This article is about the comic series. For other meanings, see Dragon's Lair.
Dragon's Lair is a comic book mini-series initially produced by MVCreations and CrossGen Entertainment in 2003 that also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the original Dragon's Lair. The comics are an adaptation of the original video game and also use elements from the animated series of the same name, as well as some additions from Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair. This series also adds its own original elements and characters to the story of Dirk the Daring's rescue of Princess Daphne from the dragon Singe, and goes in-depth on elements found in the game.
Andy Mangels was the series’ story plotter and credited as writer of the first four issues with Ryan Foley scripting the final two chapters. Fabio Laguna illustrated all issues with digital coloring by provided by Tony Washington. The series remained unfinished for years until Canadian publisher Arcana Studio completed the series in 2006, reprinting the first three issues together in single issue with new cover by Don Bluth and the final three chapters as single issues.[1] Arcana later released a hardcover graphic novel collecting all six issues with bonus content, also available digitally through Amazon Kindle but lacking most of the bonus pages.[2] In 2013, Zuuka Inc. released a digital collection of the first three issues on Apple Books.
Plot[]
Chapter 1[]
Dirk and Princess Daphne take a recreational horse ride near Taerwan's Lake when Singe attacked them together with his Fire Drakes. Singe captures Daphne and flies away with her to his Castle. Dirk takes the body of a deceased Drake and returns to the King’s castle with the horses, and explains the situation to Leraene. They bring the Drake’s body to Halvern, who is able to conjure up a vision of the threat Daphne faces as a prisoner of an elder dragon. Dirk sets out upon Bertram for a rescue mission.
To be added.
Bonus Story: “Miss Independent”[]
A prequel to the chapters that comprise the main story, Singe plots with his harem girls to abduct Princess Daphne from her castle by sending Princess Vanessa, her childhood friend, to retrieve her either willingly or by force. Once Daphne recognizes the trap, she resists capture and succeeds by forcibly ejecting Vanessa and two Giddy Goons from her bedroom.
Differences from other Dragon's Lair media[]
- Dirk the Daring is a more vocal, witty, cunning and determined character (as opposed to his largely silent and somewhat cowardly but curious demeanor from the original game), often muttering one-liners and strategies as he advances further into the Castle.
- Princess Daphne has a far more developed personality and is already the lover of Dirk. She is also shown to be a fierce warrior and a bit of a tomboy, willing to intervene in battle much like in the television show.
- Singe has clearly defined wings which allow him to fly great distances, which he has never appeared with in the games.
- The smaller dragons (Drakes) from Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair appear, but are said to be Singe's children.
- The steed Bertram from Dragon's Lair II, Dragon's Lair 3D and the TV show appears, helping Dirk travel to and from the castle.
- Dirk first enters the castle through the lava pits while battling the Mudmen.
- When sailing in the barrel, Dirk stands on top and steers it around with his sword instead of sitting inside and using a paddle.
- Singe's treasure room holds a harem of many other women besides Princess Daphne captive, which had presumably fallen under the spell of the Bubble of Helotry.
- When battling the Giddy Goons, they chase Dirk into the fire pit.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- An original title for the series was “Dragon’s Lair: Singe’s Revenge.” According to early solicitations, the comic aspired to tease a theatrical feature film:
"We're absolutely thrilled to be working with animation legend Don Bluth on the comic book series,” said MVCreations president Val Staples. "Don's been fantastic and has been involved in every aspect of the book, from the story's conception all the way to the art production. This is a book that stays true to the Dragon's Lair mythos while also setting the stage for some big screen adventures.[3]
- Similar to the Space Ace comics, the series is plagued with inconsistencies in plot points and coloring with occasional typos in lettering, likely results of the long hiatus between publication of chapters 1-3 and 4-6 and a change in lead writers. Leraene is a redhead in earlier issues but a blonde for the final chapters. The first three issues display more detailed colors and detail on Daphne’s sheer which include sparkles and transparency layers, but the last three issues simplified the sheer to a plain blue-green shade. Furthermore, some panels omit the sheer in panels where she should be wearing it or just apply it to the lower half of her body. In the first chapter, the heroes see Daphne’s enslaved outfit via Halvern’s crystal ball, but each of them apparently forget about it in chapters 4 and 6; Leraene pines for Daphne to dress more revealing around her while Dirk questions Daphne about what she is wearing upon reaching Singe’s lair. The second chapter implies that Daphne would never freely dress like a harem girl and chides the enslaved girls for debasing themselves, but the bonus story normalizes the revealing leotards worn by Daphne and Vanessa as unremarkable attire for the princesses.
- A multi-episode Dragon's Lair comic strip was also produced entirely by Don Bluth for exclusive publication in Toon Talk magazine, which he self-published between 2000-2001. The comic strip features Dirk (an aspiring hero but not yet a knight) and Daphne (an exiled royal heir and member of a travelling group of actors), as well as original characters such as Vraxxis (a cursed dragon king), Serin (the Alchemist who cursed Vraxxis), Ronan (Dirk's brother), Sonya (Puppeteer Extraordinaire), and Sir Dwayne (a member of Daphne's troupe). The comic strip was likely connected to one of Bluth's script proposals for a Dragon's Lair feature film.