātais tēlu izskats.
June 16, 2026
Pretty good, I’d only recommend it if you really like the DCC series.
June 20, 2026
My new goal in life is to consume every part of this series possible
June 21, 2026
donut's goober faces are something so precious to me personally
July 1, 2026
I loved the novel so it's no surprise I enjoyed the graphic novel format. A great way to refresh yourself on some of the early details between later books.
July 6, 2026
This was a good graphic depiction of the beginning of Dungeon Crawler Carl. I love this series, and this is a fun depiction of it. My biggest complaint is that the boxes with white lettering on a light orange background are extremely difficult to read. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
July 7, 2026
This was the perfect book to graphic novel adaption!! The illustrations were perfect and it made me pumped to jump back into the series!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews