Baldur’s Gate 3 is receiving an ongoing comic-book series, with the opening six issues placing Astarion Ancunín at the centre of a murder mystery in Waterdeep. The first issue is scheduled for February 24, 2027, from Dark Horse Comics, with Alyssa Wong writing and Vincenzo Carratù providing pencils.

The series is set to give Astarion, Shadowheart, Karlach and other familiar Baldur’s Gate 3 characters their first comic-book appearances. Its initial arc focuses specifically on Astarion after his escape from Cazador Szarr, when a run of ritualistic killings threatens Waterdeep. He must identify the murderer before becoming a target himself.

That premise matters because it gives the adaptation a defined starting point rather than attempting to retell a player’s entire game campaign. Baldur’s Gate 3 is built around player choice and party composition; a monthly comic, by contrast, needs a stable protagonist, a controlled sequence of events and a conflict that can resolve across a set number of issues. Astarion’s investigation provides all three, while Waterdeep offers an established Dungeons & Dragons setting in which the story can widen beyond one character’s personal history.

The first arc: Astarion, Waterdeep and ritual murders

Issues Baldur’s Gate III #1-6 will follow Astarion in the city of Waterdeep. The published synopsis establishes two crucial points: he is living with his freedom following Cazador’s control, and the city is suffering a spree of gruesome ritual murders. The latter is not just a conventional crime hook. In fantasy storytelling, “ritual” generally indicates that a killing is connected to a deliberate magical, religious or occult purpose rather than being solely an act of personal violence. The available details do not identify the killer, motive or ritual, so readers should treat the mystery’s larger supernatural elements as unknown for now.

Waterdeep is an especially useful setting for a series that wants to operate as a bridge between video-game characters and tabletop fantasy’s larger world. It is a city setting rather than an isolated dungeon or battlefield, allowing room for investigations, hidden agendas, nightlife, factions and supporting players. None of those elements has been specifically confirmed for this arc, but the city’s streets are explicitly the stage for Astarion’s hunt.

The story also avoids confirming a single game-ending interpretation for Astarion. The comic’s stated status quo is simply that he has escaped Cazador Szarr. That leaves the creative team space to build a fresh threat around him without publicly outlining how other major choices, romances, companions or endings will be treated. For fans, that is the practical implication: the opening storyline appears designed as a new adventure starring a known character, not a panel-by-panel version of the game.

The creative team behind Baldur’s Gate III #1

Wong reunites with Carratù for the comic. Wong’s previous credits include Star Wars: Doctor Aphra and Deadpool, while Carratù’s listed work includes Hulk: Smash Everything and Dracula: Blood Hunt. They will be joined by inker Elisabetta D’Amico, colourist Valentina Taddeo and letterer Buddy Beaudoin.

Each role has a distinct job in a conventional comic-production pipeline:

  • Writer: develops the script, including plot, dialogue, scene progression and page-level storytelling direction.
  • Penciller: establishes the visual storytelling through character acting, environments, composition and action layouts.
  • Inker: finishes or reinforces pencil art with line work, helping define texture, depth, silhouette and readability.
  • Colourist: creates the colour treatment, which can establish mood, separate locations and make a page easier to follow.
  • Letterer: places dialogue, captions, sound effects and other text in a way that supports the art’s flow.

That division is particularly relevant to a fantasy adaptation with a recognizable cast. Astarion’s expressions and body language, the distinction between city streets and darker ritual imagery, and the clarity of magical or action-heavy sequences will all depend on the way those disciplines work together. The announced team points to a full serialized-comics production rather than an illustrated prose release or a one-shot special.

Karlach’s Nine Hells arc is already planned

The Astarion story is only the first stage of the ongoing title. Issues #7-18 are planned to follow Karlach into the Nine Hells. Becky Cloonan is attached as writer, with Francesco Scimonelli illustrating. Further details about that arc are expected next year.

The issue range is notable. While the Astarion material is a six-issue arc, Karlach’s is currently mapped across twelve issues. That does not reveal the exact structure of the story—whether it is one continuous twelve-issue plot or includes internal chapters—but it does establish a considerably longer planned run for the next spotlight. It also signals that the book’s format is character-led: one companion receives a substantial arc before the series moves on to another.

The Nine Hells are named in the announcement, but no exact destination, returning villain, supporting cast or objective has been detailed. Karlach’s journey should therefore be understood as a confirmed premise rather than a confirmed story outline. The announced roadmap additionally names Wyll, Shadowheart, Gale and Lae’zel as future figures set to receive the spotlight, while indicating that more recognizable faces may appear along the way.

This structure could give the comic an advantage over an ensemble story that tries to serve every companion in every issue. Focusing on one lead at a time allows each arc to choose its own genre and scale. Astarion’s six issues begin as a city murder hunt; Karlach’s next stretch is explicitly tied to the Nine Hells. Those are sharply different environments and stakes, even before any more plot is revealed.

Release date, price, preview and covers

Baldur’s Gate III #1 is set to arrive on February 24, 2027, priced at $4.99. Readers who want an early look can find a preview in Dungeons & Dragons #2, scheduled for January 6, 2027.

The debut will have five cover options. Four credited artists—Gerald Parel, Scott Fischer, Angela Wu and Tyler Walpole—will provide variant covers, alongside a blank “character creation” cover. A variant cover is an alternate front cover for the same issue; it does not indicate different interior pages or a separate chapter of the story. The blank cover, meanwhile, is positioned for readers who want to add their own character art, echoing Dungeons & Dragons’ character-creation tradition.

For practical buying purposes, the useful distinction is between reading order and cover choice. The preview in Dungeons & Dragons #2 comes before the first full issue, while each announced #1 cover is an alternate presentation of that same launch issue. Readers interested in the narrative need only follow the numbered Baldur’s Gate III series; those interested in artwork or a sketch-friendly cover have multiple debut editions to consider.

As with other forthcoming serialized superhero and genre releases, solicit information can establish a roadmap well before every narrative detail is public. Readers following comic calendars can also see how another major title is being positioned in the lead-up to Daredevil #700. Baldur’s Gate III, however, has already made its own early commitment: six issues led by Astarion, followed by a Karlach storyline spanning issues #7-18.

What is confirmed—and what remains open

The confirmed material paints a clear release plan. Dark Horse is publishing an ongoing Baldur’s Gate 3 comic. Wong and Carratù lead the debut creative team. Astarion’s first arc runs through #6 and concerns ritual murders in Waterdeep. Cloonan and Scimonelli are planned for Karlach’s Nine Hells material in #7-18. The first issue releases February 24, 2027, with a January preview and five cover choices.

There is still plenty intentionally unannounced. No full plot breakdown has been provided for the Astarion mystery, and details of Karlach’s journey are being held for a later reveal. The series has signposted future attention for Wyll, Shadowheart, Gale and Lae’zel, but it has not assigned them issue numbers, creative teams or individual premises. That leaves the early appeal straightforward: this is a long-form comic expansion built around Baldur’s Gate 3 companions, beginning with Astarion’s attempt to survive a deadly investigation in Waterdeep.