5 Comic Inspired Tabletop Games We Want

The Tabletop world is full of licensed products, more so than ever with recent successes like DOOM, Marvel’s Legendary, DC’s Deck Building Game, WWE Superstar Showdown, Orcs Must Die, and Dark Souls.

Still, that only touches the surface of what licenses can offer, specifically in regards to comics, which covers far more than superheroes these days. Whether you’re looking for a mystery to solve, an ancient evil to stop, magical worlds to explore, or cities to run and develop, there is something in this list for every type of tabletop player.

Hit the next slide to see 5 great picks for comic inspired tabletop gaming.

Justice League Dark

The Justice League Dark is mostly made up of outsiders and outcasts, save for Zatanna of course. Their specialties in the paranormal and occult allow them access to dimensions and lands that other heroes couldn’t even fathom, and that’s what makes them perfect candidates for a board game.

This would essentially be a tweaked and reskinned version of Fantasy Flight’s Eldritch Horror. The investigators would be replaced with heroes like Zatanna, Etrigan The Demon, Swamp Thing, John Constantine, Deadman, and since this is pure wish fulfillment, Detective Chimp. Yes yes, he wasn’t a member of the team, but he was a member of Shadowpact, Etrigan was on that team, hence he called Chimp, said: “hey, wanna hang out with a new team” and so on and so forth.

Now that that’s out of the way, the team would have to find a way to work together by solving mysteries, closing portals to other dimensions, and defeating monsters to keep ancient evils like Trigon from taking over the world.

While not required, Zatanna players can feel free to read their spells backward for the full effect.

Ether

The world of Ether consists of two distinct places. The first is the world of logic and reality, while the second is one of imagination and magic. Those two will collide in this board game adaptation of Dark Horse’s fantastic comic series Ether.

Players will all take control of their own adventurer, each with their own distinct personalities and skill sets. Each player will have a timer with a set amount of time designed to last for the entire game. As you and the other players attempt to solve a central mystery, you’ll need to explore both the real world and the ether for answers and clues in your quest, but every time you enter the Ether the clock starts running, as you can only be in there so long before you must exit back to the real world.

Your goal will be to solve the mystery and defeat the chosen foe (from a variety of foes included with the game) before that timer runs out.

Rat Queens

Paizo’s Pathfinder roleplaying game already contains a lavish and layered fantasy world for players to explore in, but it could always use a bit more personality.

Enter the Rat Queens Adventure Campaign, which would be sold as a completely tailored module to fans of the hit Image series. Players would have access to Hannah the Rockabilly Elven Mage, Violet the Hipster Dwarven Fighter, Dee the Atheist Human Cleric, or Betty the Hippy Smidgen Theif. The quest would be a fun alternative mission but could also incorporate your campaign’s characters if you chose to do so, and it would have all the raunchy charm of the book.

Who could say no to that?

Reborn

Mark Millar and Greg Capullo’s series Reborn seeks to answer the question “what happens after you die.” The answer? You enter a whole new fantasy world where everyone who ever appeared in your life will show up again to either fight with you or against you as you struggle to survive.

Every decision you made in your life informs this new world as well, and that would play into the game. The first half of the game would require you to make a series of decisions about your character’s past, motives, and goals in their first life. You would then flip the board over to play the second part of the game, with each choice having unexpected consequences in this new version of earth.

Your goal is ultimate to take out the powerful Lord Golgotha, but depending on how the first half of the game goes, half of your team could very well be working against you.

Throne Of Atlantis

The city of Atlantis has always been one of the more popular legends, and it’s a big part of Aquaman’s appeal. If you’re looking for a resource management experience with a distinct DC Comics flair, then Throne of Atlantis is just for you.

As Arthur’s province lieutenants, you will be required to build up certain sections of the city while also accommodating changing circumstances. Players will be all for themselves in their end goal, which is to have the most successful province, but they can work together on trade deals and sabotage actions, which will harm another province. External threats like The Deluge, N.E.M.O., and the surface world can all pop up at any time to change up your priorities, and sometimes you’ll need to avert your attention from growing your province to just surviving.

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