Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins: Series I & II Collection

Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins (Collected Editions) #1-2

by Matthew Mercer, Jody Houser, Matthew Colville

The celebrated series Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins returns in this stunning hardcover edition! Fans of the series won't want to miss this beautiful collection.

What do a flirtatious bard, a clueless barbarian, a naïve druid, and a pair of stealthy twins all have in common? They're not sure either, but one day they'll become the heroes known as Vox Machina! Follow the main characters from the smash-hit series Critical Role as they team up for the first time, facing cults and curses in the revelation of their origins and the path that will lead them to glory...eventually.

Collects Vox Machina Origins I and II in a gorgeous new Hardcover with never before seen artwork!

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Adventure, Dungeons and Dragons, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

320 pages, Hardcover

Published November 24, 2020

About the author

Storyteller, Voice Over Guy, Dungeon Master, McCree, Cor, Yusuke, Jack Cooper, MacCready, Levi, Chrom, Leon Kennedy, & keeper of the #CriticalRole...

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great. A fantasy adventure with lots of hijinks and humor. I love how the beginning was structured, meeting our group of adventurers in successive issues before they even meet each other. I like how the authors didn't shy away from the fact that this was based on a D&D campaign. Fans of Jim Zub's Dungeons & Dragons comic will definitely dig this. I wasn't even aware Critical Role was a thing until I read some of the other reviews and that didn't hamper my enjoyment of this at all.

Olivia Samson is killing it on art. The coloring is vibrant and spot on. This series is clicking on all cylinders.

Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Sandra (LadyGrey Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

review coming soon

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRITICAL ROLE is famously a bunch of well-beloved voice actors getting together to roleplay Dungeons and Dragons only to stream it at the insistence of Felicia Day. Now it's hundreds of hours of delightful semi-unscripted content. Plus an animated series. Here, we get a loose adaptation of one of their early adventures dealing with a poisoned sea port that is causing stillbirths. Fun fun! Seriously, it's a very entertaining story and we get to meet a lot of the characters from the cartoon. We also get the surprising inclusion of Tiberius the Dragonborn even though he's been exiled from continuity for good reason. The art design is pre-cartoon and not always great but it's really a solid and entertaining comic.

The second volume of the VOX MACHINA: ORIGIN comics deals with Grog getting a Lich in his chest and needing it removed. It's not got the same emotional high stakes as the previous installments but I had a lot of fun with it anyway. Plus, it's nice to see Vox Machina screw the pooch utterly when hired to do a simple snatch and grab job. They're allegedly heroes but they're still far from achieving what they do in the cartoon. Percy's design is totally inconsistent and noticeable even among the other characters, though.

Overall, a really solid and entertaining buy.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the vibe of this comic so much! The stories had enough time to breath and I could literally hear the casts voices while reading! Now I'm sad the Mighty Nein Origins didn't do the same for me so far...

[Noa Seidmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

התחלתי לראות את קריטיקול רול בחצי שנה האחרונה, ואני כל כך שמחה שהם הוציאו את הספר הזה.
ההרפתקה שלהם לפני שהתכנית התחילה.
אמנם קראתי את המהמדורה הדיגיטלית, אבל יום אחד אני גם אקנה את המהדורה הפיזית.
אני לא יודעת אם זה מתאים למי שלא ראה את הסידרה עצמה, כי אני מגיעה עם המון ידע על הדמויות ולכן קשה לי להגיד האם חסרים שם דברים.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series I. A strong getting-the-band-together story, with the best being the first few issues, where the stories of the heroes slowly intersect with each other. From there, it's a bit more of a standard fight against evil. The characters are great, with strong details, particularly among the three(!) half-elves. There's also a lot of good humor. Matt Mercer does a great job of creating a strong comic, whether you know anything about Critical Role or not [4+/5].

Series II. A fair fantasy adventure, but without the clever writing and interconnections of Volume I. As a result we get a fairly pair of fetch quests that reveal a little bit extra about one of our core characters, but otherwise doesn't distinguish itself from any other RPG-based fantasy comic out there [3/5].

[Gerry Sacco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely 5 stars! This was an amazing read!!

The art is absolutely beautiful the entire way through, no slacking, at all. The story is compelling and keeps your attention throughout the entire collection.

Most impressive though, is that you really feel they captured each character and their respective voice actor/actress. Really, a very impressive book.

Must read for all Critters and non-Critters alike!

[freddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

CAWPILE rating: 9/10
STAR rating: ★★★★★

This was so much fun and I absolutely adore the art style. I really need to go back and finish season 1 of Critical Role tho.
Can't wait for Volume III!

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great extra content if you loved Prime Video's Vox Machina series.

[Devin Willson · Rating 5 out of 5]

lots of fun!

[Christabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean it’s Vox Machina, so of course I was going to love it :D

[Jenna | Bookmark Your Thoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25

Critical Role is a famously known web series following “a bunch of nerdy ass voice actors who sit around play Dungeons and Dragons”, streaming their sessions for the world to enjoy … and with an animated series!

Following their first campaign, “Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins Series I & II” loosely tells the story of Exandria’s mightiest heroes BEFORE campaign one began its online streaming debut, as they began streaming the show partway through their first campaign. Yay! More content for Critters!

This version is series one and two. The first instalment of the origins series tells the tale of how a group of adventurers (*cough* misfits) band together to unlock the secret behind a strange curse while facing cults and uncanny enemies. The second introduces new adventurers to the group as they rush to save one of their companions from a unique entity in his chest.

Just like the show, Mercer’s story had me on the edge of my seat one moment and then in a laughing fit the next. All the moments felt true to their characters, such as the purposely misspelled words to showcase Grog’s speech. It’s also presented in a way that those who don’t watch Critical Role can still enjoy the series without confusion. From one chaotic event to another, watching the misadventures of these “one day” heroes is a sight to behold.

READ IF YOU LIKE
⚔️Adventure-fantasy stories
⚔️Found family
⚔️Witty banter
⚔️Graphic novels
⚔️Dungeons and Dragons
⚔️Magic, curses, and liches, oh my!
⚔️Chaotic group energy
⚔️The show “Critical Role”

[KegOfGrog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprata la versione Kindle a circa 7,4€, tanto che mi è piaciuto prenderò sicuramente anche il cartaceo (magari completo con la serie 3 ed eventuali aggiunte).

NB: In questo volume sono incluse la serie 1 e 2 delle origini.

È un ottimo prequel degli eventi di TLOVM, un must buy per ogni fan. Penso che sia godibilissimo anche come fumetto fantasy standalone, senza avere pregresse conoscenze di lore e/o aver visto campagne e serie animata.

I personaggi sono tremendamente in-character e i fumetti sono disegnati benissimo, anche se il design è differente da quello della serie animata.

La lettura della versione ebook è facilitata dalle funzionalità Kindle, che aiutano ad aggiustarlo anche agli schermi più piccoli.

[Daniel O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and interesting read, but lacking in depth to suit my taste.

[Elise Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m obsessed with the world of Exandria, and it has become a problem. I’m almost completely caught up on all the Critical Role campaigns and need more. So, I bit the bullet and bought this in an ebook. I do wish I could see the color version. Still, even with that limitation, I could not think about anything else but reading these origin volumes of Vox Machina, the greatest band of mercenaries in all the realm. It’s enough for now to read before I rewatch the Prime series again in the lead up to the third season. I highly recommend it to any major fan, whether you’re a fan of Critical Role, Dungeons & Dragons, or fantasy comics.

[Becca Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm currently binging Campaign 1 and I am just absolutely in love with Vox Machina. This was such a fun read and I'm absolutely DYING for more comics and the animated series!

[Ashley Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a D&D or Critical roll fan this is a must read!
Loved seeing how the group got together.

[Vera Little Feather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun origin story of the members of Vox Machina and how they came to be a group. I highly recommend!

[Julia Tibblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me want to play DnD all day long and isn’t that just great?

[Davina Herondale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is volume 3 out yet? Bc i need it plz and ty

[Liliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not particularly like the art style, and some parts felt repetitive or too long. But it was nice getting more from this party!

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

It for whatever reason took me an entire year to read (guess that's just who I am as a person) but I didn't lie! It was the first book I read (this) year! It's an absolutely beautiful book. The art and the colours are phenomenal. It's also very cool to have somewhat recently finished the series and to be able to go back and see what absolute babies they all were. It's really clear that this book is a labour of love. The cast's humour is maintained, everything feels very true to the series. The story was super interesting. Sadly, I have to get my hands on volume III now, bc I need to know what happens next.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of fun but where's the sequel?

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
OF COURSE it is 5 stars.
I just love these characters with my whole heart and I miss them so much. I cannot wait for the animates series!

[Sorcered · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un "Dungeons & Dragons stand-up comedy" desenat într-un stil curat, chiar minimalist pe alocuri. Povestea nu contează, e doar un pretext pentru replici mai mult sau mai puțin haioase. Nu sunt sigur că vă veți distra mai tare dacă sunteți fani D&D, pentru că nu sunt prea multe referințe - și nici prea obscure.

Cartea e un soi de introducere în lumea Critical Role, un podcast pornit de un voice actor veteran care s-a înregistrat în timp ce juca D&D cu prietenii. Prietenii aveau și ei dicție, iar actorul se pricepea la Dungeon Mastering 🙂 așa că au avut un succes extraordinar și s-au lăsat de full time jobs ca să propășească D&D și Critical Role. Incredibil câți de mulți gamers n-au un grup de prieteni cu care să joace D&D, așa că trăiesc indirect prin aventurile celor nouă...

Desenul e decent în primele 150 de pagini și bun după aceea, dar zău că nu înțeleg de ce are nevoie de formatul Library Edition - chiar nu sunt destule detalii încât să conteze. It's a money making thing, I presume.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never felt so much love for an RPG style series before. Still like the Dungeons and Dragons comics and Die but Critical Role just feels like an actual party in every sense of the word. The dry humor, the changing rosters, and short-term goals with charming characters just trying to get by. For anyone even familiar with TRPG mechanics it's easy to tell who invested stats, and it's pretty good at not shoving all of that down people's throats. It's like a genuine bunch of people got together to write these characters personalities down. All I know is I'm paying closer attention to this overall series and recommending it to my friends.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I’ve been a fan of Critical Role for a while now, though I’ve still not watched all their episodes. But to see them translated to a comic book was just fantastic, both bringing back memories of the show and getting an entirely new backstory in the process. I hope to read more of these. And though this will likely be most appreciated by fans of the show I suspect even those unfamiliar with it might find some enjoyment in these pages as they contain some entertaining stories told using some great artwork.

[Dasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aghh this is amazing. I do love the podcast and the TV show, but the podcast is too long while the show is too short, and this is the perfect middle ground. The art style is phenomenal and really fits the vibes and atmosphere of the story and the world, and the writing is true to the characters' original personalities, as portrayed by their VAs.

Now... is there a series 3 and 4...

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from start to finish. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of graphic novels!

[Callum Woodward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is essential for any Critical Role fan. If you follow the episodes each week and love every aspect of all the characters, this is absolutely for you. Pick this up. You don't need to keep reading this review, just take the book to the register and get it. However, if you only know about Critical Role but don't follow the adventures aside from a few highlight videos on YouTube, it might be worth borrowing this if you want to read it.

I fall into the latter camp. I had the opportunity to get this from my library and read it that way and I'm glad I did. The book itself is high quality and physically large (ie. REALLY heavy), the pages are thick and the colour on each page pops, bringing each character's personality and emotion to life. A shoutout to the artist Olivia Samson who drew every single frame of art in this book which captures everything about the characters, even in their moments of hesitation or exchanging glances with each other. I especially liked the character design and the callbacks for each character, given this is the team's origin story. Alongside this, the writing and story is well put together, having been crafted from notes the original cast have given the writers, though I feel some of Scanlan's one-liners came across as a bit forced each time he called them out. Besides this, I can imagine the joy one feels reading and seeing the events happening that they've only heard referenced in the show. As a package of love and art, it is very well executed.

But I have three issues with this book. The first issue I have with this book is if you don't know who any of these people are or what Dungeons & Dragons is, I'm not entirely sure you'll enjoy this much. If you enjoy fantasy but don't follow Critical Role's story you might still enjoy your stay in Tal'Dorei, you may just find some of the niche references going over your head (I know I probably had many of those).

The second issue, though minor, is the way the formatting of big reveals/cool shots are played out. Very rarely was there the opportunity to turn the page and have the whole page art as the next frame you read. Instead, it would be on the next page, causing your eyes to glance away from where you SHOULD be reading next. The art is amazing, don't get me wrong, I just found this be become more and more frustrating as I went along.

The third and final issue I find myself having with this book is its price tag. $70AUD is a lot for one book, but if you enjoy the IP then it's not an issue. It's the idea that anyone who maybe wants to jump into the Critical Role world with this book needs to pay that much that I have a problem with. Sure, it's fine fantasy but I don't think it's worth the price of entry for anyone not intimate with the series.

If you want to read this and merely shrug or say "oh cool" at the mention of Critical Role or Vox Machina, try to borrow it from somewhere unless you have $70AUD burning a hole in your pocket (even then you could try other well loved fantasy series). If you're a fan of the series, I wholeheartedly and unhesitatingly recommend this book.