Red Hook Studios is set to expand the grim lore of its 2016 roguelike RPG, Darkest Dungeon, through a new series of canonical graphic novels. These books will delve deeper into the game's mythology, introducing new stories featuring familiar heroes.
Leading the creative team are horror writer John Lees and Maan Hause, the artist behind Titan Comics' adaptation of Dark Souls. They will collaborate with Darkest Dungeon creative director and Red Hook Studios co-founder Chris Bourassa to develop the series. Bourassa expressed his long-held ambition to see Darkest Dungeon realized in the comic book medium, citing influences from Bronze Age Batman and the Image Comics revolution.
A crowdfunding campaign is scheduled to begin in October to finance this expansion. The campaign aims to attract both dedicated fans of the game seeking further insights into its mysteries and new readers unfamiliar with its dark world. Rewards will be offered to collectors and gamers alike.
Vault Comics chief creative officer Adrian Wassel highlighted the inherent comic book DNA within Darkest Dungeon's challenging and darkly humorous world. The collaboration intends to tell new stories within the graphic novel format, drawing from the game's established themes and characters.
This initiative follows the release of new downloadable content for the original Darkest Dungeon on August 18, and continues the studio's engagement with the franchise after the 2023 sequel.