As a fan of The Guild series on the web, I was excited to see the origin stories behind these beloved characters. Felicia Day’s writing is pitch perfect and her sense of timing is so precise, it’s as if she’s been writing in the medium of comics for years. She has a solid command of the format, but it sure helps when your editor is the effortless, Scott Allie.

Jim Rugg’s clean, subtle art suits the tone and characters of the book beautifully. The understated line work combined with Dan Jackson’s subdued color palette gives the book a strongly-defined look and feel that doesn’t betray the show’s humble, independent roots. Additionally, the graceful, painted style used to express the online gaming world compliments the real world aesthetics very well, making the two easily distinguishable but never garish or distracting.

My favorite aspect of the book is the way in which it provides a level of accessibility to the RPG, fantasy elements for laypersons such as myself, even more so than the video series. Thanks to actually seeing these fully-formed characters do battle in those settings we only ever hear about on the show, it bridges that slight disconnect and makes the audience more engaged in the characters’ experiences, both in their personal and gaming lives.

The Guild #1 is a fun and clever introduction into the comics medium, as well as a charming and affable introduction into the creative, whimsical mind of Felicia Day. Is there anything this woman can’t do? The day I see her juggle flaming chainsaws or give birth to a Pterodactyl, the answer will be an emphatic, “No”. Until that day, as proven by this issue if nothing else, I’m already prepared with a hearty, “I doubt it”. Highly recommended.

By the way, the line “Stupid Hymen” is the best thing I’ve read in a long time. I’d put it on a T-shirt, but I enjoy having kneecaps way more. Just sayin’.