Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for providing this electronic advanced copy for review!

I haven’t listened to the Balance arc of the Adventure Zone since its initial release, so the graphic novels have been a welcome return to a loved story.

I really enjoy how the podcasts have been adapted for all of these graphic novel volumes and this one was no exception. A vibrant and fun read!

I laughed out loud reading this title but it is not appropriate IMO for school collections. As a fan of the podcast, I was happy to experience this story again. The art is also perfect for the amount of sincerity and goofiness in the story. I can't wait for the next arc.

Oh McElBoys how I love thee. Thank you, NetGalley, and First Second for the opportunity to read this book early. Onto the review!

This was my favorite arc in the TAZ podcast, so I went in with high expectations and they were definitely met! I feel as though the actual Suffering Game part was a bit rushed (and they didn't include Taako and his good looks!), but I understand why; there was a LOT to get through to prepare for the next and final book. I appreciate how pretty much everyone at the Bureau of Balance is instantly ride or die for Tres Horny Boys, and I think the execution of one of the series' biggest plot twists was incredible. I'm so excited for the final novel and I just hope I'm lucky enough to get another ARC for it! Absolute 5/5 book and 5/5 series.

The McElroy brothers never disappoint. The Suffering Game is the next installment in the Adventure Zone series. The art is beautiful. The characters are funny. And the plot is surprising touching and meaningful at times. This volume is a bit more dark than the previous five, but the payoff is worth a little angst.

Magnus, Merle, and Takko embark on another adventure to reclaim a relic. However, The Director has already failed to obtain this one, and warns the trio that the task is harder than it seems. Will the trio recover the relic? What is The Director hiding?

Heck yeah! I've been a huge fan of the Adventure Zone Podcast and have been reading this series from its beginning. This newest volume does not fall short! In this installment our heroes race to procure the next dangerous relic by playing "The Suffering Game." They also learn new and terrible secrets along the way. Things are popping off and we're now really getting into the end game of the series.

If you haven't listened to the podcast I highly recommend it!

Overall, I liked this graphic novel. I will say though, as a person who doesn't read a ton of graphic novels, there were a few sections of the story where my eyes couldn't figure out where to go next, which got a little confusing.

The McElboys are at it again. Suffering Games showcases their wonderful ability to balance the wit and the cringe with earnest, bitter loss.

Shout out to NetGalley and First Second for this ARC! I have such a deep love for The Adventure Zone, the podcast and the graphic novels, and the McElroys. In the sixth installation of their hit graphic novel series, The Suffering Game, the boys face perhaps their greatest challenge yet. They are tasked with going through Wonderland to find their last Grand Relic, the Animus Bell. The sacrifices are great and the price of finding the bell is even greater. I was so curious how they would adapt this leg of their journey and I was not disappointed. The McElroys have a talent for balancing heavy topics with their usual humor and The Suffering Game is no exception. I got so many chills reading this, I can't wait for everyone to get to read it. Carey Pietsch continually blows me away with the care she has taken with these graphic novels and I always know she's going to do an amazing job. The McElboys have done it again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I love The Adventure Zone. I listen to their podcast, including the original story that this comic series was based off of. I knew what was coming but the emotions were still hard. Plus there are a few tweaks from the podcast of their adventure. If you like the previous books then you will like this. If you like a fantasy adventure that breaks the storytelling walls a little then this series is for you 5/5.

Rating: 5/5

The Suffering Game was my most anticipated book of 2024. I was lucky enough to get to read it a couple of months early thanks to the publisher. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this volume ever since The Eleventh Hour came out last year and it was well worth the wait. This still has some of the humor of the other volumes but is getting much more heavy hitting. We found out a lot about the Bureau, the Director, and what is actually going on.

Taako, Magnus, and Merle travel into a game called Wonderland, which is a carnival of torments. They are trying to win the next of the Grand Relics, the Animus Bell. The Director has sent them there to retrieve it and has also warned them of the dangers of Wonderland. To get further in the games, they have to each give up something important to them or part of themselves.

This was a great volume in this series and I cannot wait to see what will occur in the next arc. Taako, Magnus, Merle, and the rest of the characters in this series are dynamic and I love learning more about them with each story. The McElroys have done an incredible job with this series. Every time I read another one of the graphic novels, I want to listen to the podcast. Also, these books are stunning to look at along with reading them. I highly recommend The Adventure Zone graphic novels.

*Thank you very much to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. *

*Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Very fun and was a great set-up for the next arc of the story! I remember listening to this on the podcast and it didn't feel as intense then, but the book really nails it. I liked being able to see some of the characters getting up to shenanigans in their downtime. It also does a better job of foreshadowing all of the shit that's going to go down in arc 7 because DAAAAAANG. I can't wait for my copy to arrive!

I know what's coming and yet it still breaks my heart. Screaming crying throwing up I love TAZ so much in every form I consume this story in. The graphic novels are just so well done and translate the emotional moments from the podcast so well. I'm scared for the next one though cause reading the end is gonna make me sob like a baby.

I've been really excited to get to this arc in the graphic novels, and unfortunately I think that in this one we lost a lot with the graphic novel format. By necessity, the actual Suffering Game arc was quite a bit shorter than in the podcast with quite a few things cut <spoiler>I was especially disappointed to realize that Taako didn't lose his good looks</spoiler>. Still, I enjoyed this and look forward to the final book.

As an avid Adventure Zone fan, these comics have been like finding out that cute pair of jeans comes in your perfect size. I already loved the story, but this new layer with Carey's art just makes it THAT much better. the excitement i had for this installment specifically was intense. Well, fans of the podcast and the comic alike can rejoice - it lives up to the hype. The story beats are well executed, the art is, as always, incredible, and the building tension is thick and delicious. This penultimate comic really does everything it set out to do and more. And now I wait with baited breath, eagerly, for the conclusion of this wonderful story!