Dork Tower I Dork Convenant

A great collection of comics about a group of gamers and their antics. Kovalic plays off all the gamer stereotypes and makes a funny comic about them. I can see where he gets his material for the Munchkin games.

At first I wasn't sure "Dork Covenant" would be my thing, as I'm not a hard-core gamer. But this book isn't geared just toward gamers; everyone will find a little bit of himself or herself in the characters. It's witty and funny, but I would advise not reading it in a public place because you'll find yourself laughing out loud and the target of disapporving stares from those around you. (Apparently I wasn't laughing with my "indoor voice!") The sketches are just as funny as the dialogue. If you're looking for something that is thoroughly entertaining, engaging and will make you laugh, this is it. Kovalic brings intelligence and keen insights into his comics.

Don't let the cover fool you. This is not an adventure tale. No, this is the story of some ordinary people (at least they think they are ordinary) who share a common hobby/lifestyle. They like games and they, like real gamers, tend to spend a lot of money and time on them.The book is a collection of strips of various lengths that center around gaming and its effects. Anyone who has met a beanie-baby collector with be familiar with the types of personalities portrayed.This volume opens with some interesting jokes about how gamers are viewed by non gamers (no true fan of anything is ever fully understood by a non-fan), and continues with high humor (extreme lack of puns despite the title) and plenty of laughs. No topics are sacred as everything is spoofed from friendships, relationships, movies, dating, stereotypes, and fanaticism to, uh, well, games.Very funny for anyone who knows that the game world is populated by more than Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers.

John Kovalic's "Dork Tower" is more than a niche-market comic for wargamers and sci-fi fans. It's a big-hearted and utterly hilarious comic for anyone who feels a little outside of the mainstream and is trying to make sense of the craziness of the world around them. Kovalic doesn't just joke about the gaming world and it's complex politics and humor. Kovalic takes aim at holiday consumerism, the World Wide Web, rampant media hype and stereotyping, the XFL, and the joys of working in retail. If you are a gamer, you'll love "Dork Tower". If you haven't gamed in a while, it'll re-awaken the urge to roll D-20's on a Friday night. If you've never gamed, you'll still get a great big laugh!

Dork Covenant conveniently groups the first few issues of Dork Tower together in a handy, easy to find volume. Anybody who has tried their hand at role-playing, Star Wars fandom, gaming (or other) conventions, computer gaming, or other such geeky pursuits will easily identify with John Kovalic's understanding of Dorks. Guys involved in these hobbies will certainly understand Matt's (one of the main characters) difficulties in meeting women with similar interests, as well as his agonies as a gamemaster. His fabulous sense of humor is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to enjoying his comic. Give in to the dork side! It's worth the meager cost of this trade paperback.