Back in the day, I pored over my friend's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comics. I really liked them because they appealed to the fantasy nerd in me, and they had broad, over-arching storylines with a lot of likeable characters. This month's Pathfinder is similar, because it harbors a lot of those likeable qualities that started my RPG habit off early.

However, there's another thing here.

The extras. Oh the extras.

Things I liked:

• Did I mention there is a full functioning scenario and battle map for a game of Pathfinder RPG in this issue? And character sheets for all the main characters of the book? And that there's going to be a map, scenario and other goodies in every issue? Because, well, there are. And that's awesome.
• I mean, I don't usually gush about these kind of things, but the value you're getting fromt his $3.99 book is immense. That price point is key.
• Also, the characters are actually very well-crafted and likeable; this is actually kind of tough to pull off when you're trying to fulfill the major RPG stereotypes. The Fighter isn't a complete dolt, the Elf isn't a snob, and the old wizard has actually been known to crack a joke or two. This is key, because like how every RPG character is different, these ones are, too.

Things I didn't:

• Not much, but the art style really wasn't doing a lot for me. It's a little more realistic than a World of Warcraft comic, or Jim Zub's other series, Skullkickers, but it still evokes a little bit of a bombastic feel. The facial expressions, however, are top-notch and evocative.

Pathfinder #1
Dynamite Comics
$3.99

The Verdict: I really can't say enough good things about this comic. Good story, good characters, and a sweet-ass incentives package for those of us who really like RPGs mean that this is the comic book for tabletop nerds. Grab the issue, grab the material and have some fun with friends. Five crits out of five for Jim Zub and co.