Forgotten Realms is a fantasy comic book set in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, written by Jeff Grubb and illustrated by Rags Morales and Dave Simons.
Publication history
In 1989, DC Comics began publishing the Forgotten Realms comic series, written by Jeff Grubb. Each issue contained twenty-six pages, illustrated primarily by Rags Morales and Dave Simons. The 19 issues produced by Morales were his first professional works. Tom Raney illustrated issues #17 and #20. Elliot S. Maggin served as an editor for DC from 1989 to 1991 and oversaw the licensed TSR titles, including Forgotten Realms. Twenty-five issues were published in total, with the last being released in 1991. Kim Yale served as an editor for DC from 1991–1993 and oversaw their licensed titles. Grubb wrote all 25 issues. A fifty-six page annual Forgotten Realms Comic Annual #1: Waterdhavian Nights, illustrated by various artists, was released in 1990, illustrated by Tom Raney.
Plot
The Hand of Vaprak #1 - #4
Priam and Vartan accidentally come across a powerful artifact, the Hand of Vaprak. Ishi, Minder, Dwalimor, and Foxilon try to recover the hand before the original owner, who, in reality, is not Vaprak.
Dragonreach #5 - #8
A mysterious force is murdering dragons in the realms. The companions have to stop this dragonslayer before the dragons emigrate and cause untold damage to the realms. Foxilon's talents as a doula save the day when magic fails.
Elminster is involved in this story arc. He assists Dwalimor Omen in stopping an individual who was slaying dragons in the Realms.
Minder's Story #9
Chronicles Minder's story and how she got into the golem body.
Head Cheese #10
Chronicles Foxilon's addiction to "cheeese" and how he met Dwalimor Omen.
Triangles #11 - #13
Priam tries to track down a hunchback, Jasmine, with a familiar face on the streets of Saerloon. Jasmine does her best to evade and a ship of wizards arrives from Halruaa to arrest Omen. Lady Rae's, a bar that caters exclusively to female adventurers, is introduced.
Undead Love #14
Jasmine attracts the attention of an undead lich who claims her as his new bride. Jasmine challenges Ishi to a "duel of hearts", a contest to win the affections of Priam. Continued in the TSR Worlds Annual.
TSR Worlds Annual #1 (Chapter 4) The crew of the Realms Master arrive at the lich's frozen castle only to be attacked by a deceived Meridith, Tember, and Pax (from the pages of DC/TSR's Spelljammer comic). After both parties realize they are on the same side, Dwalimor tricks the lich into bringing down his castle upon himself and Ishi wins the duel of hearts when Priam chooses to save her over Jasmine. Jasmine leaves the Realms Master to join the crew of the space faring Spelljammer.
Waterdhavian Nights (Forgotten Realms Annual #1) The Realms Master arrives in a festive Waterdeep to collect an artifact, the Eye of Selune. Followers of the evil Imgig Zu also seek the Eye in order to free Zu, who is trapped inside. The crew of the Realms Master teams up with Kyriani, Vajra Valmyjar, Onyx the Invincible, Timoth Eyesbright, and Conner (from the pages of DC/TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comic) to stop them. Onyx and Minder prove that dwarves can fall in love.
The Times of Troubles #15 - 18
Set during the Time of Troubles, Labelas uses Vartan as his host when he is forced into the mortal plane.
Picking up the Pieces #19 - 22
The weakened crew of the Realms Master are stranded in the desert and are taken captive.
Unreal Estate #23
Priam, Foxilon, & Minder need to stop a tavern gambler who is gambling away real estate in the cursed land of Myth Drannor.
Everybody Wants to Run the Realms #24
Vartan "steps outside the frame" to take the reader on a backstage tour behind the scenes of The Realms.
Wake of Realms Master #25
Labelas returns to offer the companions their heart's desire for what happened during the "Time of Troubles". He learns it's not as simple as granting wishes and some things have to be earned. After Labelas learns some humility and wisdom, Vartan is finally able to forgive him. The series concludes with Omen lighting the wake of the Realms Master.