An instant-classic Season 8 episode of Rick and Morty riled up fans with a direct homage to Dungeons and Dragons, but for fans who didn’t know, the iconic animated series and the legendary roleplaying game have a long history, including several crossover comics. The franchises are already deeply connected, and this collaboration will hopefully keep up in the future.
The Rick and Morty Season 8 episode “Nomortsland” contained the series’ latest on-screen homage to Dungeons and Dragons.
For fans who can’t get enough of the admixture, IDW Publishing has several comic book miniseries which blend the two properties together, under the Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons banner.
Rick And Morty’s “Dungeons And Dragons” Adventures Go Way Beyond The Latest Shoutout In Season 8 Of The Show
A Brief Overview Of The Collaboration Between Franchises
Of course, hardcore Rick and Morty fans know that the show produced an entire Dungeons and Dragons-inspired episode, way back in Season 4, “Claw and Horder: Special Ricktim’s Morty.” For those who can’t get enough of that particular adventure, publisher Oni Press released a prequel comic, Worlds Apart, in 2021.
However, by far the most substantial comic book union between the franchises, so far, has come in the form of two IDW series, the four-issue Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons, and its sequel Painscape, which also ran for four issues. Further, this inspired the Dungeons and Dragons vs. Rick and Morty edition of the game.
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Rick and Morty season 8 continues what the series does best, letting the main characters’ exciting dynamic shine with the backdrop of wild adventures.
The starter set for Dungeons and Dragons vs. Rick and Morty included character sheets for notable Rick and Morty characters, including Mr. Meeseeks, and a story module that is, in the context of the adventure, written by Rick himself. In all, the Rick and Morty franchise is more deeply intertwined with D&D than just a passing reference.
Rick And Morty’s Crossovers With “Dungeons And Dragons” Highlight The Influence Of The RPG On The Franchise’s Creators
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Fans can grab a copy of the Deluxe edition of Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons, which collects both IDW miniseries, along with a one-shot D&D tie-in comic starring the Meeseeks. For now, readers are still waiting for the announcement of a third installment in the trilogy, but many are confident it will come.
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Rick and Morty season 7’s finale set up an unknown future for the protagonists, but season 8 has already put my biggest concern to rest.
That is because the D&D and Rick and Morty collaboration is one that is born of mutual appreciation. The writers of Rick and Morty, both on screen and on the page, are to some degree or another indebted to Dungeons and Dragons as storytellers, and the opportunity to bring their madcap characters into that world is a thrilling one.
With Rick and Morty showing no signs of slowing down as a franchise, fans shouldn’t be surprised if a future episode continues the character’s on-screen D&D adventures, nor if the worlds of both beloved properties continue to collide in comic book form. Meaning, Rick and Morty’s Dungeons and Dragons crossovers are hardly over.
Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition is available now from IDW Publishing.
Rick and Morty
8/10
- Release Date
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December 2, 2013
- Network
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Adult Swim
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Justin Roiland
Rick Sanchez / Morty Smith
