I didn't get into Dungeons and Dragons until the pandemic. The reason was that I didn't understand how an adventure taking place between people rolling die could play out, complete with art in comics. That and I also mess up my stats.

What I do understand, however, is the fear of sharing a special activity with another person. Jess and Olivia have been playing their version of D & D based on their original characters. When a new school year starts, however, Olivia seems to want more than playing with Jess. She suggests they do a Dungeons and Dragons club, to bring in more people. Jess cannot explain why she doesn't like the idea, and soon kids show up to play. Not helping is that Olivia and her other friends are considering running for student council against Queen Bee Kelli. The next DnD adventure may not be enough to save Jess and Olivia's friendship since Jess worries about losing their unique bond and Olivia wants to make the game bigger.

Molly Ostertag reminds us how scary middle school is, especially when great changes are involved. You can lose a friend in the blink of the eye, and take months to gain one. That's not even going into how bullies avoid scrutiny, while picking on others. I could relate all too well to these scenarios.

A very realistic book about friendship, and how in the right hands, it can turn the tide inside and outside the campaign.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

All of the good things I expect from Molly Knox Ostertag are definitely present here. It lack some of the heart of the Witch Boy series but would be great for most kids and has good messaging.

Heartwarming, cute, fun, adorable...there are so many ways to describe this book. The characters are a wonderful group of friends who each are well rounded and developed characters. The friendships were adorable and I really loved the D&D scenes. The illustrations were also stellar!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I liked this more than I thought I would. So many graphic novels lately have had some tabletop role-playing game element that I worried the official D&D book wouldn't live up to the others, but this was a sweet story about gatekeeping and friendship. I hope this is going to be a series.

This is a solid idea for a book. D&D requires so much of the players, so much trust and engagement between them all there's plenty of room for conflict and growth. As the introductory volume there's a lot of space given to developing the idea and the primary characters. But with strong illustrations and the promise of more cool stuff to come I recommend giving this one a try.

This was so cute! I love Molly Knox Ostertag's illustration style and really enjoyed the Witch Boy series. Truly such a wholesome story and I look forward to more in the series.

I received Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag in exchange for my honest review. It is a middle-grade slice of life comic book going back and forth between real world issues and their character stories in their D&D game. Being a fan of TTRPG and of soft comics, I was intrigued.

Five Stars!

This comic took me back. Despite being *cough*thirty*cough*something, I was transported back decades to my awkward early teens in middle school. I felt what Jess was feeling (to a point. I am a white AFAB person who understands that my whiteness gives me privelege and that Jess is a POC character so that certainly complicates her life more than I can ever know). The worries about losing a friend as you both grow and shift and change, the worries about bullies (I certainly had a number of those) and about being perceived in certain ways that you can't control.

Finding ways to cope with school trauma (and yes, bullying is school trauma though it is not portrayed here graphically, it is still present) and anxiety is important. TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons is how a lot of people escape their real world problems. What is interesting here is how Ostertag not only shows how D&D can be used for escapism but also as a tool to work out your issues.

Roll Call shows how TTRPGs aren't just escapist fantasy but a place where people can connect, bond, develop problem solving skills, and develop their own sense of justice, bravery, and more. Its an excellent example of how these games can really help not only middle school students but people of all ages because story telling and the lessons we learn from it are a very human thing.

The artwork, story, design, and more are all excellent. I cannot wait to read the next installment.

I highly recommend Roll Call not only for fans of TTRPGs and Dungeons & Dragons but also for middle grade fantasy readers. If you have taken my advice and read Izzy at the End of the World, you're gonna enjoy Roll Call.

I liked it (but didn't love it), but I will definitely recommend it to kids. I'm always looking for cool comics to recommend for both fantasy readers and realistic fiction readers. This is a fun combination of both.

Jess is nervous when Olivia wants to expand their D&D game to other people at their middle school. They've always been a party of two: best friends since third grade and the player/DM in a high fantasy D&D campaign. While Olivia is sociable, even considering running for class council, Jess is shy and likes things just the way they are. But 7th grade is a time for change, and between dealing with bullies and rumors, Jess needs to learn to step out of her comfort zone and trust in others to support her in her quests!

I can definitely see Roll Call doing well for middle school students. The art is cute, without being “babyish” (it reminds me a lot of the art in some of our popular graphic novels like Sunny and Baby-Sitter’s Club) and the parallels between middle school life and the campaign help model some of the difficult social roles and interactions young people face. Also, our kids and they’re starting to get curious about D&D and this novel integrates bits of the game, like the role of DM and stat blocks, without being intrusive.

Growing up as a 90s/00s nerd girl, there were a few high notes for me personally. Even though bullying plays a role, no one is teased for playing the game and D&D is never mocked for being nerdy. (That said, this is a licensed Dungeons and Dragons product so it would be a REALLY BAD marketing choice to frame your game in that way). Our protagonists are both young girls (of color!) who are unabashed in their love for D&D (ya love to see it) and the player choose characters of the opposite gender.

However, there are also a few moments that kids new to D&D may not get. There’s an obligatory “that’s what my character would do” moment that’s not handled great if it is your first time seeing such a thing, and there’s a lot of reference to D&D specific lore (tieflings being demon-blooded, Mielikki, Prince Gra’zzt and the Abyss) that aren’t explained super-great but are moderately important to the plot of Olivia’s campaign. Also, the stat blocks at the beginning have some cute Easter eggs, but as an expository device may use some terms (i.e. alignment) that don’t really mean anything to someone who’s never cracked open the DMG.
Overall, I’m glad I read Roll Call and am considering getting a copy for our middle school students and those sweet, sweet, SEL moments. I do hope for this to be a series because I want to hear more about Rubio and the Sams!

This GN is so much fun! This story is about a D&D group (obviously!) but touches on so much more than cooperative gaming. There are friendship struggles, learning how to work within a group, figuring out how one fits within their friendship dynamics, the importance of admitting you're wrong and learning to apologize, as well as all the other social dynamics so often found in middle school. It is fun, creative, and inspiring! Looking forward to sharing this book with my fellow gamer fans and students.

This graphic novel is just what I needed to booktalk D&D to my Corona Kids! Combining D&D fantasy roleplaying with fantasy storytelling, Roll Call is the first in a new series, written by the amazing Molly Knox Ostertag and illustrated by Xanthe Bouma, who illustrates the 5 Worlds series - another series I can't keep on my shelves. Olivia and Jess are best friends who make up incredible stories: it's how they met on a school playground, and it's brought them even closer in their 2-person Dungeons & Dragons campaign. They're heading to middle school, which Olivia is really excited about. Jess? Not so much, especially when Olivia decides to expand their D&D campaign into a full-on school club. Not willing to share her game time and her best friend with anyone, Jess expresses her frustration through the game, and when it affects one of the new members of the club, Jess discovers that sometimes, you need to find room in your heart - and in your dungeon-raiding party - for new friends.

Ostertag's got storytelling down, effortlessly moving back and forth between fantasy and reality. I'm excited for more backstory as the series develops; Jess is Diné from the Navajo Nation, living with her father, and playing a character named Sir Corius. Olivia is Afro-Latina, sporting hot-pink hair and can effortlessly rattle off character and monster stats, several of which are incorporated into the story; it gives readers a sense of game play. Having story characters create genderfluid, speciesfluid characters is wonderful, inviting readers to see what so many of us have known for a while: you don't have to conform to any gender in the game. It says so in the Player's Handbook! Bouma's vibrant illustration creates personable characters and exciting fantasy settings. The whole story comes together beautifully and is an excellent choice for readers who are interested in gaming, fantasy, and realistic fiction. Display and booktalk these with any of your fantasy roleplaying graphic novels, like 5 Worlds and Dragon Prince; The Witch Boy; Popular MMOs and Dan TDM, and the Dungeon Academy middle grade novel series by Madeline Roux.

Two friends who share a love of D&D are growing up and now that they're in 8th grade one is interested in expanding her interests while the other wants to maintain the status quo. The references to D&D not only through the role-playing the two friends do, but also through main character Jess's imaginings of her classmates added a fun element, even when applied to serious situations like bullying. The illustrations perfectly complemented the story as we saw the imaginary world blending into the real one. A fun story, but it lacked depth.

Dungeon Club: Roll Call is the lovely opening to a new series im sure will be wonderful. It’s a story of friendship and understanding and making new friends even when the thought seems daunting.

From the mood-complementary color palettes in stunning and sometimes fantastical scenes to the blossoming friendships charged by practical and realistic issues, this graphic novel has everything I needed. As a librarian in a middle school, this touched on so many issues that I see students at this age face daily - the threat of bullying, the feeling of not fitting in, the anxiety over making decisions, etc. Ostertag tells a beautiful and relateable story, blending fantasy and reality perfectly in this heartwarming middle grade graphic novel. I highly recommend this for anyone in middle grade, but especially to the totally awesome nerds!

Molly Ostertag captures the true magic of Dungeons & Dragons, its ability to inspire creativity, forge connections, and foster growth. Dungeon Club: Roll Call seamlessly intertwines D&D with the book's narrative; it provides monster stats for various middle school denizens and shows how fantasy roleplay can be used to solve real world problems. Full of gorgeous illustrations and nuanced characters, this book is a must read for lovers of D&D and graphic novels alike.

This was alright. I loved the D&D aspect, but everything else was pretty basic. I felt like the storyline was really surface level. The main character didn't really recognize her issues and deal with them.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy to review.

What a beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel. This is a story of the strength of true friendship and how a game can be more than just a game. It can bring people together and help them make their voices heard.

I really enjoyed how the campaign was woven into the story. How the bullies were represented in the gameplay. The story is very relatable and easy to read. I can't wait to see what is in store next for The Dungeon Club!

This is a great graphic novel for the older elementary to high school kid who likes fantasy or is starting to get into Dungeons & Dragons. It's more kid drama than D&D but the center of the story is very D&D esthetic with kids being introduced with character cards.

AS CAWPILE:
Characters: 10 | Atmosphere: 9 | Writing: 8 | Plot: 9 | Intrigue: 9 | Logic: 10 | Enjoyment: 10
Total: 9.29

This was such a fun middle-grade read about friendship and growing up. As someone who didn't get into Dungeons and Dragons until adulthood, and someone who was bullied as a kid, all I could have wanted for child me was a club like this! The story was very well written and perfect for its audience. The themes were consistent and the artwork was, as always from Molly, beautiful. This was a fantastic read that even covered my favorite thing to yell about: healthy communication. I really recommend it for any middle schooler who loves fantasy and comics but maybe has a hard time making friends sometimes.