The Serpent's Heir

How to Train Your Dragon Graphic Novels #1

by Dean DeBlois, Richard L. Hamilton, Doug Wheatley (Artist)

Picking up just after the events in How to Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup, Astrid, and company are called upon to assist the people of an earthquake-plagued island. But their lives are imperiled by a madman and an incredible new dragon who even Toothless—the alpha dragon—may not be able to control!

* Dragons writer, director, and producer Dean DeBlois is coplotting these stories.

* Stories tie in to the upcoming 2019 film.

Genres: Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels, Dragons, Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult

80 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2017

Reviews

[Kaytlin Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sister Jaiden read this and then showed it to me, and I meant to just look at the pictures...30 minutes later, I'd finished reading it.🤦‍♀️

But hey, HTTYD is one of my favorite fandoms, so I quite enjoyed myself. This short graphic novel had so many twists... I just kept reading...lol... and the humor was on point! It was like watching an episode of Race to the Edge, and I quite enjoyed myself.

[Jaiden Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm unashamed to say I devoured this in one sitting then immediately reread it with my sister...lol...😂💖

Illustrations: Five stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The pictures were so GORGEOUS!!!!!! Especially the dragons, they were so vibrantly colored and their facial expressions were so cute! The art was just beautifully done, I loved all the colors and the way they made sure not to forget the dragons/characters in the background, how they made them actually doing things like goofing off and such in the background like they do in the movies instead of just making them stand there was very cool, it made the graphic novel feel like an actual movie!💖😍

Writing: Five stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The dialog was on point! And all the characters were true to thier personalities from the movies & shows!💖 I loved how they included the beginning and end monolog from Hiccup like they were in the movies, it was such a nice touch!💖

Language: One or two times where characters say "What the—" but never finish.

Violence: N/A. Some fighting but no injuries or any blood whatsoever.

Magic: N/A.

(Other: One or two mentions of the viking gods.)

I ADORED THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL!💖😍 it was so well done, and fits perfectly with the franchise, honestly I'm impressed!!! I love how it picks up after movie 2 and let's us see the struggles of rebuilding Berk and the theme of change was so beautiful!!💖 and how we get to see Eret more and him finding his place on Berk and in the gang! I loved him in movie 2 but was a little disappointed with his role in The Hidden World so I was really glad to get to see him actually using his skills and being awesome again!💖
Like I said all the characters personalities were on point! This felt like a episode of Race to the Edge, and I loved every minute of it!! Ruff and Tuff were especially hilarious in this, and Snotlout and Hookfang...lol!
And seeing Hiccup and his mom together more too!💖🥰
This was so great!!! Recommend to any HTTYD fan!!!

7+

[Tyrell ⚔️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel, set between the second and third How to Train Your Dragon films. I am a big fan of the films and an even bigger fan of the Netflix television series. Story wise, this is a tale that takes place away from Berk, and it feels like a little more of a filler episode then one which advances the characters and the narrative. I enjoyed it, and I'm in for the ride. That being said, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise is amazing and I cannot recommend it enough!

[Lou Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel, set between the second and forthcoming third How to Train Your Dragon films, sees film series writer/director Dean DeBlois and Dreamworks’ Dragons show writer Richard Hamilton team up on the first of three planned stories. I am a big fan of the films and an even bigger fan of the Netflix television series, so to find that creative geniuses behind each of these two iterations of the franchise have teamed up is marvelous. The art by Doug Wheatley perfectly captures the look of the characters and is a great deal of the joy of this book. Obviously, the characterizations are spot on seeing as to who the writers are. Story wise, this is a tale that takes place away from Berk, and it feels like a little more of a filler episode then one which advances the characters and the narrative. I enjoyed it, and I'm in for the ride, but I hope that the subsequent graphic novels have a little bit more of a substantial impact on the unfolding cannon. That being said, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise is amazing and I cannot recommend it, and all of its permutations, enough.

[Drucilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting a lot with this tie-in to the franchise and I have to say that I was a little disappointed. Before I get *ahem* roasted by fans, let me explain. It's a good story. It stays true to the characters and the story builds on where the 2nd movie left off...but only a little bit. I guess that's why I didn't rate this higher. After all of the buzz around this graphic novel, I expected more. It comes across as just another episode of the t.v. show. Like I said, it's a good story and it's fantastic that they got the director to co-write. It certainly gives this book an air of officiality that other Dragons comics don't have (side note: those are sooo bad). I know that they can't give too much away concerning the third movie (especially since I don't know if they even have a script yet), but a little more would have been nice. There are certainly hints of stuff that could become something, but it's so hard to tell. I don't mean to be a downer. When I say it's like an episode of the t.v. show, it's not a bad thing. I like the show. I was just hoping for a little more.

[McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Serpent’s Heir reads like an episode of Race to the Edge, which is one of my favorite aspects of the cinematic How to Train Your Dragon franchise. It takes place shortly after the events of the second How to Train Your Dragon film, following Hiccup and Toothless as they each begin to navigate their new leadership roles as Chief and Alpha. Full of witty banter, new dragons, and exciting adventure, it’s a must-read for any fan of the films!

[inhonoredglory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel is really the first glimpse we fans have of Hiccup as Chief of Berk and it really pays off. We see Hiccup struggling to command a people who doesn't necessarily respect his new leadership, and we see him lash out at those who would dare attempt to threaten him. It's a powerful moment that reminds me how far Hiccup has grown and matured in this entire franchise and how delicate and thoughtful DeBlois and Co. are treating his character arc. The dark undertone continues in the fact that this is the first time we see Hiccup kill a man––and Hiccup's reaction to that dark act is indeed one of the most badass and gravity-laden images I've seen in this franchise outside of the films. The quality of the storytelling is enhanced by the incredible artwork. Hiccup's narration at the end is a wonderful piece of characterization and a huge allusion to the sacrifices he will make in the third film to take responsibility of his tribe, even to the loss of his personal freedoms and passions.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love this universe so much! i need to read everything from it.

this was a fun standalone story

[Lance Shadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

In honor of the arrival of the 5th season of Dreamworks Dragons: Race to the Edge, I give you my review of a comic that I have been dying to read ever since I knew of its existence. Here's How to Train Your Dragon: The Serpent's Heir!

I kriffing LOVE the How to Train Your Dragon movies. The first How To Train Your Dragon film is a great example of a movie that despite following nearly every cliche you can think of, the execution is so good that you barely even notice. How To Train Your Dragon 2 is just phenomenal. It's my favorite animated movie sequel by far and my favorite movie sequel period only behind Empire Strikes Back.
While my favorite fictional world is and always will be Star Wars, How To Train Your Dragon is a pretty close second, and the next favorite for me would be a distant third.
And the music by John Powell? BRILLIANT. Primal, transcendent, phenomenal, some of the best music that has ever been written for film. Right up there with John Williams. Because of that I find John Powell to be a highly underrated composer. Oh and the whole thing of him composing for the Han Solo movie coming out next year? I just about had a heart attack when I heard that happening. I have listened to the How To Train Your Dragon scores both while watching the movies and just on its' own so many times. Part of what makes How To Train Your Dragon so kriffing amazing is definitely the music. It never gets praised enough.
And the TV series Dreamworks: Dragons is also pretty good, and I am very excited to start watching Race to the Edge Season 5 after I'm done writing this review. The first season (subtitled "Riders of Berk") is ok, but you have to get through some cringeworthy writing to get to the great stuff. Things really pick up though when you hit the second season (titled "Defenders of Berk") which was really good. And once you get "Race to the Edge" started, you'll find a show that starts off not quite on par with Defenders of Berk but then you'll get to something that just gets better and better as it goes along.

Anyways, lets get to Serpent's Heir, the reason why you were here.

THE STORY: Taking place very shortly after How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Serpent's Heir opens like a HTTYD movie with an opening narration starting with the words "This is Berk". Hiccup is trying to lead is village after the attack by Drago Bludvist and his Bewilderbeest when a plea for help comes from another village on another island. Hiccup goes riding off with Toothless, now the alpha of all dragons to answer the call. Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Twins come along for the ride as expected, but we also have new team players Eret and Valka.

THE BAD: Just a couple of nitpicks. First off, in some of the panels the artist drew Valka's dragon incorrectly. It is supposed to have 4 wings but in some panels of the comic it only has 2. Also, there is a portion where a dragon on Berk is able to get group of baby dragons to obey it, yet in How to Train Your Dragon 2 it is specifically stated TWICE that babies don't listen to anybody.
If I had to find any other problem it would be that most of the riders don't really do all that much and they are just kind of there. Fishlegs and Snotlout contributed nothing and even Astrid didn't do all that much (although it was cool to see her kicking ass). Again though, this is a very minor problem and I still would have rather scene their presence anyways because I love all these characters.

THE GOOD: This comic feels right at home in the How to Train Your Dragon Universe.
The story is really enjoyable, and quite compelling. You get to see Hiccup struggle with transitioning into the role of chief as Berk is left in tatters, and you get to see Toothless as he gleefully enjoys his position as alpha.
The touch from Dean Deblois and the lead writer of the TV series (who cowrote this comic) is really apparent with how true this stays to all the characters. Hiccup is steadily growing and developing as he faces new challenges and responsibilities, and Toothless is as cute as ever. Astrid is and always will be one of the most badass love interests ever. Fishlegs gets a fun geekout moment, and Ruffnut and Tuffnut are still funny as ever. Valka's motherly presence is always great. A big surprise though was Eret, in how seemlessly he has fit himself into the team.
The villain is also quite a bit of fun and something completely different from what I have seen before in this world. Same with the Island, and the revelation about what happened on it was really cool.
The art is also really good with some fun action, nice backgrounds, and wonderful character drawings with highly emotive facial expressions.

THE CONCLUSION: A very satisfying and solid tie-in that the hard core How to Train Your Dragon fans should really enjoy. It felt more in line with what you would get from the TV series than the movies, but that's what I was expecting as soon as I heard of this comic's existence. And as a TV episode like story it gave me exactly what I wanted.
I'll definitely give this a read again in the future and I am definitely quite excited for the next comic that will be coming out, "Dragonvine".
But first, I have a new season of Race to the Edge to watch.

[Lyndsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel was a great addition to the canon! Beautifully illustrated, and the addition of some new dragons I would love to know more about. Interesting villain as well.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in half an hour lol, way too short! Other than that a lovely story, which depicts the characters personalities perfectly like they were in the movies and series.
Very fun read!

[cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun! Reads just like an episode of Race to the Edge. These characters have such strong voices, I could hear every line in my head.

[Juliette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh... seriously ?
The storyline is poor, wonky at best if not imaginary, it serves no purpose and has no point. They tried to fit several things into one comic where they apparently can't do one right. The transitions are beyond understanding, there were several times where I thought I missed a page but hadn't...
Hiccup f*cking kills a man in cold blood just like that ??? It was so OOC as well...
This was uninteresting, pointless and ridiculous. The only reason it gets 2 stars is because this franchise is basically my heart and my soul.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hiccup is the new chief of his village and when a visitor arrives (Calder of the Nepenthe), he asks Hiccup for help. His island is experiencing fearful earthquakes and they're not sure what to do. Can Hiccup and his skill with dragons come to their aid?

But they find more than they've bargained for, with dragons aplenty, a madman who believes he's a dragon and a surprise under the island.

This story begins after the events in the movie - How to Train your Dragon 2....

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love anything related to the How to Train Your Dragon movies. Takes place immediately after the second movie, has the flavor of the franchise. And a couple twists!

[m i l o u ✨ (Grumpy Hobbit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

↠ 4,25 stars

Hiccstrid all the way

[Tim O'neill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incidental. Like a pretty good episode of the show. Only ⭐⭐ as a continuätion of the series, would be ⭐⭐⭐ as an episode of Race to the Edge. I mean episode too—not even a two-parter.

My family is ALL IN on this franchise (I liked the original book too, but the continuïties are so distinct that you have to pick one, and we opted for the one with swooping), so we weren’t gonna miss out on this after watching eight seasons of the show and then watching the second movie. But it didn’t add anything: they could’ve taken some tips from some of the better Gene Luen Yang Avatar comics, i.e. The Promise and to a slightly lesser extent Avatar: The Search. I know DeBlois and Hamilton were gonna make a trilogy, and they’ve only made the second one so far—if it turns out that this stuff was more important, mebbe I’ll alter my grade.

As others’ve noted, given the writing team, it’s not in the least surprising that the characterizations and world are consistent.

Art was nice, but very small and, in the dark caves, hard to discern. I’m old and tired, but I preferred the (sorry again) big editions of the Avatar comics when I could get my hands on them.

[King Haddock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong - this is a very beautiful graphic novel. The story was written well with great pacing - there's never an instance that feels rushed, or which passes over your head (I didn't have to recheck previous pages in the graphic novel for something I had missed, etc). The artwork is downright gorgeous; I love especially how the characters' faces are drawn and so expressive in their emoting. The colorist did a fabulous job, making the colors bright and appealing on every page, coinciding well with the personality of the DreamWorks How to Train Your Dragon universe. There are many entertaining moments, humorous pages, and dragons to satisfy readers. The other How to Train Your Dragon graphic novels are not to this caliber... this is by far an outstanding piece, well worth its price, and a great addition to the canon for HTTYD lovers.

The reason why I'm giving this three stars is not out of lack of quality or lack of satisfaction. This is a good graphic novel! It's merely that I don't feel like I connected with the story. The story didn't feel exceptional to me, I suppose I would say. It wasn't a unique adventure or outstanding anywhere in that regard. There weren't any interesting plot twists or deep connections or concepts explored in depth - it was rather superficial in that regard.

While I am someone who loves to study narrative structure, characterization, symbol, and all the elements that turn story into art, and I love studying what makes a written work objectively good... I will admit a lot of my rating system is based upon subjective emotional response. My emotional connection was not strong for this one, despite the fact that there are many good elements in TSH, and I am pleased that this exists. And I'm glad to have purchased it - I'll be eating up the artwork for many days to come.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was okay. It was a little short for my liking. I don’t think there had been enough time given to really understand what was going on. I felt as though it had been rushed. I felt as though one minute we were on Berk and seeing the damage to the village that had been caused by the battle in the second film to the next where we were traveling to a place I had never heard of before and had never been mentioned in either the movies or the two shows. I was a little confused at where the story was going with the heir and who that who. I felt like it wasn’t thought through very well and the writers just thought they’d put something together quickly. I felt like there could’ve been more of a build-up and we could’ve got to know this prince a little better rather than him just suddenly being revealed as the heir. It just didn’t fit to me.

It was nice to see the way Hiccup was having to handle being chief and how difficult it has become as his father wasn’t around to help him make decisions. That felt very real and I thought that was a nice touch to the story and the character development of Hiccup.

I haven’t got much more to say about this book apart for it was a good light read to ‘help me catch up on my reading challenge for this year, but it isn’t something that I am in a hurry to read again.

I give this a 3 out of 5 stars.

[Ellyn → Allonsythornraxx · Rating 3 out of 5]

04/08/2024
3.5 ⭐️
Until yesterday I had no idea these comics existed but I’m so glad I found them. It’s always such a good feeling to be back in this world!

read for the graphicsathon august bingo challenge

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[Atlanta Bushnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this awesome little book in one sitting. I loved it! I'm a huge fan of the How To Train Your Dragon series, both the movies and TV show, so I was so excited when I discovered the graphic novel.

So this novel fits in between the second and third movie. It honestly felt like watching an episode of Race to the Edge and I loved that. It captured the characters perfectly, with all the fun and adventure we've come to expect from the series. The artwork was great too, which is always important for a graphic novel.

All in all, it's a great edition to the franchise and I highly recommend it to fans of the series. It is a must read! I hope other fans enjoy it as much as I did.

Happy reading!

- Atlanta

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

GIVE ME ALL THE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON CONTENT AND I WILL DEVOUR IT AND ADORE IT!!!!

This was really great, could have been an episode in the shows if they'd gone after the second movie. I really loved the talk about Stoick and how hard it is for Hiccup and all of Berk to adjust to him being Chief. I LOVE OTHER DRAGONS BOWING DOWN TO TOOTHLESS, IT'S SO CUTE!

Loved seeing Eret, loved Snotlout and Hookfang being their charming selves, and loved that Astrid didn't steal the show but was still a badass. And the Foreverwing's were freaking cool as!!!!!!!!!!!!

The art was great, the dialogue was great, the story was great, I WANT MORE!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story continuing where the second film leaves off. I found the art well done, the story put together well, and great panels. There were also the usual stuff going on like goofy characters, some grown up humor, lots of dragons, and a battle fought with ingenuity. The ending was a bit dark though which might be my biggest issue with it. I like though how Hiccup found a way to start becoming the chief he needs to be. A story for those who like the How to Train Your Dragon movies for ages 11 or 12 and up.

[Frederick Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the new chief, Hiccup must bring order to his village after the recent attack by Drago Bludvist and his Bewilderbeast. Another opportunity to prove himself comes when the earthquake plagued island of Nepenthe calls for assistance. But once on the island, it becomes clear the tremors are just a part of the problem. The island is also not what it seem on the surface. With toothless as the Alpha dragon on his side, Hiccup must take charge of the surprising situation that develop on the island. As the new chief this is an ideal time to put his mettle to the test.

[Rubi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be a little bias here, but....how can I NOT give an original HTTYD graphic novel a 5 star?!😍
Not only was the comic funny and beautiful to loonat, but it actually flows with the events of the movie. Here we find out that it was hard,at first, for Hiccup to command the teust of his people. And we also learn how rhey got the idea for those crazy dragon outfits they wore in movie 3 lol
It was a fun little read and as a HTTYD fan, I'm totally buying it! Any fan should pick it up to witness some of the transition phase that occured between movie 2 & 3 👍

[cassie wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Serpent's Heir, it's a nice little something to tide all us fans over as we wait eagerly and a bit impatiently for the next installment in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. It's nothing particularly groundbreaking, and the comic feels a bit like filler, but we get new dragons and we see more of Hiccup and the gang, so if your a fan of How to Train Your Dragon, then The Serpent's Heir is well worth your while.

[Isidora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books was sweet and hilarious, a nice treat to read after watching the second movie. Hiccup and the Dragon Riders recover Berk after the events of the second movie (Drago Bludvist and the Ice Spitter). I liked reading this book but I felt it was too short and didn't address some of the more interesting topics fully, like Stoic's death. It was a nice start though!

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw. This was a cute story post HTTYD 2/pre HTTYD 3. It was a nice glimpse into Hiccup maturing into his new leadership role while handling the usual antics of his comrades. Personally, I thought the art and writing captured the characters' quite well.

One last thing: shout out to Ruffnut's leg hair. ahahahalsdjlasa

[TinTin Kalaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set immediately after the events of the movie How To Train Your Dragon 2, The Serpent's Heir is this sort of coming-of-age story for Hiccup as he strives to be the chief Berk needs. I really enjoyed reading this. The feeling was like watching an episode of the DreamWorks Dragons Netflix show :)

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes place after the second movie

I really enjoyed the art and the shenanigans that took place.

Some parts were too fast paced.

But I really loved the designs and the characters.

Anyone who love the series will love this