Carl and Princess Donut are heading to the comic shop. Vault Comics announced yesterday that it is publishing an ongoing monthly comic book series based on Matt Dinniman's hit Dungeon Crawler Carl books, starting with a double-sized, 48-page first issue in January 2027.
After the first issue, the series will continue monthly, giving fans a regular dose of the World Dungeon on top of the novels, audiobooks and the growing list of games.
From Webtoon To Comic Shop
The new series is built on the existing Dungeon Crawler Carl webtoon adaptation, which is being serialized in print for the first time. Writer Tevagah and Laurel Pursuit Studios are carrying over from the webtoon, so the comic will stay close to the take on the story that webtoon readers already know.
Artist Kuzomari is joining the team, with the artwork being scaled up for the traditional comic format. Turning vertical scrolling panels into full comic pages is a big job, so having a dedicated artist handling that conversion should help the series feel like a true comic and less like a straight reprint.
Dinniman is clearly excited about the move. "Entering the comic space is nothing short of amazing. The fact that I get to work with some of the greatest creators and artists working today feels like a dream."
A Murderers' Row Of Cover Artists
Vault is pulling out the stops for the covers. The main covers are by Nathan Gooden, the artist behind Barbaric and Post Malone's Big Rig, and the variant lineup includes Ryan Ottley, Brett Bean, Frank Cho, Clayton Crain, Yoshi Yoshitani, Katie Cook, Riley Rossmo, Tyler Walpole, Doug Mahnke and Trish Forstner.
Luciano Fleitas, the artist behind the covers of the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels, is also contributing a variant, which should be a must-have for collectors who want the comics to match their bookshelf. Vault says more variant artists will be announced.
Those are some heavy hitters. Ottley is best known for his long run on Invincible, Cho has been one of the most recognizable cover artists in the industry for decades, and Mahnke has drawn just about every major hero at DC. Seeing them all take a swing at Carl and Donut should make for some fun variants.
What Is Dungeon Crawler Carl About?
For anyone new to the series, Dungeon Crawler Carl follows Carl, a Coast Guard veteran who is caught outside in his boxers when an alien invasion destroys every building on Earth. The survivors are dropped into an 18-level dungeon that doubles as an intergalactic reality show, where they must fight monsters and complete quests while an audience across the galaxy watches.
Carl is not alone. He is joined by Princess Donut, the prize-winning show cat that belongs to his ex-girlfriend, who gains the ability to talk and quickly becomes one of the most beloved characters in the series. The mix of brutal action, absurd comedy and surprisingly emotional moments has turned the books into one of the biggest success stories in LitRPG, which started life as a web serial before going on to top bestseller lists.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Keeps Expanding
The comic is just one part of a big push for the franchise. Peacock is developing a live-action series from Universal International Studios and Seth MacFarlane's Fuzzy Door, with Chris Yost and Eric Heisserer as co-showrunners, and the show is expected to start production next year.
On the tabletop side, Renegade Game Studios is releasing the card game Dungeon Crawler Carl: Unstoppable and the official roleplaying game next month, so fans have plenty of ways to explore the dungeon before the comic arrives.
Will you be picking up Dungeon Crawler Carl #1 when it arrives in January, and which variant cover are you hoping to grab?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.