The Adventure Zone

Last updated

The Adventure Zone
The Adventure Zone Podcast Cover.jpeg
Presentation
Hosted by Griffin, Justin, Travis, and Clint McElroy
Genre
LanguageEnglish
UpdatesBiweekly (2014-21)
Weekly (2021-)
Length~90 minutes
Production
No. of episodesBalance: 69
Commitment: 4
Amnesty: 36
Dust: 8
Graduation: 38
Ethersea: 44
Steeplechase: 42
Outre Space: 4
Versus Dracula: 30
Publication
Original releaseAugust 18, 2014 [a]
Provider Maximum Fun
Related
Related shows My Brother, My Brother, and Me
Dimension 20

The Adventure Zone is a weekly comedy and adventure actual play podcast, in which the McElroy family play Dungeons & Dragons along with other role-playing games. The show is distributed by the Maximum Fun network and hosted by brothers Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy, and their father Clint McElroy. Regular episodes of the podcast feature the family solving puzzles, fighting enemies, and leveling up their characters in a series of cinematic and humorous encounters.

Contents

The Adventure Zone originated as a special episode of My Brother, My Brother and Me in 2014, which was spun off into a separate biweekly podcast later that year. The first campaign Balance was followed by a series of short experimental arcs in the late 2010s, and subsequent campaigns have generally run for 30 to 45 episodes. The show switched to a weekly schedule from 2021 and adopted a seasonal format from 2022, in which the family can return to earlier settings for further episodes. The main show has depicted ten campaigns over its run in a variety of game systems, with further settings used for live shows and donor bonus material.

The podcast has been credited alongside Critical Role with the Dungeons & Dragons renaissance that began in the mid 2010s, and influenced later shows in the actual play genre such as Dimension 20 . [2] [3] [4] Balance has since been adapted into a New York Times best selling graphic novel series. The podcast is often represented by the stone rune ᛥ as a logo, which was the symbol of the Bureau of Balance in the first campaign.

History

Origins & Balance (2014–2017)

In 2010, the McElroy brothers launched their flagship podcast My Brother, My Brother and Me , a comedic advice podcast which joined the Maximum Fun network in 2011. During the 97th episode in May 2012, the brothers answered a question about a Dungeons & Dragons game—which Justin called "The Adventure Zone".

The McElroy brothers would ultimately begin playing with their father Clint in the summer of 2014, using the newly released Starter Set for the fifth edition of D&D, which was released that July. The set came with the module The Lost Mine of Phandelver, [5] which served as the basis for the first few sessions. The first of these recordings was initially released as an experimental MBMBaM episode entitled The Adventure Zone on August 18, 2014, to cover for Justin's paternity leave. [6] Starting that December, The Adventure Zone was then expanded into its own podcast on the Maximum Fun network, releasing biweekly. [7] Griffin McElroy served as the show's primary host and Dungeon Master for the show's first campaign, later titled the Balance Arc. The campaign concluded with Episode 69 in August 2017. Additionally, three special episodes were released over the course of the campaign, titled The "The Adventure Zone" Zone, and these act as "an informal chat show" discussing the game. [8]

"Déjà Vu" by Mort Garson (from the album Ataraxia: The Unexplained) served as the primary theme song for The Adventure Zone during the Balance Arc, as well as various interstitials and backing tracks. Griffin McElroy also created original compositions to enhance the show's production. [9] Balance was highly popular; by 2016 a graphic novel adaptation was announced. These would ultimately begin running in 2018, with each volume covering one quest from the campaign. [10]

Experimental arcs & Amnesty (2017–2019)

Following the conclusion of the Balance campaign in August 2017, the McElroys decided to work on smaller "experimental arcs", a set of shorter campaigns using other systems, in order to give themselves time to develop their next overarching storyline. Three experimental arcs were aired from October 2017 to March 2018, with the show temporarily moving to a weekly schedule to get to a full second campaign [b] more quickly. [11] These experimental arcs included Clint's Commitment arc (played with the Fate system), Griffin's Amnesty arc, and the first four episodes of Travis's Dust arc (both played using Powered by the Apocalypse). Each of these arcs takes place in their own game worlds separate from those explored in the other campaigns, though elements have crossed over since.

With the conclusion of these experimental arcs, the McElroys announced that Season 2 of "The Adventure Zone" would continue the story introduced in Amnesty, and that it would become the next full campaign. Griffin McElroy again took on the role of game master (called a "Keeper" in the system) as they returned to the Amnesty setting for a further 31 episodes. While the arc was inspired by monster of the week shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural , Griffin stated that the arc is mostly based on the Persona game series. To replicate the less connected nature of the former's 1990s setting, Kepler is situated in West Virginia's section of the National Radio Quiet Zone. Hal Lublin provides a guest voice in two episodes. The campaign ended after 36 episodes on September 23, 2019.

When performing live, the McElroy family continued to predominantly use the Balance setting in this period, though two Amnesty live shows, The Ballad of Bigfoot and Amnesty Halloween Special, released on October 17, 2019, and November 12, 2020, respectively. [12] Additional episodes of The "The Adventure Zone" Zone were released at the start and conclusion of the main run of Amnesty. [13] [14]

Graduation (2019–2021)

All four cast members played as guests in Dimension 20 ’s Tiny Heist campaign, a game DMed by Brennan Lee Mulligan and released in early 2020 on the Dropout network. [15] Travis, the Dungeon Master of the upcoming arc, was inspired by Tiny Heist's worldbuilding, commenting that "the world in that was so well thought through that it was basically like a big playground..." [16] Travis's role as DM was confirmed in a SyFy Wire interview. [17] A trailer for Graduation released on October 18 and announced a return to the Dungeons & Dragons system. [18] The fantasy themed campaign, centered around a school for heroes and villains, ran from October 31, 2019, to April 15, 2021. [19] The arc was poorly received, with reviewers citing Travis's lack of experience as a DM, as well as the very high number of NPCs. [20] Travis considered stepping back from the show around the 20th episode, and having someone else brought in to finish the season, but decided that would be unfair to those who were invested, including the players.

There were few live shows during the run of Graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and none of these made use of Graduation's Nua setting. A "Laughter & Love" McElroy family tour in April 2020 would have featured The Adventure Zone performances in Boston and Baltimore. [21] Instead of Nua or another established setting, a series of new campaign settings were used in virtual live shows, sometimes with multiple episodes and continuity between performances. These minor campaigns include Fur (with Erika Ishii), [22] Hootenanny, Inheritance, Just Us, Mercer (with Matt Mercer) and Lords of Crunch.

Peacock announced in January 2020 that it had commissioned a script for an animated adaptation of The Adventure Zone, though the series did not progress beyond that stage. [23]

Ethersea (2021–2022)

Before the finale of Graduation, Griffin McElroy confirmed in an interview with Brennan Lee Mulligan that the fourth season of Adventure Zone would also be played in the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition system, and would involve ships. [24] [25] The campaign's name, Ethersea, and a brief trailer were released on May 3, 2021. [26] The series is set in and around the submarine city of Founder's Wake, for which Griffin McElroy drew inspiration from a number of sources including The Eternal Darkness: A Personal History of Deep-Sea Exploration by Robert Ballard. [27] A special primer episode was released on October 12 for the Maximum Fun Block Party, introducing new listeners to the podcast and suggesting where to begin- with Justin recommending Ethersea, Griffin recommending Balance, Clint recommending Amnesty and Travis recommending his experimental arc Dust. [28] An Imbalance mini-series was released in November 2021 under a new moniker, The Zone of Adventure. The game featured Aabria Iyengar as DM and released on YouTube rather than through the Maximum Fun network. The series also included video of the players, rather than being recorded simply as a podcast. Ethersea continued to air alongside it during November. [29] [30]

There were several formatting changes brought into effect for Ethersea. Unlike previous arcs, in which world-building was undertaken privately by the GM, the world-building for Ethersea was a collaborative effort. This took the form of a five-episode prologue using the game system The Quiet Year , with the campaign proper beginning on July 8. The McElroys were able to hire Rachel Jacobs to handle post production of the series rather than editing it themselves, which made it possible for them to switch to a weekly rather than biweekly schedule. [27]

With the pandemic still underway in the United States, the McElroys began a limited return to live shows, with performances at Emerald City Comic Con in 2021, [31] as well as "live and virtual" remote shows. These used a variety of systems and settings, with some returning to the Hootenanny continuity seen in occasional live shows since 2019. [32] This was followed by the "Fancy Takes Flight Tour" from March to July 2022, which featured several Adventure Zone performances across the United States, along with other McElroy family shows. [33] Future live shows performed after the original run of Ethersea would broadly maintain the format- using one-shots in unique settings and occasionally reprising Hootenanny.

Steeplechase & switch to seasonal format (2022–2023)

With the conclusion of Ethersea in August 2022, the McElroys announced that The Adventure Zone would be adopting a seasonal format- with Dust returning for a short second season later that year, a new Steeplechase campaign to follow and finally a planned second season for Ethersea in the future. [34] Dust aired as a four episode arc in September 2022, with Erika Ishii as a guest star. Steeplechase was the first arc to be GMed by Justin McElroy, set in a vast layered theme park. Justin McElroy cited the theme park documentary series Defunctland as an inspiration, while the layout of their home-layer Ustaben was based on Kings Island. The episodes were introduced by the character "Krystal with a K", in short clips inspired by Disney food vloggers. Krystal was voiced by Autumn Seavey Hicks. [35]

Some technical changes were made during Steeplechase's run, with Griffin McElroy producing only the main theme for the arc with the rest of the soundtrack sourced externally by Jacobs. This included a rendition of Ephemera's theme song "Dream it to Now", which was produced for the finale by Eric Near. In September 2023, the family streamed "lofi taz radio ᛥ - beats to relax/study cantrips to", featuring 4 hours and 20 minutes of Griffin's original music from The Adventure Zone, and an animated rendition of the family surrounded by references to the series. The video is in the style of other YouTube lo-fi streams. [36]

In an episode of The The Adventure Zone Zone following the conclusion of Steeplechase, the family revealed that the next arc would be GMed by Clint McElroy, in his first stint as GM on the show since Commitment in 2017. [37] The shorter arc, named Outre Space, is a continuation of the story of War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery , the 2019 comic which starred Miles Morales, Kate Bishop, and Wonder Man, and had originally been written by the family. [38] The arc also features Kate Welch and Gabe Hicks as guest players, portraying Kate Bishop and Miles Morales respectively. Outre Space aired across four episodes in late 2023.

Versus Dracula & Abnimals (2024–)

The show returned to fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons in January 2024 with Versus Dracula, DMed by Griffin McElroy. Versus Dracula was inspired by Curse of Strahd as well as public domain material, such as Frankenstein , and leaned heavier on improvisation than other campaigns. Griffin described it as a Dark Pictures Anthology of public domain material. Travis McElroy based his character Crawford on his maternal grandfather Crawford Kitchen. [39]

This was followed by Abnimals later that year, which is inspired by the various cartoons of the 1990s and early 2000s that featured anthropomorphic heroes, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . Running on an original system under Zookeeper Travis McElroy, the arc will also include no swearing, in an effort to cater to younger audiences. Travis acknowledged that a number of parents have introduced their children to the show, which had been running for ten years by that point. The Abnimals campaign features a new opening song written by Jonathan Coulton. [40]

Live shows during the era made use of the Angrave setting from Versus Dracula, with a different public domain work used for each show. Griffin McElroy has stated that the setting is perfect for live shows as there is a large volume of public domain material to draw on, and a limited need for elaborate costuming. [41] First Second books announced that February that the seventh volume of the graphic novel series, expected in 2025, would be the final volume. [42]

Structure

Campaigns and seasons

To date the podcast has had several campaigns. The nomenclature for the division of campaigns has evolved over the course of The Adventure Zone's run, complicated by experimental arcs that were revisited by the family later for additional stories. Griffin McElroy jokingly commented during the experimental era "I don't even know how we're numbering these any more".

This table reflects the "season" nomenclature introduced in an episode of The The Adventure Zone Zone in 2022, which distinguishes each run of a campaign, including experimental arcs, as seasons. [34] This definition has been applied to the remainder of the table, here listed by their original debut. Several of these campaigns were preceded by special episodes for world building and character generation, which are counted in the "Setup" column. The episode counts here also do not include live shows.

SeriesSeasonSystemSetupEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
BalanceOriginal D&D 5E
The Stolen Century		069August 18, 2014 (2014-08-18)August 17, 2017 (2017-08-17)
Imbalance03November 10, 2021 (2021-11-10) [c] November 24, 2021 (2021-11-24)
Commitment1 FATE 14October 2, 2017 (2017-10-02)November 30, 2017 (2017-11-30)
Amnesty1 Monster of the Week 15January 4, 2018 (2018-01-04)February 9, 2018 (2018-02-09)
2031April 12, 2018 (2018-04-12)September 23, 2019 (2019-09-23)
Dust1 Urban Shadows 14February 22, 2018 (2018-02-22)March 22, 2018 (2018-03-22)
214September 1, 2022 (2022-09-01)September 22, 2022 (2022-09-22)
Graduation1 D&D 5E 038October 31, 2019 (2019-10-31)April 15, 2021 (2021-04-15)
Ethersea1 The Quiet Year
D&D 5E 		544May 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)July 26, 2022 (2022-07-26)
2TBATBATBATBA
Steeplechase1 Blades in the Dark 142September 29, 2022 (2022-09-29)October 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)
Outre Space1 Marvel Multiverse Roleplaying Game 04November 30, 2023 (2023-11-30)December 21, 2023 (2023-12-21)
Versus Dracula1 D&D 5E 030January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)August 4, 2024 (2024-08-04)
Abnimals1Abnimals1TBASeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)TBA

Additionally, there have been several side campaigns. These have variously been released as bonuses to Maximum Fun donors, or as live shows which are released online later. They are generally shorter, though Hootenanny in particular is currently five episodes in length. [43] Along with the main campaigns, each game corresponds with a letter of the alphabet (albeit performed out of alphabetical order, with some not fitting the format). Some, such as Lords of Crunch, were initially performed live, with the recording released as a donor bonus. The dates here correspond with when the recordings were released for live shows, rather than the actual performance dates.

SeasonTypeSystemEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
The Great SwitcherooCrossover specials D&D 5E 2October 8, 2015 (2015-10-08)December 29, 2016 (2016-12-29)
(K)nightsDonor bonus3March 3, 2016 (2016-03-03)March 30, 2017 (2017-03-30)
ElementaryDonor bonusFour Sherlock Holmes
and a Vampire		2April 2, 2018 (2018-04-02)March 26, 2019 (2019-03-26)
FurDonor bonus Honey Heist 1March 11, 2019 (2019-03-11)
HootenannyLive shows/ bonusLasers and Feelings5October 3, 2019 (2019-10-03)November 23, 2023 (2023-11-23)
InheritanceLive showDadlands3November 28, 2019 (2019-11-28)December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
Just UsLive showsSUPERNORMAL2February 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)August 25, 2022 (2022-08-25)
MercerDonor bonus D&D 5E 1March 13, 2020 (2020-03-13)
Lords of CrunchDonor bonusLasers and Feelings1July 26, 2020 (2020-07-26) [44]
CharlieverseDonor bonusMuppet Babies RPG2May 2, 2021 (2021-05-02)March 20, 2023 (2023-03-20)
Spirit BreakersLive showThe Beast2October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)May 11, 2023 (2023-05-11)
BoneLive show Adventure Skeletons 1June 22, 2023 (2023-06-22)
Plato's RaveDonor BonusTBC1March 17, 2024 (2024-03-17)

The campaigns are set in different worlds, however some elements do cross over. The character of Indrid Cold debuted as an NPC in Amnesty, as a resident of the planet Sylvain, and was later transported to the world of Dust via unknown means that are only alluded to vaguely in the narrative. Clint McElroy occasionally portrays an incarnation of himself, a "space janitor" who cameos in the background of scenes akin to Stan Lee's many cinematic appearances. Some thematic elements are also consistent across most campaign settings, including cat-themed merchants. During the Balance campaign, fans could also suggest items to stock at "Fantasy Costco" for the characters to buy between quests. The Fantasy Costco system has been partially revived in each successive season to give fans a way to interact with the show. [45]

Format

Episodes are generally around 90 minutes in length. The episodes are edited for brevity and also include music and sound effects. Until 2022, an opening segment acted as a recap of the existing story. This changed after Steeplechase, which instead featured clips of "Steepywatch", a parody of Disney Park Vlogs. From then on, the opening segment has generally been used for in-fiction humour; Versus Dracula for example opened with humerous excerpts from Dracula's journal.

Like other McElroy shows, the podcast includes a break in the middle which is used for sponsored advertisements and programming updates. Early on in the show's run, listeners could pay to have messages read out during the break through Maximum Fun's "Jumbotron" service. Demand was extremely high by the late 2010s, such that the Maximum Fun servers crashed during the sales event in late 2017. A raffle system was briefly introduced for the next sales round in May 2018 before the system was discontinued for both The Adventure Zone and My Brother, My Brother & Me. [46] [47] Until Graduation in 2019, some NPC names were drawn from fans tweeting using the #zonecast hashtag.

Some special episodes do not depict gameplay. This includes The The Adventure Zone Zone, which acts as a talk show about the main campaigns and was introduced in 2016. Some campaigns have setup episodes used for character generation, separate from the usual numbering. This was first introduced in 2017 for Commitment, but is not always employed.

Campaigns

Balance

Balance depicts a global war on Faerûn catalyzed by the Grand Relics; seven powerful magical artifacts that compel their wielders to wreak havoc and destruction. At the end of the war, knowledge of the relics was erased from the population's minds, save for the Bureau of Balance which seeks to collect the relics. The narrative also explores the mysteries of the Red Robes, the magical faction that created the relics, and their relation to a cosmic threat. The campaign is broken into a series of quests to retrieve these relics, with "Lunar interlude" downtime episodes between. Atop the Bureau's moon base the characters can regroup, purchase new equipment, and prepare for the next quest.

As the Dungeon Master, Griffin portrayed all non-player characters (except for Garyl, Taako's summoned phantasmal binicorn).

Commitment

The first experimental arc, Commitment is a superhero themed arc. [49] The game was run by Clint McElroy using the FATE system. The characters all work for the Do Good Fellowship, a "cult adjacent" organization that uses technology and science to improve the world. This arc has a total of four episodes, not including the setup episode the McElroys used to establish their characters, etc.

Amnesty

Amnesty uses the Monster of the Week system by Evil Hat Productions, and is set in the fictional ski-resort town of Kepler in contemporary West Virginia. Kepler is regularly invaded by eldritch monsters nicknamed "Abominations" from a mysterious otherworld called Sylvain. The abominations are opposed by a monster-hunting organization called the Pine Guard, headquartered at the titular Amnesty Lodge. Sylvain is a dying world, being consumed by an evil force known as the Quell, and the latter half of the series involves the cast attempting to stop it. These abominations arrive on a monthly cycle, which form the basis for a series of monster hunts by the protagonists. Like Balance, Amnesty featured lunar or "lodger" interlude episodes for downtime between hunts.

As the Keeper (GM), Griffin portrayed all non-player characters, with the exception of Agent Hanes who is portrayed by guest star Hal Lublin. The voice of Duck's talking sword Beacon is also provided by Justin.

Dust

Initially the third experimental arc, this setting was revisited for a second season in 2022. The campaign is set in the Crescent Territory, a fantasy-western territory divided between competing families and organizations. It is inhabited by the Fleshes (humans), the Fangs (vampires), and the Furs (werewolves), and there is great tension between these groups.

As the Master of Ceremonies, Travis portrayed all NPCs, save for a comedic encounter in the first season where the family portrayed a series of townspeople coming out to see why the warning bell had been rung.

Graduation

The players initially take on the role of students who have enrolled in the henchperson and sidekick program at Hieronymous Wiggenstaff's School for Heroism and Villainy. [50] The campaign focuses initially on their classes and misadventures at the school, but later moves to broader themes such as Order vs. Chaos, threats of Demon wars, mind control vs. free will, and rebellion against capitalism. Unlike the other campaigns, Graduation is not formally split up into quests or other sections. Travis McElroy, as DM, portrayed all non-player characters.

Ethersea

The Ethersea campaign was announced on May 3, 2021 [26] and began on May 6, 2021. The first five episodes were not played in Dungeons & Dragons, but used a world-building tabletop game called The Quiet Year . [51] The prologue tells the story of a group of survivors with one year to find a way to transport their society underwater, as a worldwide magical storm threatens to wipe out all above-water life. The prologue does not feature consistent characters for each player, with all at the table instead making decisions for the society, developing and occasionally portraying interchangeable characters. The campaign proper began the following week, detailing the lives of a group of adventurers making their way in the new underwater city of Founder's Wake. Like Balance, the campaign is divided into a series of quests with interludes for downtime between.

As DM, Griffin portrayed all NPCs during the campaign proper, with the exception of a flashback sequence in episodes 26 and 27. In these episodes the NPC Finneas Cawl is taken over by Clint, with Travis and Justin portraying new characters.

Steeplechase

The Steeplechase campaign is set in an eponymous vast and all encompassing amusement park. It is not formally broken up into arcs denoted in the episode titles as previous campaigns were, but is naturally divided by the heists the players are involved in. These are interspersed by formal downtime periods in which the characters can engage in their vices. Each heist takes place in a different layer, though they return to Ustaben for a second heist later in the campaign. The story is framed by an enigmatic character known variously as the Nano Father or Creaky Man.

As GM, Justin portrayed all NPCs during the campaign, with the exception of Krystal, a character present in the introductory vlogger segments that act as recaps for previous episodes. Krystal is portrayed by Autumn Seavey Hicks. [52]

Outre Space

As a shorter campaign, Outre Space is not divided up into arcs. The campaign is set in the Marvel Universe and is a non-canon follow-up to the 2019 War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery comic miniseries written by the McElroys. After Thor's baby sister Laussa is captured by the Black Order, the Babysitters (Thori, Sebastian Druid, Wonder Man, Kate Bishop & Miles Morales) reunite to travel into space and find her. They resupply at Knowhere, and are confronted by Silver Surfer impersonator The Samarium Sweeper. They make their way to the Flinnux cluster, a stellar storage unit set up by Glabella Flinnux of the Nova Corps, and confront the Black Order.

Versus Dracula

The Versus Dracula campaign was announced on December 28, 2023 and began on January 11, 2024. [53] The campaign again uses the Dungeons & Dragons 5E system, with Griffin McElroy as Dungeon Master. The campaign is not formally split into arcs, and follows a group of adventurers in the gothic realm of Angrave, intent on killing Dracula. In order to achieve this they must associate with werewolves and a variety of other monsters. The party undertakes a lengthy journey to reach Dracula's castle, only to determine that he is actually in the city of Lumineaux, back where they started.

Abnimals

Abnimals features a number of animal themed heroes in the vein of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . The arc featured many guest voices for NPCs, typically in pre or post episode segments. These include:

Characters

Campaign
Clint McElroy Griffin McElroy Justin McElroy Travis McElroy Guest(s)
BalanceMerle Highchurch
Dwarf cleric		 Dungeon Master (DM)Taako
Elf wizard		Magnus Burnsides
Human fighter		 Aabria Iyengar as a guest DM (Imbalance)
CommitmentGame Master (GM)Chris Rembrandt/SpringheelIrene Baker/KardalaNadiya JonesNone
AmnestyEdmund "Ned" Chicane (1-29)
The Crooked		Keeper (GM)Wayne "Duck" Newton
The Chosen / The Mundane		Aubrey Little / The Lady Flame
The Spell-Slinger		 Hal Lublin as Agent Hanes (NPC)
Arlo Thacker (29-36)
The Searcher
DustGandy Dancer (S1)Errol RyeHouse (S1)Augustus ParsonsMaster of Ceremonies (MC) Erika Ishii as Louise "Lulu" Kagiyama (S2)
Callan (S2)Indrid Cold (S2)
GraduationArgonaut "Argo" Keene
Water Genasi rogue		Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt
Half-elf Wild Magic barbarian		-
Firbolg druid		Dungeon Master (DM)None
EtherseaZoox Anthellae (1-25, 28–44)
Brinarr ranger		Dungeon Master (DM)Amber Gris (1-25, 28–44)
Monk		Devo la Main (1-25, 28–44)
Orator
Finneas Cawl (26-27)
Oceanographer		Bertrand Bay (26-27)
Delmer soldier		Ona Ward (26-27)
Hominine biologist
SteeplechaseEmerich Dreadway
Whisper Playbook		Montrose Pretty
Slide Playbook		Game Master (GM)Beef Punchley
Cutter Playbook		Autumn Hicks as Krystal (NPC)
Outre SpaceGame Master (GM) Thori Sebastian Druid/ The Druid Simon Williams/ Wonder Man Kate Welch as Kate Bishop/ Hawkeye
Gabe Hicks as Miles Morales/ Spider-Man
Versus DraculaBrother Phileuax
Artificer		Dungeon Master (DM)Lady Godwin
Barbarian		Crawford "Mutt" Muttner
Ranger		None
AbnimalsRoger MooerNavy SealAxe-O-LyleZookeeper (ZK)Many, see list

Reception

The podcast has been well-received, especially among younger and LGBT+ demographics. [58] It has sold out dozens of live shows since 2014, and has been downloaded hundreds of millions of times. [59] One of the creators, Justin McElroy, said of the podcast, "[it] has a following." [60] The Adventure Zone currently holds a 4.9 rating on Podbay, and a 5.0 rating on Apple Podcasts. [61] [62]

The Balance arc received overwhelmingly positive criticism. It was described by The Mary Sue as "one of the most moving and epic adventures of recent memory." [63] The climactic ending in particular was warmly received. [64] Patrick Rothfuss stated the show possessed “some of the finest storytelling I have ever experienced. In any genre. Ever.” [59]

The Amnesty arc was described by The Mary Sue as possessing a "uniquely compassionate kind of story-telling, based on connection and hope, and that's something so rare in this world that even the imperfect efforts must be applauded, simply because there's nothing else quite like it out there." [63] Comic Book Resources also received the arc positively, stating that it was "filled with great characters, goofs, and heart-wrenching moments." [65]

The Dust arc's two seasons were well received by The Escapist. "Not only did Dust deliver a tight, satisfying mystery, but it brought moments emblematic of the familial humor distinct to The Adventure Zone‘s gameplay, like the town’s collective roast of Griffin McElroy’s Errol." [66]

The Graduation arc received criticism for Travis McElroy's performance as dungeon master, with complaints that the arc had a confusing plot line, an overabundance of secondary characters, and a lack of meaningful consequences for poor dice rolls by the players. [67] [64] Graduation was poorly received for its heavy exposition, lack of player agency and large cast of non-player characters (NPCs). The Mary Sue commented that "Travis... went a bit too far in crafting his own narrative and didn’t let his players, well, play enough." [68] The positive representation of Fitzroy Maplecourt as the show's first asexual character however was praised. [69] Em Rowntree of The Geekiary was more positive about the direction of the campaign, emphasizing that "the heart of TAZ as far as I'm concerned is a sort of very stupid and unexpectedly emotional outrageousness. It soars when it's narratively unjustifiable." [70]

The Ethersea arc was described as a "solid entry" by The Escapist, but levelled some criticism at the slow worldbuilding introduction and the arc's macro plot. [71]

The Steeplechase arc was warmly received by The Escapist, which described it as a "return to form" for the show, praising the use of smaller arcs and comedic encounters. [72] The introduction of the character Shlabethany during the Passion's Cove episodes was also highlighted by CBR. [73]

Graphic novel adaptations

The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins, a graphic novel adapting the first quest, was released in July 2018. The book was written by the McElroys, illustrated by Carey Pietsch, and published by First Second Books. [74] [75] It quickly topped New York Times' best-selling trade fiction list, becoming the first graphic novel to do so. [76] A sequel, which adapts the quest Murder on the Rockport Limited, was released on July 16, 2019. [77] The third book in the series, Petals to the Metal, was released on July 14, 2020. [78] Crystal Kingdom, the fourth book in the series, was published July 13, 2021. [79] The fifth book in the series, The Eleventh Hour, was published on February 21, 2023. [80]

For the launch of the sixth book, The Suffering Game, the family each produced some original artwork. The art was demonstrated on an episode of The McElroy Family Clubhouse, and will be auctioned off to support the Palestine Children's Relief Fund. [81]

TitleRelease DatePaperback ISBNHardcover ISBN
Here There Be GerblinsJuly 17, 2018 9781250153708 not published
Murder on the Rockport Limited!July 16, 2019 9781250153715 9781250229281
Petals to the MetalJuly 14, 2020 9781250232632 9781250232625
The Crystal KingdomJuly 13, 2021 9781250232656 9781250232663
The Eleventh HourFebruary 21, 2023 9781250793782 9781250793799
The Suffering GameJuly 16, 2024 9781250861726 9781250861733
Story and Song2025 [82] TBATBA

The first five volumes have become New York Times Bestsellers. [83] [84] [85] [86] [87]

Animated series

An animated adaptation of the Balance Arc is in development for the NBCUniversal's streaming service Peacock. [88] It has not been picked up for a series as of January 2020. [89] In July 2020, the McElroys revealed that they are developing the pilot and that it will be different from both the podcast and graphic novel versions and possibly feature a different voice cast. [90]

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ As a special episode of My Brother, My Brother, and Me . This episode was re-uploaded as the first entry of a separate show on December 3, after which it began its regular release schedule.
  2. ↑ Prior to the adoption of a revised seasonal format in 2022, the wider campaigns were occasionally referred to as "seasons". This was the case when selecting their next campaign in 2018.
  3. ↑ As a YouTube miniseries. It was released as three episodes of the podcast on 9 November 2023.

Related Research Articles

The Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game has been adapted into many related products, including magazines, films and video games.

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a fantasy role-playing game first published in 1974. As the popularity of the game grew throughout the late-1970s and 1980s, it became referenced in popular culture more frequently. The complement of games, films and cultural references based on Dungeons & Dragons or similar fantasies, characters, and adventures became ubiquitous after the end of the 1970s.

Maximum Fun is an independent, worker-owned cooperative podcast and radio show production organization founded by Jesse Thorn. The organization originated with Thorn's college radio show The Sound of Young America which continued in an adapted format and with a new name, Bullseye with Jesse Thorn. Maximum Fun has since grown to include several other programs. Shows on the network cover a wide variety of topics.

<i>My Brother, My Brother and Me</i> Comedy advice podcast

My Brother, My Brother and Me is a weekly comedy advice podcast distributed by the Maximum Fun network and hosted by brothers Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy. Regular episodes of the podcast feature the brothers comedically providing answers to questions either submitted by listeners or found online.

Justin Tyler McElroy is an American podcaster, comedian, and former video game journalist. He is known for his work on podcasts and as the co-founder of video game journalism website Polygon.

<i>Critical Role</i> American Dungeons & Dragons web series

Critical Role is an American web series in which a group of professional voice actors play Dungeons & Dragons. The show started streaming partway through the cast's first campaign in March 2015. Campaign one ended in October 2017 after 115 episodes, and campaign two started in January 2018 and ended in June 2021 after 141 episodes. A number of one-shots were aired in the hiatus between the two campaigns. After campaign two was completed, the spin-off limited series Exandria Unlimited aired from June 2021 to August 2021. The third campaign premiered on October 21, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Griffin McElroy</span> American podcaster

Griffin Andrew McElroy is an American podcaster, actor, writer, composer, and former video game journalist. He is known for his work on podcasts such as My Brother, My Brother and Me and The Adventure Zone, as well as for co-founding the video game journalism website Polygon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis McElroy</span> American podcaster, writer, and comedian (born 1983)

Travis Patrick McElroy is an American podcaster, writer, and comedian. He is known for his work on podcasts such as My Brother, My Brother and Me, Shmanners, The Adventure Zone, and Can I Pet Your Dog?.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint McElroy</span> American writer, podcaster, and radio broadcaster

Clinton Emil "Clint" McElroy Jr. is an American podcaster, comic book writer and former radio personality. He is known for his work on the podcast The Adventure Zone, as well as for hosting several FM radio shows in West Virginia. Additionally, McElroy is an adjunct professor in the Department of Theatre at Marshall University.

<i>Sawbones</i> (podcast) Medical history and comedy podcast

Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine is a weekly, comedic medical podcast hosted by Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband, podcaster Justin McElroy. The show is distributed online by Maximum Fun.

Caroline Elizabeth Pietsch, known professionally as Carey Pietsch, is an American cartoonist, illustrator and artist. She is best known for her work on several webcomics and on The Adventure Zone series of graphic novels. Her father, Michael Pietsch, is the CEO of Hachette Book Group.

<i>Dimension 20</i> Tabletop role-playing web series

Dimension 20 is a tabletop role-playing game show produced by and broadcast on Dropout, and created and generally hosted by Brennan Lee Mulligan as the show's regular Dungeon Master. Most of the games use Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. Long seasons, featuring a core cast of players in seventeen or more episodes, are interspersed with shorter side quests, featuring a rotating cast in ten or fewer episodes.

<i>Critical Role campaign one</i> Campaign of the web series Critical Role

The first campaign of the Dungeons & Dragons web series Critical Role premiered on March 12, 2015; it consisted of 115 episodes and concluded on October 12, 2017. It followed Vox Machina, a party of seven to eight adventurers, in their travels across the continent of Tal'Dorei. Campaign one broadcast live each Thursday at 19:00 PT on Geek & Sundry's Twitch channel, with the video on demand (VOD) being available to Twitch subscribers immediately after the broadcast. On the Monday following the live stream, the VODs were made available for the public on the Geek & Sundry YouTube channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brennan Lee Mulligan</span> American writer, performer and gamemaster

Brennan Lee Mulligan is an American comedian, actor, writer, and gamemaster. He often works with Dropout as a writer, performer, and producer, and he is the creator and regular gamemaster for its Dungeons & Dragons-based actual play web series Dimension 20. He also wrote the superhero webcomic Strong Female Protagonist alongside artist Molly Ostertag.

A fantasy podcast is a podcast related to or discussing the fantasy genre, which usually focuses on the magical, supernatural, mythical, or folkloric. Fantasy stories are set in fictional universes or fantasy worlds that are often reminiscent of the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Despite having a fictional setting, fantasy stories can contain or reference locations, events, or people from the real world. Characters in these stories often encounter fictional creatures such as dwarves, elves, dragons, and fairies. Common types of fantasy podcasts are audio dramas, narrated short stories, role-playing games, or discussions and reviews of fantasy topics such as fantasy films, books, games, and other media. The intended audience of a fantasy podcast can vary from young children to adults. Fantasy podcasts emerged from storytelling and the creation of the radio. Fantasy podcasts have often been adapted into television programs, graphic novels, and comics. Fantasy podcasts are a subgenre of fiction podcasts and are distinguished from science fiction podcasts and horror podcasts by the absence of scientific or macabre themes, respectively, though these subgenres regularly overlap.

<i>The Legend of Vox Machina</i> 2022 fantasy animated series

The Legend of Vox Machina is an American adult animated fantasy action television series produced by Metapigeon, Titmouse, Inc., and Amazon Studios, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on January 28, 2022. The series is based on the first campaign of the Dungeons & Dragons web series Critical Role. It stars Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Matthew Mercer, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, and Travis Willingham, reprising their roles from the campaign.

<i>Dark Dice</i> Radio show

Dark Dice is a horror-dark fantasy actual play podcast created by the husband and wife duo of Travis Vengroff and K. A. Statz and produced by Fool & Scholar Productions. It is set in an original medieval fantasy setting created by Vengroff and follows characters trying to overcome an evil shapeshifting being known as the Nameless God. Vengroff acts as gamemaster, joined by Statz as co-gamemaster in season 3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erika Ishii</span> American voice actor (born 1987)

Erika Ishii is an American voice actor and host. They are best known as the voice of video game characters such as Valkyrie in Apex Legends, and for their appearances in actual play web series including L.A. by Night and Dimension 20.

<i>Friends at the Table</i> Actual play podcast

Friends at the Table is an actual play podcast hosted by Austin Walker. The podcast has been active since September 2014, and episodes are released weekly. The collaboration between the gamemaster and the players is a major component of the show, in contrast to many tabletop role-playing games where the gamemaster has total control over worldbuilding.

References

  1. ↑ Ahlin, Charlotte (May 2, 2018). "The One Podcast You're Guaranteed To Love, Based On Your Favorite Kind Of Book". Bustle. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021. Three brothers and their dad play Dungeons & Dragons together on this comedic fantasy podcast.
  2. ↑ Friedman, Em (September 14, 2022). "How the first decade of actual play has defined the template". Polygon.
  3. ↑ Sheehan, Gavin (December 17, 2018). "INTERVIEW: CollegeHumor's Dimension 20: Fantasy High". Bleeding Cool News And Rumors. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  4. ↑ "D&D Renaissance Could Usher in More Inclusivity in TTRPG Fandom". Teen Vogue. June 25, 2021.
  5. ↑ Zambrano, J.R. (October 21, 2019). "The Adventure Zone Returns to D&D with Season 3: Graduation". Bell of Lost Souls. BoLS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2020. the RPG podcast...began with the Lost Mines and Phandelver[sic]
  6. ↑ "Special Episode: The Adventure Zone". My Brother, My Brother and Me (Podcast). Maximum Fun. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Here There be Gerblins: Chapter One". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. December 3, 2014. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "The The Adventure Zone Zone". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. March 17, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Minsker, Evan (March 27, 2016). "How Music Helped "The Adventure Zone" Podcast Get Better". Pitchfork . Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Enter THE ADVENTURE ZONE with a New Graphic Novel Series (Exclusive)". Nerdist.
  11. ↑ "Setup Episode: Amnesty". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. April 3, 2018. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  12. ↑ "The Adventure Zone Presents: The Ballad of Bigfoot: An Amnesty Story". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. October 17, 2019. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Experiments Post-Mortem and More on Season Two!". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. April 2, 2018. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  14. ↑ "MaxFunDrive 2019 Special". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. March 28, 2019. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ Hoffer, Christian. "Dimension 20 Teams up with the McElroys for Next Dungeons & Dragons Campaign". ComicBook. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  16. ↑ "The The Adventure Zone Zone: Amnesty Wrap-Up!". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. October 24, 2019. Event occurs at 49:29. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  17. ↑ Enlow, Courtney (July 15, 2019). "With 'Amnesty,' The Adventure Zone Enters a Whole New World - And Beyond". Syfy . NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  18. ↑ The Adventure Zone: Season 3 Trailer. The McElroy Family. October 19, 2019 – via YouTube.
  19. ↑ Rowntree, Em (January 23, 2020). "The Adventure Zone: Graduation Deals with Criticism". The Geekiary. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  20. ↑ Jackson, Gita (March 30, 2021). "Everyone Loves the McElroys, So Why Is Everyone Mad at the McElroys?". Vice. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Postponed - The Adventure Zone". Do 617. Boston: Do Stuff. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Announcing the Adventure Zone Live, Virtual & Interactive!". The McElroy Family. January 28, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  23. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (January 16, 2020). "Peacock Sets Expansive Scripted Development Slate Ahead of Formal Unveiling". The Hollywood Reporter.
  24. ↑ Shout Out To Fluff (with Griffin McElroy) | Adventuring Academy Season 2 | Ep. 18. Dimension 20. January 11, 2021. Event occurs at 01:03:20. Retrieved April 3, 2021– via YouTube.
  25. ↑ "The The Adventure Zone Zone: Post-Grad!". Maximum Fun (Podcast). Maximum Fun. April 29, 2021. Event occurs at 58:15. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  26. 1 2 "The Adventure Zone: Season 4 Trailer". YouTube . May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  27. 1 2 "The The Adventure Zone Zone: MaxFunDrive 2022". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. May 5, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  28. ↑ "The Adventure Zone Primer: Where to Start". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. October 12, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  29. ↑ The Zone of Adventure: Imbalance - Episode 1. The McElroy Family. November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2022– via YouTube.
  30. ↑ Hall, Charlie (November 8, 2021). "The Adventure Zone returns to its original setting for a special 3-part series". Polygon . Archived from the original on November 9, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Emerald City Comic Con 2021 Schedule!". October 18, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Announcing TAZ 3tenanny Live & Virtual Nov 5th!". October 4, 2021.
  33. ↑ "Tours". November 14, 2018.
  34. 1 2 "The The Adventure Zone Zone: Ethersea Wrap-Up!". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. August 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  35. ↑ "The The Adventure Zone Zone: Steeplechase Wrap-Up!". Maximum Fun. November 2, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Lofi taz radio ᛥ - beats to relax/Study cantrips to". YouTube . September 6, 2023.
  37. ↑ Tam, Gica (January 30, 2024). "The best actual play of 2024 includes Dungeons & Dragons and many more systems". Polygon .
  38. ↑ "The Adventure Zone Teases New Marvel Campaign". November 7, 2023.
  39. ↑ "TRANSCRIPT The The Adventure Zone Zone: Versus Dracula Wrap-Up!". Maximum Fun. August 22, 2024.
  40. ↑ Grant, Christopher (September 4, 2024). "The Adventure Zone's new season mixes dice with Saturday morning cartoons". Polygon.
  41. ↑ "TRANSCRIPT The The Adventure Zone Zone: Versus Dracula Wrap-Up!". Maximum Fun. August 22, 2024.
  42. ↑ Arrant, Chris (February 23, 2024). "The McElroys' Adventure Zone comics are ending in 2025, according to the publisher". Popverse. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  43. ↑ "TRANSCRIPT TAZ Hootenanny 5tenananny LIVE at NYCC". Maximum Fun. November 23, 2023.
  44. ↑ Justin McElroy [@justinmcelroy] (July 26, 2020). "#MaxFunDrive pals: My inaugural #TheZoneCast campaign as GM, Lords of Crunch, is now on the bonus content page. It's an epic tale of a blasted land where cereal mascots battle for supremacy. Wanna hear? Join now! https://t.co/A0h3DlY7xG" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2021– via Twitter.
  45. ↑ Travis McElroy [@travismcelroy] (December 2, 2019). "So, I need some items to stock a fantasy store with in #TheZoneCast. BEFORE YOU SUBMIT IDEAS: Keep in mind that the tone of Graduation is different than Balance. Also, nothing overpowered! Email adventurezonecast @ gmail and put ITEM SUBMISSION in the subject! Thanks all!" (Tweet). Retrieved July 18, 2021– via Twitter.
  46. ↑ "Jumbotrons for MBMBaM, TAZ, Greatest Gen and Wonderful Go Back on Sale Today!". November 2017.
  47. ↑ "The Adventure Zone and Wonderful! Jumbotrons are back!". May 23, 2018.
  48. ↑ Griffin McElroy [@griffinmcelroy] (October 20, 2016). "a lot of folks assumed i was playing Zero Escape games while writing the last arc - they were wrong - It was while I was writing this arc" (Tweet). Retrieved October 21, 2016– via Twitter.
  49. ↑ "Commitment: Episode 1". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  50. ↑ McElroy, Travis [@travismcelroy] (October 31, 2019). "Just for Clarity: Nua Hieronymous Higglemas Wiggenstaff Clyde Nite's Night Knight School #TheZoneCast #TAZGraduation" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2021– via Twitter.
  51. ↑ "The Adventure Zone: Ethersea - Prologue I: Our Wasted World". The Adventure Zone (Podcast). Maximum Fun. May 6, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  52. ↑ "The Adventure Zone: Steeplechase - Episode 15". February 9, 2023.
  53. ↑ The McElroy Family. "Versus Dracula". The McElroy Family. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  54. ↑ "TAZ Abnimals Ep 4: Theft at the Gala!". Maximum Fun. October 17, 2024.
  55. ↑ "The Adventure Zone: Abnimals Ep. 5: Stealing Silver!". Maximum Fun. October 24, 2024.
  56. ↑ "The Adventure Zone: Abnimals Ep. 6: Rogue Robots!". Maximum Fun. November 7, 2024.
  57. ↑ "The Adventure Zone: Abnimals Ep. 7: Gearing Up!". Maximum Fun. November 14, 2024.
  58. ↑ Best, Katelyn (May 17, 2017). "The Adventure Zone: The Best Fantasy Movie of the Last Ten Years Is a Dungeons and Dragons Podcast". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  59. 1 2 Menegaz, Daniel (July 16, 2019). "From hit podcast to best-selling graphic novel, The Adventure Zone has become a cultural phenomenon". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  60. ↑ Enlow, Courtney (February 27, 2018). ""The McElroys are doing their best": How The Adventure Zone developed one good good fandom". Syfy . NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  61. ↑ "The Adventure Zone Reviews | Podbay". podbay.fm. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  62. ↑ "The Adventure Zone on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  63. 1 2 "Processing the End of the Adventure Zone: Amnesty". October 5, 2019.
  64. 1 2 ""The Adventure Zone: Graduation" Was Fine". May 20, 2021.
  65. ↑ "Top 10 the Adventure Zone: Amnesty NPCS". March 9, 2020.
  66. ↑ McCauley, Tara (December 28, 2023). "All Adventure Zone Campaigns, Ranked". The Escapist.
  67. ↑ Jackson, Gita (March 30, 2021). "Everyone Loves the McElroys, So Why Is Everyone Mad at the McElroys?". Vice . Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  68. ↑ Mason, Jessica (April 19, 2021). "Grading the Adventure Zone: Graduation". The Mary Sue. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  69. ↑ Meszaros, E.L. (November 12, 2020). "The Adventure Zone: Why It's So Cool That Sir Fitzroy is Asexual". Comic Book Resources . Valnet Inc. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  70. ↑ Rowntree, Em (January 23, 2020). "The Adventure Zone: Graduation Deals with Criticism". The Geekiary. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  71. ↑ McCauley, Tara (December 28, 2023). "All Adventure Zone Campaigns, Ranked". The Escapist.
  72. ↑ McCauley, Tara (December 28, 2023). "All Adventure Zone Campaigns, Ranked". The Escapist.
  73. ↑ "10 Funniest Adventure Zone Moments, Ranked". October 4, 2023.
  74. ↑ McElroy, Clint; McElroy, Griffin; McElroy, Justin; McElroy, Travis (July 17, 2018). The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins. Illustrated by Carey Pietsch, Lettered by Tess Stone. First Second. ISBN   9781250153708.
  75. ↑ Bailey, Benjamin (December 1, 2016). "Enter The Adventure Zone with a New Graphic Novel Series (Exclusive)". Nerdist .
  76. ↑ McMillan, Graeme (July 26, 2018). "'Adventure Zone' Graphic Novel Tops New York Times' Trade Fiction Best-Seller List". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  77. ↑ McElroy, Clint; McElroy, Griffin; McElroy, Justin; McElroy, Travis (July 16, 2019). The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited!. Illustrated by Carey Pietsch, Lettered by Tess Stone. First Second. ISBN   9781250153715.
  78. ↑ McElroy, Clint; McElroy, Griffin; McElroy, Justin; McElroy, Travis (July 14, 2020). The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal. Illustrated by Carey Pietsch, Lettered by Tess Stone. First Second. ISBN   9781250232632.
  79. ↑ McElroy, Clint; McElroy, Griffin; McElroy, Justin; McElroy, Travis (July 13, 2021). The Adventure Zone: Crystal Kingdom. Illustrated by Carey Pietsch, Lettered by Tess Stone. First Second. ISBN   9781250232656.
  80. ↑ McElroy, Clint; McElroy, Griffin; McElroy, Justin; McElroy, Travis. The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour. Illustrated by Carey Pietsch, Lettered by Tess Stone. First Second. ISBN   9781250793782.
  81. ↑ "Bid Now On Our Hand-Drawn Suffering Game Art". The McElroy Family. July 16, 2024.
  82. ↑ Arrant, Chris (February 23, 2024). "The McElroys' Adventure Zone comics are ending in 2025, according to the publisher". Popverse.
  83. ↑ "Best Sellers - Books - Aug. 5, 2018". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  84. ↑ "Best Sellers - Books - Aug. 4, 2019". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  85. ↑ "Graphic Books and Manga - Best Sellers - Books - Aug. 2, 2020". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  86. ↑ "Graphic Books and Manga - Best Sellers - Aug. 2, 2021". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  87. ↑ "Graphic Books and Manga - Best Sellers - March 2, 2023". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  88. ↑ "Peacock Sets Expansive Scripted Development Slate Ahead of Formal Unveiling". The Hollywood Reporter. January 16, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  89. ↑ The Adventure Zone [@TheZoneCast] (January 16, 2020). "@peacockTV To clarify, the TAZ animated series is currently in development at Peacock but has not as of yet been picked up as a series. Here's hoping!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021– via Twitter.
  90. ↑ Elderkin, Beth (July 14, 2020). "The Adventure Zone TV Show May Feature a New Voice Cast". Gizmodo. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.