Combining four one-shot origin stories into one volume, The Mighty Nein Origins brings some of the most beautiful and tragic storytelling to a new medium. Working with the cast of Critical Role, we get the history of the characters so many came to know and love during the airing of the actual-play show’s second campaign. While so many were still mourning the end of the Vox Machina saga, we were shown that there was no sophomore slump for these creators, bringing another party of miscast adventurers into the hearts and minds of thousands. With this collected series, there is a new opportunity for some to discover the Might Nein, or to revisit them again in a new medium, with history we’ve only heard acted out at a table full of talented orators.

This volume collects the beginnings of Jester Lavorre, Yasha Nydoorin, Caleb Widowgast, and Nott the Brave, four characters that became a source of inspiration and entertainment for all those who followed their journey. For those who know the show, this is a visual look at the stories we’ve heard for so long. For new readers, it’s a heartbreaking origin story of four people who set out into the world alone, only to find each other somewhere down life’s road. But before they meet one another, they have to suffer the tragedies of life that brought them low and put them in the position to turn that around.

Jester’s story is the most lighthearted of the four, a mischievous child with a beautiful, talented, and agoraphobic mother who, despite her own fears, encouraged her daughter to go see the world (even with the trouble she caused while in it). Yasha’s story of acceptance, loss, and finding new meaning was as inspirational as it was painful, with Caleb’s tale of praise, support, and ultimately manipulation and abandonment shows why the character became such a powerful and tragic figure in the story of the Nein. Though that is nothing compared to the heartbreak of seeing Nott go from a life of true happiness and acceptance of herself to the destruction of her life and her image after an attack on her hometown left her alone and transformed into the very people who took her captive.

This is such a well-done adaptation of these stories, with authors Sam Maggs (who worked with Laura Bailey for Jester and Sam Riegel for Nott), Cecil Castellucci (who worked with Ashely Johnson for Yasha), and Jody Houser (who helped pen Caleb’s story with Liam O’Brien) combining with the cast and the arbiter of this world, Matthew Mercer, to create captivating stories to start to explain the journeys that led them to the formation of their own adventuring party. There’s no way to play favorites on their stories, as they are all so varied and interesting, with all three authors helping to bring them to this medium in unique ways.

This can also be said for the artwork, which is just as varied as the members of the Mighty Nein. Hunter Severn Bonyun, working with Cathy Le, brings a vibrancy and playfulness to the story of Jester, with bright colors, tons of movement, and lots of action to encapsulate the whirlwind that is Jester Lavorre. William Kirkby is joined by Diana Sousa for Yasha’s story and by Eren Angiolini for Nott’s, finding a way to bring their signature style to both books while showing off different skills in each. Yasha’s story is hard, grim, and violent in all the best ways, with Nott’s being a bit more ethereal, with a panel composition that puts it over the top as my favorite of the four in terms of visuals. It’s a bit softer, despite the subject matter, but it’s also so well executed. Selina Espiritu (also working with Sousa) brings Caleb to life, with an excellent visual exploration of life, love, tragedy, and rebirth as the dire-focused wizard is put through the ringer.

This collection is a delight, with four distinct and different stories to help get a glimpse into the history of the Mighty Nein. For those who miss these lovable lunatics, it’s a great chance to revisit them, and for those just learning, it’s an interesting and engrossing introduction to characters that have so much depth and life that it’ll be hard not to pick up the show and follow them on the long journey they go on once they meet the rest of the cast, and each other.

Creative Team: Sam Maggs, Cecil Castellucci, Jody Houser (scripts), Ashley Johnson, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey, Matthew Mercer (story), Hunter Severn Bonyun, Willam Kirkby, Selina Espiritu, Cathy Le, Diana Sousa, Eren Angiolini (art), Ariana Maher (letters)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
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