WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #1 by Jody Houser, Jim Zub, Diego Galindo, Msassyk, and Nate Piekos, on sale now.
Dungeons & Dragons has been a strong theme of the Netflix series Stranger Things right from the very beginning. In many ways, the knowledge gained and friendships formed from the RPG has helped to keep at least one group of kids alive. The show started well after the kids first made their discovery of D&D, and after they had become fast friends. Yet there is always a beginning to every story, and the Dark Horse / IDW collaboration miniseries Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons tells the story of how the kids from the Netflix show first formed their iconic friendship.
As it turns out, this crew may never have become what they were, if not for a couple of bullies. Mike, Lucas, and Will were once again on the run from some of the worst that Hawkins had to offer, when they made a surprising discovery. Barging into a small bookstore in an effort to hide from their would-be assailants, the boys were introduced to a world of wonder, and were immediately intrigued by the world of Dungeons & Dragons.
From that moment onward, the boys were hooked. They did everything possible to get their hands on their own copy, so that they too could experience all of the adventures this new world had to offer. It both absorbed and changed all of their lives.
The lives of the three boys were not the only ones that were fated to be changed by the introduction of the game into their lives. A fellow student overheard one of their planning sessions and was intrigued by the numbers involved in the game, quickly calculating the odds of success on a critical roll of the dice. That student ended up being none other than Dustin, a math wiz who became the fourth member of their group.
The remainder of the issue revolves around the four boys and their rapidly growing friendship. A campaign and several adventures are portrayed, as their collective imaginations come to life. The artistic talent of Will certainly helped their adventures along, as he portrayed some of their characters' finest moments.
In short order, the boys became experts over the material that they had only recently gotten their hands on. They devoured the first campaign, and in doing so, it empowered them. The world didn't adapt to them, but through the game they all found a way to productively adapt and relate to the world around them. Their party in the game extended to their real lives, and together they were able to take on and conquer challenges that none of them could handle alone.
This flurry of events shows one other iconic moment worth paying attention to, the construction of a playhouse in the woods. This location features prominently in the series, and is the place where Will took refuge when he was in the Upside Down. The appearance of their massive walkie talkies is also notable, though in an understated manner.
These four friends have a true friendship, and were willing to put their lives on the line to save one of their own. To think that such a friendship bloomed out of a chance encounter and grew out of time spent playing a immersive role playing game speaks volumes of the power of Dungeons & Dragons, particularly in the lives of these boys.