Review of Deadlands: The Epitaph #1

The Epitaph is the new 'magazine' for Pinnacle's Deadlands line of role-playing games. It is a standard softcover book, measuring approximately 8.5" x 10.75", with color cover art and black-and-white interior art as well as color for a 12-page comic book story and ads.

Basically, this publication hopes to: print new adventures, list updates for their games (including the Doomtown CCG, Great Rail Wars and the new Lost Colony), give new writers and artists a place to show their stuff, and offer other snippets of game info.

What follows is a breakdown of the contents.

First, we get the introduction that states the book is their attempt at providing a regular source of info for Deadlands gamers. (Especially those not on the Internet.) It also gives brief bios and pics of Shane Lacy Hensley, John R. Hopler, Michelle Hensley, John Goff, Zeke Sparkes, Lee Bansen, Chris Libey, Paul Duke, Dave Wilson.

Next, is the Trouble At Table Rock adventure, written by Joseph Wolf, illustrated by Jay Rozen. This was run at conventions and not available until now. I thought it was the best part of the book. A well written yarn involving the posse mixing it up with dinosaurs. The posse start by investigating missing chickens and wind up trapped in a canyon with the ancient beasts. Throw in some mad science and your players will think they're in Jurassic Park (the movie).

An optional Veterans Table for sykers in the Hell on Earth game is next. Written by Jay Kyle. I don't own Hell on Earth books, so I will pass judgement. However, I do hope to see more short pieces of optional rules and tables for players. These things always help.

Story's End, written by John R. Hopler, is a Dime Novel for Hell On Earth. This seems to be only the fiction part of a standard Dime Novel, as the adventure part (with stats and maps and such) was not here. Anyway, this was certainly an exciting read. I didn't stop reading until I got to the end. And, yes, from the title there is an end for a certain main character.

Next up is the 12-page color comic starring Ronan Lynch. (Clay and Susan Griffith, writers; Richard Pollard, artist; Chuck Croft, colors; Paul Duke, letters.) Can't say I liked it. I read comics but this story and art isn't my kind of thing. However, Pinnacle has made a one-shot comic book and the Epitaph looks like the vehicle by which we will see more comic book stories. It may also be the reason for the higher cost.

All in all, I thought Trouble at Table Rock was the high point and the comic story was the low. I'm giving the whole book an average rating. Buy it if you want to get the adventure, which probably won't be available again.