The reason why D’Orc has managed to be a standout in Image Comics’ current stable — and that’s saying a lot, considering how many good books Image has been putting out lately — is thanks to creator Brett Bean’s unique approach. Bean has crafted a fantasy world that he’s constantly taking the piss out of, but also grounds his wicked sense of humor with a surprisingly emotional story about the title character striving to fit into a world that doesn’t want him. D’Orc #4 is a near-perfect example of this, as it shows how D’Orc is starting to slowly change the world around him.
While D’Orc is still on a quest to find the Silver Witch, who can reveal the mystery behind his Death Shield (and resurrect the headless chicken whose ghost is following him), he runs into two major obstacles. The first is a Thrawg, a massive three-headed dog that thinks he’s its next meal. The second is a warring clan of goblins, each side believing that D’Orc is working for the other. In true D’Orc fashion, things get extremely bloody, extremely quickly.
Of the two threats in this issue, the Thrawg is a perfect example of everything that makes D’Orc special. The idea of a giant three-headed dog is truly terrifying and evokes everything from Dungeons & Dragons to the Greek underworld’s guardian, Cerberus. However, the menace is slightly lessened by the fact that all three of the Thrawg’s heads have bug eyes and floppy ears, making it look less like a threat from the bowels of Hell and more like a giant hyperactive puppy who thinks it’s more threatening than it is. Its drool, for some reason, is also flammable, leading to some hilariously gruesome moments.
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But when D’Orc encounters the goblins, that’s when things take a turn. Rather than engaging in another massive slaughter scene, he actually tries to talk sense into them — especially once he learns that both factions want to hunt down the Thrawg and turn it into a food source. It’s a smart move on his part, and another subversion of the usual fantasy tropes. Goblins are often depicted as horrible creatures in most fantasy works, but here they’re having a family squabble that feels realistic. Who hasn’t argued with their siblings or their parents? In perhaps the most shocking twist, it’s the goblins and not D’Orc who are at the center of the usual carnage. Said carnage takes on vibrant life (and plenty of blood-red hues) thanks to Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s color work, not to mention the lingering screams courtesy of Nate Piekos’s lettering.
Another surprising moment involves an emotional conversation D’Orc has with the shield, in which he confesses that the berserker rage within him is turning him into something he doesn’t want to be. The shield has a great response: “You don’t fit in, so keep standing out. The world will catch up.” This is a message that’s sure to hit some readers right in the heart, and what makes it stand out is that it’s the shield delivering it. This is an object that’s pushed D’Orc to embrace violence, so for it to take a 180 shows that D’Orc is rubbing off on it.
D’Orc #4 is a showcase of everything that’s made this series a standout, from its bloody violence to its emotional core. If you haven’t been reading the series, this issue is a great selling point.
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