Short Story - The Cowardly Clerics of Rigel V!

UPDATE! While you can always read the short story below, I have decided to start making my comics freely available to all for easier digital reading. Please visit https://www.vonallan.com/p/pirate-von.html for more information and download links!

This story first saw print in the comic book titled WIZARDS FOR HIRE — CHEAP! back in 2017. Unfortunately, the print edition is out of print (though you might be able to find a copy using Bookfinder). But! This story — as well as a boatload of others — were collected into a beautiful hardcover edition titled LOVE, LAUGHTER, AND LOSS: A COMICS COLLECTION. More information about that edition can be found right here.

In addition, there is also a digital comic book version of WIZARDS FOR HIRE — CHEAP! on Kindle that can be read anywhere in the world. That edition is available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089QXBYY9.

For more of my comic short stories, including Bill and Butch, please visit my comic book archive that has links to all of my short stories. These are all available as free webcomics, so there's quite a bit to read! Have fun!

Close-up on a Dwarf Killerbeard

As much as I have a soft spot for dwarfs, I have a soft spot for dwarf henchmen (dwarf-at-arms!) in particular. This is something that I think THE VENTURE BROS. have captured extremely well. As did Adam Beechen and Manny Bello's HENCH indy graphic novel. Of course, henchmen and other retainers are a big, big part of old school gaming; it can be a helluva lot of fun to see them develop in their own right. Especially after your main fighter gets ganked in the back by a bunch of Kobolds or something and you need a quick successor.

Henchmen...gotta love 'em!

Biker dwarfs in a dungeon

In my head, these dwarfy folks have just hit the first level, full of enthusiasm, energy, and greed for gold, only to be confronted by… something. What the hell is it? You tell me! One of the fun aspects of dungeons, at least for me, is to play around with expectations. I suppose this monster could be a pudding or a slime, but I think there's a great deal of suspense and excitement when a Referee tosses out the ol' standard bestiary or monster manual and uses brand new critters instead. That keeps players on their toes, never quite sure what they're facing.

Biker dwarfs along a winter street

Really fun little winter street scene. Have I mentioned that I love dwarfs? Well, I do! Biker Dwarfs in particular, because I like my fantasy (well, especially when it comes to the stout lads and lassies) to have a mix of science fiction. Science Fantasy, if you will. While I was never much of a WARHAMMER 40K fan (nothing wrong with it, I just did not know anyone who played it), I did get pretty invested in BLOOD BOWL. And especially DUNGEONBOWL! Or more precisely, ELVES, DWARFS, AND DUNGEONBOWL! That game was a great deal of fun. Whew, boy! What is a smidgen odd is that I was not much of a board game fan, either, but BLOOD BOWL was a blast. I think because it was so very, very silly. Toss in the undead, chainsaws, and (if you were playing DUNGEONBOWL) spiked footballs and teleport pads and the game had an unpredictable chaos to it that was really fun.

A version of this art also appeared in the print edition of WIZARDS FOR HIRE - CHEAP! in the summer of 2017. While that issue is now out of print (boo!), you can read it for free in digital format at my "Pirate Von" section. That's right over at https://www.vonallan.com/p/pirate-von.html!

Dungeon Delving Biker Dwarfs Find Buried Gold

I really had fun doing this piece. A pack of dungeon delvers, dwarfy delvers at that, looking to strike it rich! One of the things I get a kick out of doing is teasing what's just off-page; what's about to ruin their fun? Who knows? Judging by the look on that lead "Biker Dwarf's" face, it can't be good. Is she about to run away? Fight the good fight? What do you think?

Dungeon Dwarf

I have to admit, I do have a soft spot for dwarfs. Especially biker-type dwarfs, fully kitted out and ready for adventure. Old school adventure, I hasten to add!