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The Last Session #1
The Last Session #1
Roll for initiative!
Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter, and Shen have played Dice & Deathtraps together since high school. Now, on the verge of graduating college and scattering, they’ve decided to finally complete their unfinished first campaign. But when Jay’s partner Cassandra joins as a new player, Lana’s afraid the party won’t ever finish their quest…
Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter, and Shen have played Dice & Deathtraps together since high school. Now, on the verge of graduating college and scattering, they’ve decided to finally complete their unfinished first campaign. But when Jay’s partner Cassandra joins as a new player, Lana’s afraid the party won’t ever finish their quest…
Unknown Binding
Published December 1, 2021
6 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
About the author
Jasmine Walls
31 books62 followersJasmine Walls is an award-winning writer, editor, and artist. She's worked on several graphic novels along with writing Vixen: NYC, and can otherwise be found drinking hot chocolate or befriending all the neighborhood dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 8, 2022
This was such a cute cozy fast read. I loved how story sometimes switched between the past,the present and how we had DnD characters pov as well as players pov.
March 20, 2022
4.5 stars
This was such a cute little graphic novel!! I enjoyed reading it so much. It was such a quick and sweet read, I read it in one sitting and I immediately wanted more of the characters.
This is a story about Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter, and Shen who have been playing DnD since high school, and now 4 years later, they're graduating college and they're all building their lives as adults which will inevitably cause them to go different ways. They get together to play one last game - to finish their first-ever campaign. But now, things are different, as this is the first time they're meeting Jay's partner Cassandra, and the first time she'll be joining the game. The story is about a group of queer kids growing up, and having to deal with changes in their dynamic that this brings.
I loved everything about this story, the friend group we follow was so sweet and I loved their interactions. The story follows three timelines: present day, their high school days and their DnD characters' adventures. I love the switching timelines, it was such a clever way to show the characters' personalities and stories and to make them relatable. I enjoyed the characters, they were so fun and I was surprised how quickly I got attached to all of them especially considering how short this graphic novel is. I loved that it showed how growing up for real can be messy and how their friendship endured some bumps they faced along the way. I loved their relationships and this little book made me feel so warm inside. The found family trope in this book was just so well done.
I would highly recommend this novel, even if you do not love DnD (but especially if you do), this book brings so much in such a short novel - if you love reading about friendship, found family and overall the mess of being an adult, you found your book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a cute little graphic novel!! I enjoyed reading it so much. It was such a quick and sweet read, I read it in one sitting and I immediately wanted more of the characters.
This is a story about Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter, and Shen who have been playing DnD since high school, and now 4 years later, they're graduating college and they're all building their lives as adults which will inevitably cause them to go different ways. They get together to play one last game - to finish their first-ever campaign. But now, things are different, as this is the first time they're meeting Jay's partner Cassandra, and the first time she'll be joining the game. The story is about a group of queer kids growing up, and having to deal with changes in their dynamic that this brings.
I loved everything about this story, the friend group we follow was so sweet and I loved their interactions. The story follows three timelines: present day, their high school days and their DnD characters' adventures. I love the switching timelines, it was such a clever way to show the characters' personalities and stories and to make them relatable. I enjoyed the characters, they were so fun and I was surprised how quickly I got attached to all of them especially considering how short this graphic novel is. I loved that it showed how growing up for real can be messy and how their friendship endured some bumps they faced along the way. I loved their relationships and this little book made me feel so warm inside. The found family trope in this book was just so well done.
I would highly recommend this novel, even if you do not love DnD (but especially if you do), this book brings so much in such a short novel - if you love reading about friendship, found family and overall the mess of being an adult, you found your book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2025
This is a great graphic novel for people who feel themselves in that transition period between high school to the late stage of college and find comfort in escapism. I loved how realistic everything felt with each characters insecurities from school and careers to their place in a developing friend group. As someone who also finds escapism through playing d&d, I both enjoyed how they captured their storytelling in the game as well as the driving motives of the players.
March 21, 2022
"The Last Session" is a graphic novel about a group of friends who have been playing Dungeons & Drago.. .- I'm sorry, Dice & Deathtraps - together since high school.
As they move on to college, and soon, the adult world, they have decided to finally finish their first campaign. But the addition of a new player might throw the party into turmoil and chaos.
This cute comic is both fun and relatable. I too have been in such a party, whose campaign spanned years. And I too identify with the difficulty of accepting change as you grow older.
The characters are very relatable and diverse, they could be you or your friends when you were in college.
I found the illustrations and design very accessible, easy to follow the action as it developed, and the transition between real-world action and in-game world action was very smooth.
All in all, a very well done graphic novel for all players of tabletop RPGs (or maybe a good motivator to start playing?), fans of stories about friendship, the family you choose as you grow older, and the struggles of being an adult.
You should read this!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
As they move on to college, and soon, the adult world, they have decided to finally finish their first campaign. But the addition of a new player might throw the party into turmoil and chaos.
This cute comic is both fun and relatable. I too have been in such a party, whose campaign spanned years. And I too identify with the difficulty of accepting change as you grow older.
The characters are very relatable and diverse, they could be you or your friends when you were in college.
I found the illustrations and design very accessible, easy to follow the action as it developed, and the transition between real-world action and in-game world action was very smooth.
All in all, a very well done graphic novel for all players of tabletop RPGs (or maybe a good motivator to start playing?), fans of stories about friendship, the family you choose as you grow older, and the struggles of being an adult.
You should read this!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2022
I received a copy of this graphic novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not a RPG player but I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot. The present and past moments of the players were interesting and their game session was depicted funnily. It was a nice graphic novel! 😊
I’m not a RPG player but I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot. The present and past moments of the players were interesting and their game session was depicted funnily. It was a nice graphic novel! 😊
June 3, 2023
I was immediately struck by the amazing artwork in this graphic novel and the fact that every page is in full-color. The story proved to be just as compelling as its presentation. I like how the characters' DND campaign parallels their life outside of the game, and I appreciate the central conflict being the fear of change and growing apart from loved ones. Even when characters were antagonistic, I was sympathetic to their situation, and I'm glad that everything resolved so neatly.
Another thing I like about this book is how queer it is without making queerness a main conflict. Every adult we see is supportive and understanding of their child's identity, and the closest we get to queer-based conflict is one character feeling left behind when two others enter into a queerplatonic relationship--but that can easily be overlooked to me, because I so rarely see queerplatonic relationships mentioned in published works let alone spotlighted and celebrated.
"The Last Session" is largely a feel-good story, and although it doesn't shy away from conflict, the main issue is not homophobia/transphobia/racism/etc. It is interpersonal conflict and the unrelenting passage of time, which for me generates more nuanced and less stressful story beats. The ending is optimistic and satisfying, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the subsequent volumes lead. There is certainly more to be said about these characters, but I'm happy that this volume is able to stand on its own. As I eagerly await the sequels, I will turn my focus onto my own DND characters, because this story has given me a burst of motivation to make art and design more OCs for my friends' campaigns!
Another thing I like about this book is how queer it is without making queerness a main conflict. Every adult we see is supportive and understanding of their child's identity, and the closest we get to queer-based conflict is one character feeling left behind when two others enter into a queerplatonic relationship--but that can easily be overlooked to me, because I so rarely see queerplatonic relationships mentioned in published works let alone spotlighted and celebrated.
"The Last Session" is largely a feel-good story, and although it doesn't shy away from conflict, the main issue is not homophobia/transphobia/racism/etc. It is interpersonal conflict and the unrelenting passage of time, which for me generates more nuanced and less stressful story beats. The ending is optimistic and satisfying, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the subsequent volumes lead. There is certainly more to be said about these characters, but I'm happy that this volume is able to stand on its own. As I eagerly await the sequels, I will turn my focus onto my own DND characters, because this story has given me a burst of motivation to make art and design more OCs for my friends' campaigns!
Read
June 5, 2025This was such a cute and cozy read, it's about a group who meets in an unexpected way but continue bonding even after years of high school.
I loved that it was realistic, the cracks that form in their friendship through years, the hesitance of new group members and realizing that you do -in fact- need every member of the group!
I loved the DnD characters' POV's too, the artstyle was also cute!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy.
I loved that it was realistic, the cracks that form in their friendship through years, the hesitance of new group members and realizing that you do -in fact- need every member of the group!
I loved the DnD characters' POV's too, the artstyle was also cute!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy.
Read
April 20, 2025Incredibly short but simple and cute. I like the art style and characters but of course I need to read more!
March 25, 2022
*I received an ARC of "The Last Session: Vol 1" from Netgalley to read and review. The opinions are my own. Vol. 1 contained Sessions 1-5
Wow, if ever I've read a comic that was relatable this was it. Being a fan of tabletop RPGs and having played a few Dungeons and Dragons campaigns myself, I had a feeling this would be right up my alley and it didn't disappoint! I really loved how the author made their own fictional Dungeons and Dragons style game for the sake of the comic but included so many original D&D elements (or elements that were very close to the original) which helped me have a deeper understanding the story, although I believe someone who has never played D&D could "get it" on a basic level too.
When it came to the story itself, at times I did find the dialogue a bit corny, for lack of a better term, but overall I thought the story had a good flow and was well organized. I loved that as I kept reading I (the reader) was given multiple POVs ranging from present day, to the realm of their fantasy characters, to the past, in high school when Lana, Drew, Jay, Walter, and Shen first met. In addition I found the storyline of adding Cass into their group and the drama/difficulties that came with that to be very relatable. It's something I've dealt with in a campaign and I know I am not alone in that.
Overall I thought it was a fun quick read with incredible graphics. It's definitely worth picking up, especially if you're a fan of tabletop RPG's, Fantasy, Comics, or graphic novels.
Wow, if ever I've read a comic that was relatable this was it. Being a fan of tabletop RPGs and having played a few Dungeons and Dragons campaigns myself, I had a feeling this would be right up my alley and it didn't disappoint! I really loved how the author made their own fictional Dungeons and Dragons style game for the sake of the comic but included so many original D&D elements (or elements that were very close to the original) which helped me have a deeper understanding the story, although I believe someone who has never played D&D could "get it" on a basic level too.
When it came to the story itself, at times I did find the dialogue a bit corny, for lack of a better term, but overall I thought the story had a good flow and was well organized. I loved that as I kept reading I (the reader) was given multiple POVs ranging from present day, to the realm of their fantasy characters, to the past, in high school when Lana, Drew, Jay, Walter, and Shen first met. In addition I found the storyline of adding Cass into their group and the drama/difficulties that came with that to be very relatable. It's something I've dealt with in a campaign and I know I am not alone in that.
Overall I thought it was a fun quick read with incredible graphics. It's definitely worth picking up, especially if you're a fan of tabletop RPG's, Fantasy, Comics, or graphic novels.
March 5, 2022
Switching between "real life" and the DnD sessions, this graphic novel is about friends from high school who are finally going to finish their first campaign! Jay, Drew, Shen, Walter, and Lana met at a GSA meeting that turned out to be a bust. However, they discovered their common desire of creating a role-playing game together. Fast forward a few years, and Jay's girlfriend is joining the campaign. However, as a new player, things just feel different with her there.
This was so, so cute. I loved the characters. There is great LGBTQ+ representation as well as characters with different aspirations in life. The DnD story was also great! Plus beautiful illustrations. Definitely would recommend!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was so, so cute. I loved the characters. There is great LGBTQ+ representation as well as characters with different aspirations in life. The DnD story was also great! Plus beautiful illustrations. Definitely would recommend!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2025
What a gorgeous book!
I loved this so much. As always with graphic novels, let me just start by gushing a bit about the art. It is so soft and vibrant and colorful. I loved the characters so much, both the in game characters and their players. Such nice designs for them all! I think my favorite has to be Kezz the Bold, I always love a good bard, but maybe that's because they remind me of my partner. I adore this style of art: the sketchy linework, the nice palette. Just beautiful.
As far as the story goes, it was nice! A good cozy look into the lives of the characters. Though, I do wish they were a bit more fleshed out. I would have loved to have seen more of the backstory, how they became close during high school and maybe how they got into their groove playing the game. I'm a person who wants to get into playing these kinds of games and am shy about it because everyone always seems to be so good at it when you try to join something already established. I related to Cass in that regard, but I wish I could have seen more of the fumbling first attempts. I feel like Cass was really good really fast at the whole thing, but to be fair, maybe she is just more outgoing than me!
In any case, a great first volume and I can't wait to read more! I loved the representation, I loved the art, and the story was cute. Definitely recommend.
Thanks to Maverick for the DRC!
I loved this so much. As always with graphic novels, let me just start by gushing a bit about the art. It is so soft and vibrant and colorful. I loved the characters so much, both the in game characters and their players. Such nice designs for them all! I think my favorite has to be Kezz the Bold, I always love a good bard, but maybe that's because they remind me of my partner. I adore this style of art: the sketchy linework, the nice palette. Just beautiful.
As far as the story goes, it was nice! A good cozy look into the lives of the characters. Though, I do wish they were a bit more fleshed out. I would have loved to have seen more of the backstory, how they became close during high school and maybe how they got into their groove playing the game. I'm a person who wants to get into playing these kinds of games and am shy about it because everyone always seems to be so good at it when you try to join something already established. I related to Cass in that regard, but I wish I could have seen more of the fumbling first attempts. I feel like Cass was really good really fast at the whole thing, but to be fair, maybe she is just more outgoing than me!
In any case, a great first volume and I can't wait to read more! I loved the representation, I loved the art, and the story was cute. Definitely recommend.
Thanks to Maverick for the DRC!
June 30, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review!
4.5/5, rounded up to 5
I’m a huge sucker for any Dungeons & Dragons-inspired books and graphic novels, and this one is fantastic. It’s (sadly) extremely common for groups to lose momentum in the middle or even at the end of a campaign, so it was completely believable that events would unfold like they did.
This was a fast, cozy, heartwarming read that I will absolutely be rereading at some point. I liked all of the characters, and I sympathized with the conflict of trying to finish the campaign that you loved while dealing with feeling like someone is intruding who isn’t part of the group.
D&D can be hard to break into as a new player in an old group. I really felt for Cassandra, who was trying so hard to be part of the group and fit in. I also completely understood where Lana was coming from- the game she had loved for so long was back, but it wasn’t the same. That can be tough to deal with also. I think the resolution was really well done and I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
4.5/5, rounded up to 5
I’m a huge sucker for any Dungeons & Dragons-inspired books and graphic novels, and this one is fantastic. It’s (sadly) extremely common for groups to lose momentum in the middle or even at the end of a campaign, so it was completely believable that events would unfold like they did.
This was a fast, cozy, heartwarming read that I will absolutely be rereading at some point. I liked all of the characters, and I sympathized with the conflict of trying to finish the campaign that you loved while dealing with feeling like someone is intruding who isn’t part of the group.
D&D can be hard to break into as a new player in an old group. I really felt for Cassandra, who was trying so hard to be part of the group and fit in. I also completely understood where Lana was coming from- the game she had loved for so long was back, but it wasn’t the same. That can be tough to deal with also. I think the resolution was really well done and I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
May 15, 2023
A group of five high schoolers meet for an after school program Gender Sexuality Alliance, and begin playing Dice and Deathtraps. Years later in college they still make time to meet up, and when a new member joins, it's not all copasetic. Long standing friendships do get tested when another joins in. Humorous and very relatable.
March 18, 2025
A decent story. I enjoyed how the story jumped back and forth from world of the RPG to the "real world," but I didn't feel like the book didn't anything really original otherwise. A well-worn story of group dynamics changing as people move on with their lives or start dating new people, etc. Loved the artwork, but the story didn't knock my socks off.
September 9, 2025
Making friends in high school translated to staying friends in college where they do D&D and generally try to figure out their next steps in life navigating everything from career goals to romantic and platonic friendships.
The color palette is awesome and the characters are well-shaped to set up for the comics series.
The color palette is awesome and the characters are well-shaped to set up for the comics series.
May 5, 2023
Looks like the beginning of a very fun dnd campaign and a slightly deeper and relatable story! I’m excited to read more! Also the art style is so great. There’s great variety in the character designs and they are both clearly tied to and unique from their game characters. Highly recommend!
February 25, 2024
This was a great graphic novel with friends trying to stay together and bond while life continues to change around them.
August 4, 2024
This was good! The art style is lovely and I liked the dialogue.
rep: queer characters, characters of color
spice: none
rep: queer characters, characters of color
spice: none
December 19, 2024
2.5/5
January 5, 2025
quite a nice graphic novel: group of friends gets into playing D&D
unfortunately, it is over before it even gets going, with a silly ‘...tbc...’ after just 32 pages
unfortunately, it is over before it even gets going, with a silly ‘...tbc...’ after just 32 pages
March 5, 2025
4.25/5 stars
(For vol. 1-5)
This was cute. I like the illustration, and I like the D&D storytelling. It mixes fantasy and reality well. I like that it discusses platonic jealousy and a fear of change.
CW: violence; death (fantasy); mentions of body shaming & queerphobia
(For vol. 1-5)
This was cute. I like the illustration, and I like the D&D storytelling. It mixes fantasy and reality well. I like that it discusses platonic jealousy and a fear of change.
CW: violence; death (fantasy); mentions of body shaming & queerphobia
October 11, 2022
A cute little story about coming to the end of a TTRPG campaign, adding a new player last minute, and working out some people problems. It's true that the second greatest enemy to gaming groups (the first being scheduling) is the players themselves. I like the diverse cast, and the incredible artwork, but something kept this book from being truly special. The fantasy elements were the weakest part of the book and felt like an obligation when so much of it was about the human drama. Still, the drama was done well, and kept the book grounded.
March 18, 2022
**Disclaimer: I recieved a free eARC of The Last Session by Jasmine Wells through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.
The Last Session by Jasmine Walls is a graphic novel about a group of friends who were members of a GSA group but then became what is essentially a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, though it's called Dice & Deathtraps in the book. The novel is set to publish on March 31st, 2022. I rated it four stars on Goodreads.
Here's the summary from Goodreads:
Roll for initiative!
Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter, and Shen have played Dice & Deathtraps together since high school. Now, on the verge of graduating college and scattering, they’ve decided to finally complete their unfinished first campaign. But when Jay’s partner Cassandra joins as a new player, Lana’s afraid the party won’t ever finish their quest…
Thanks to my fiance, I've had a reasonable interest in Dungeons & Dragons. He's a dungeon master and has run a campaign that I've been involved with, and although the campaign fizzled out, I still had a lot of fun and it's left me with interest to play and interest in media around it. That's why I requested to read this book.
This was a super cute story. I liked the characters and how they all had their strengths and flaws and how they interacted with each other. It was interesting to see the development of their characters from high school to where they are at as young adults in college/university. I enjoyed seeing them navigate the more complicated dynamics of adult relationships.
I also really enjoyed the structure of this story. We got to spend some time with the characters in the past when they were in highschool, but we also got to see them as young adults. I also really enjoyed that we got to see snippets of the campaign that they were playing. It really made me want to play D&D again.
The art style of this book was really well done. I liked the design for each of the characters, including the D&D characters they were playing. It allowed me to get swept away in the story.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this story and I highly recommend that you check it out!
The Last Session by Jasmine Walls is a graphic novel about a group of friends who were members of a GSA group but then became what is essentially a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, though it's called Dice & Deathtraps in the book. The novel is set to publish on March 31st, 2022. I rated it four stars on Goodreads.
Here's the summary from Goodreads:
Roll for initiative!
Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter, and Shen have played Dice & Deathtraps together since high school. Now, on the verge of graduating college and scattering, they’ve decided to finally complete their unfinished first campaign. But when Jay’s partner Cassandra joins as a new player, Lana’s afraid the party won’t ever finish their quest…
Thanks to my fiance, I've had a reasonable interest in Dungeons & Dragons. He's a dungeon master and has run a campaign that I've been involved with, and although the campaign fizzled out, I still had a lot of fun and it's left me with interest to play and interest in media around it. That's why I requested to read this book.
This was a super cute story. I liked the characters and how they all had their strengths and flaws and how they interacted with each other. It was interesting to see the development of their characters from high school to where they are at as young adults in college/university. I enjoyed seeing them navigate the more complicated dynamics of adult relationships.
I also really enjoyed the structure of this story. We got to spend some time with the characters in the past when they were in highschool, but we also got to see them as young adults. I also really enjoyed that we got to see snippets of the campaign that they were playing. It really made me want to play D&D again.
The art style of this book was really well done. I liked the design for each of the characters, including the D&D characters they were playing. It allowed me to get swept away in the story.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this story and I highly recommend that you check it out!
February 27, 2022
5 stars
I love playing D&D and watching D&D, so when I saw this at my local comic book store, I was smitten. This issue was everything I wanted it to be and more. I can't wait to keep reading the series.
Five friends meet at an LBTQIA+ club in high school. Their club meeting turned into a long-term D&D campaign. As the friends get ready to graduate from college, they decide to pick up the game with the DM bringing their partner in as an additional character. The issue goes back and forth between their friends and the campaign.
This was so fun. I liked the balance between the characters and their campaign. It seemed each character picked a race/class that fits their persona. I love the cover of each issue summarizing the D&D character. The art in this really fits the aesthetic of the story.
I love this and I can't wait to continue on in the series. This will definitely be a memorable comic I read in 2022.
I love playing D&D and watching D&D, so when I saw this at my local comic book store, I was smitten. This issue was everything I wanted it to be and more. I can't wait to keep reading the series.
Five friends meet at an LBTQIA+ club in high school. Their club meeting turned into a long-term D&D campaign. As the friends get ready to graduate from college, they decide to pick up the game with the DM bringing their partner in as an additional character. The issue goes back and forth between their friends and the campaign.
This was so fun. I liked the balance between the characters and their campaign. It seemed each character picked a race/class that fits their persona. I love the cover of each issue summarizing the D&D character. The art in this really fits the aesthetic of the story.
I love this and I can't wait to continue on in the series. This will definitely be a memorable comic I read in 2022.
March 29, 2022
This is a story about a group of friends (Jay, Lana, Drew, Walter and Shen) who have been playing D&D since high school. And now, 4 years later they're graduating from college, and Meet one last time to finish the first campaign, But now they have a new player in the area, Jay's partner, Cassandra, and As they built a friendship from this game, they all have a certain difficulty in accepting it in the group. But as they all try to resolve the problem in real life, in the game they do the same thing, working as a team to the final act.
This was such a comfy and cute graphic novel!! I was a quick reading so as soon as finished, I Really need to know more about the characters.
I love the characters so much, The approach of the theme was very good, and even though I don't like RPG very much, I found myself, glazed over to learn more about them. I sympathized a lot with Lana, because she's too afraid of change, and in high, I've Been going to the same thing, not with friends, but with the choices that I have to do for my future and stuff. The way that the story goes to the present, pass, and future was very good too, Which made me understand more about the characters and get more attached to them, even though it was a short graphic novel.
It's obvious Tha I would recommend this graphic novel to everyone, Especially those who are in a bad phase, and need a little comfort, those who are afraid of changes, those who are Confused about who they are and what their purpose is... This graphic novel will calm all your heart.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a comfy and cute graphic novel!! I was a quick reading so as soon as finished, I Really need to know more about the characters.
I love the characters so much, The approach of the theme was very good, and even though I don't like RPG very much, I found myself, glazed over to learn more about them. I sympathized a lot with Lana, because she's too afraid of change, and in high, I've Been going to the same thing, not with friends, but with the choices that I have to do for my future and stuff. The way that the story goes to the present, pass, and future was very good too, Which made me understand more about the characters and get more attached to them, even though it was a short graphic novel.
It's obvious Tha I would recommend this graphic novel to everyone, Especially those who are in a bad phase, and need a little comfort, those who are afraid of changes, those who are Confused about who they are and what their purpose is... This graphic novel will calm all your heart.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
"The Last Session" follows a group of friends, just about to graduate from college, joining together for one last session to finally finish their first D&D campaign, made way back when the group first met in high school. But, a new player joins the party, and mild discord ensues!
The cast is of "The Last Session" is wonderfully diverse and queer! I love all of the characters, and it is easy to feel connected to them. I also really liked that the character felt like actual people! They feel like people you would run into at the local LGBT comic shop or in a D&D server. Out of all the characters, I emphasized the most with both Lana and Cassandra. Mostly because I could fully understand and empathize with how both of them felt during the entire novel. Also, I loved the Ace rep! I feel like I rarely see any Ace characters in stories, so it was really nice to see here! The art style of the novel was compelling and just fun to look at in general. I loved the jumps between the real-life side of the players and the fantasy world of the campaign. Their campaign character designs were also super cool to see! I really liked "The Last Session". The title says it's only volume one, so I'll be on the lookout for volume two! I'm excited to see where the story goes from here!
"The Last Session" follows a group of friends, just about to graduate from college, joining together for one last session to finally finish their first D&D campaign, made way back when the group first met in high school. But, a new player joins the party, and mild discord ensues!
The cast is of "The Last Session" is wonderfully diverse and queer! I love all of the characters, and it is easy to feel connected to them. I also really liked that the character felt like actual people! They feel like people you would run into at the local LGBT comic shop or in a D&D server. Out of all the characters, I emphasized the most with both Lana and Cassandra. Mostly because I could fully understand and empathize with how both of them felt during the entire novel. Also, I loved the Ace rep! I feel like I rarely see any Ace characters in stories, so it was really nice to see here! The art style of the novel was compelling and just fun to look at in general. I loved the jumps between the real-life side of the players and the fantasy world of the campaign. Their campaign character designs were also super cool to see! I really liked "The Last Session". The title says it's only volume one, so I'll be on the lookout for volume two! I'm excited to see where the story goes from here!
June 22, 2022
I seem to be reading more and more dungeons and dragons inspired books lately! I devoured a manga that was D&D themed and then came across this gem of a graphic novel. I feel like anything D&D related just lends itself to a more visual storytelling format, so I admired the beauty in this graphic novel because it tells a great story, but also has wonderful depictions of the characters and their own characters (the tail of dragonkin did bother me slightly, but I LOVED the lich and his skeleton minions!)
This is a tale of some kids who met in high school during a "gsa" club meeting. The president of the gsa never showed up, so the club kinda morphed into a D&D club. School ended before they could finish their campaign. Time passes and they all get busy with their lives, but decide to wrap up the campaign before they all move away. The only hiccup - the DM is dating Cass and she wants to play. What started as a super supportive and welcoming group in high school becomes strangely catty toward a new player in the campaign. Will they be able to finish the campaign? Will they all still be friends by the end it it? Will the group accept the DM's girlfriend? Read on to find out!
Recommended for anyone who loves D&D, loves cosplay and fantasy art
This is a tale of some kids who met in high school during a "gsa" club meeting. The president of the gsa never showed up, so the club kinda morphed into a D&D club. School ended before they could finish their campaign. Time passes and they all get busy with their lives, but decide to wrap up the campaign before they all move away. The only hiccup - the DM is dating Cass and she wants to play. What started as a super supportive and welcoming group in high school becomes strangely catty toward a new player in the campaign. Will they be able to finish the campaign? Will they all still be friends by the end it it? Will the group accept the DM's girlfriend? Read on to find out!
Recommended for anyone who loves D&D, loves cosplay and fantasy art
March 17, 2022
A sweet quick read about DnD and friendship - 8.4/10!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for providing me with this book for an honest review. This is a heartwarming, cute, and very relatable graphic novel about a group of friends finishing a DnD campaign they started years before in high school. As a new player/character is introduced, the group dynamic changes and some tension appears between the original players and the newcomer, which they'll have to overcome for the sake of their campaign but also their friendship. As someone who's been role-playing for over 15 years, I can relate to this narrative a lot! The plot and the characters are well-developed and I loved the LGBT, Black, and Hispanic representation. The way their past in high school, present and in-game settings alternate flows beautifully and lets us get to know all characters individually. A great read for DnD lovers!
Characters - 8/10
Atmosphere - 10/10
Writing style - 8/10
Plot - 8/10
Intrigue - 8/10
Logic - 9/10
Enjoyment - 8/10
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for providing me with this book for an honest review. This is a heartwarming, cute, and very relatable graphic novel about a group of friends finishing a DnD campaign they started years before in high school. As a new player/character is introduced, the group dynamic changes and some tension appears between the original players and the newcomer, which they'll have to overcome for the sake of their campaign but also their friendship. As someone who's been role-playing for over 15 years, I can relate to this narrative a lot! The plot and the characters are well-developed and I loved the LGBT, Black, and Hispanic representation. The way their past in high school, present and in-game settings alternate flows beautifully and lets us get to know all characters individually. A great read for DnD lovers!
Characters - 8/10
Atmosphere - 10/10
Writing style - 8/10
Plot - 8/10
Intrigue - 8/10
Logic - 9/10
Enjoyment - 8/10
March 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a super sweet and charming quick read. I finished the whole thing in one sitting. I liked the characters and thought the character designs as them selves and also their in DND versions were super distinct and interesting. This managed to cover a lot of coming of age topics in a pretty short run: friendship, LGBTQ+ Identity, parental pressure, jealousy, change, and diet and body issues, to name a few. I thought these topics while obviously not dug in to in a deep and drawn out way were well handled and overall it made the story sweeter.
I have only the smallest pet peeve which is the story kept jumping "4 years" but that four year jump was from the time they were in the 10th grade to when they were all graduating/graduated college....so shouldn't it be 6 years? Its dumb but my brain is a stickler for that kind of detail so it bothered me the whole time.
This was a super sweet and charming quick read. I finished the whole thing in one sitting. I liked the characters and thought the character designs as them selves and also their in DND versions were super distinct and interesting. This managed to cover a lot of coming of age topics in a pretty short run: friendship, LGBTQ+ Identity, parental pressure, jealousy, change, and diet and body issues, to name a few. I thought these topics while obviously not dug in to in a deep and drawn out way were well handled and overall it made the story sweeter.
I have only the smallest pet peeve which is the story kept jumping "4 years" but that four year jump was from the time they were in the 10th grade to when they were all graduating/graduated college....so shouldn't it be 6 years? Its dumb but my brain is a stickler for that kind of detail so it bothered me the whole time.
March 9, 2022
I knew I had to read this as soon as I could! Queer rep, Dungeons and Dragons, and light drama between friends? A perfect read. The storyline is relatable because high school is hard and figuring out your life after is even worse. Struggling to balance their schooling and/or careers, D&D is the escape for this group of friends who formed a campaign in high school.
The art is great, and very colorful in a pleasing warm palette, and each character (both human and their D&D characters) are distinct and easy to tell apart - the artist really knew what they were doing.
The intros are a little fast so I did some back and forth flipping for a bit, but that's my only downside.
Thank you netgalley for the preview copy! Will definitely be a physical purchase for me!
The art is great, and very colorful in a pleasing warm palette, and each character (both human and their D&D characters) are distinct and easy to tell apart - the artist really knew what they were doing.
The intros are a little fast so I did some back and forth flipping for a bit, but that's my only downside.
Thank you netgalley for the preview copy! Will definitely be a physical purchase for me!
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