<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Image courtesy of Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast</em></p>
<p><em>Dark Horse Comics</em>, the famous American comic publisher known for series such as <em>Hellboy</em>, <em>The Mask</em>, and <em>Aeon Flux,</em> among many others, released its newest series on Wednesday, September 17th. This new series, a collaboration with <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> to bring the lesser-known tales of <em>Magic</em> characters to life, is called <em>Magic: The Gathering - Untold Stories</em>.</p>
<p>Its first issue tells the first part of the story of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth Tirel" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth Tirel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> during her time in the Theroan Underworld. I obtained a copy on the day of release, so here are my thoughts about <a href="https://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/3014-472/Magic-The-Gathering-Untold-Stories--Elspeth-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em></a>!</p>
<p>Please note that there <em>will</em> be spoilers for the comic in this review. However, this is a comic telling a story that was essentially told half a decade ago. Please keep all of this in mind as you read further!</p>
<h2>Reviewing <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em></h2>
<p>This story is shown in an interesting light. I like that the conflict between Heliod, Theroan God of the Sun, and his other deified comrades is so nuanced and political. Writer Dan Watters did very well with respect to the politics of the Theroan pantheon here. Also, I appreciated the flashback approach of the comic's plotlines.</p>
<p>However, I wonder if this will be the norm for every character we get an <em>Untold Stories</em> series on. We got this with Dack Fayden for <em>The Spell Thief</em>, and to me, a dedicated and enfranchised <em>Magic</em> fan, it may get old kind of fast.</p>
<p>However, I can probably give it a pass at this early stage of things, since it's the first issue of the first series of this kind.</p>
<h3>The Art is... Not Perfect</h3>
<p>Furthermore, I'll be frank about this: I'm not a huge fan of the series' illustrator, Owen Gieni's, portrayal of Elspeth in this comic. I find his illustrations over-expressive and almost rushed. Various scenes show Elspeth with a huge, almost trout-like open mouth when she's shouting.</p>
<p>The only other three femme characters in this comic are Theroan goddesses: Klothys, Goddess of Fate, Thassa, Goddess of the Sea, and Nylea, Goddess of the Hunt. Klothys has a lot of dialogue - more than Elspeth herself does in this issue. As it were, Thassa has one piece of dialogue, and Elspeth and Nylea have no dialogue in the issue whatsoever.</p>
<p>I'm unsure how to feel about the art, which depicts Klothys as overly menacing, and Elspeth as big-mouthed and overreactive gesturally (note that I am referring specifically to the depiction of these characters by the artist). The other characters in this comic with any dialogue - Heliod, Daxos, Erebos, and Purphoros - all seemed extremely self-serious in their agendas.</p>
<p>That's all fine and dandy, to be honest, but they were also illustrated in a way befitting that. The female characters felt like they were drawn as caricatures in many panels (any extreme close-ups of Elspeth's forehead notwithstanding).</p>
<h3>Issues With the Cover of Issue #1</h3>
<p>This brings me to the cover art. I didn't manage to secure a variant cover for <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em>. To a similar end, the cover I <em>did</em> get was more or less that same big-mouthed screaming style that I mentioned in my above criticisms.</p>
<div id="attachment_165004" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165004" class="wp-image-165004" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 Variant Cover (Vincenzo Riccardi). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165004" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> Variant Cover (Vincenzo Riccardi). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics</p></div>
<div id="attachment_165005" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165005" class="wp-image-165005" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 Variant Cover (Anna Steinbauer). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165005" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> Variant Cover (Anna Steinbauer). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics</p></div>
<div id="attachment_165006" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165006" class="wp-image-165006" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 Main Cover (Owen Gieni). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165006" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> Main Cover (Owen Gieni). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics</p></div>
<p>I got that last cover, wherein you can see what I'm talking about.</p>
<p>Before this further devolves into me snobbishly snubbing Gieni's work even more, I just want to say one last thing on the matter. I happen to really like his use of light and reflections in this comic. They're rather well illustrated. The depictions of the mysterious smoke atop Ashiok's horns and the depictions of Daxos' death mask all look splendid.</p>
<h2>Verdict: Leave It in the Underworld (Unless You Like Theros)!</h2>
<p>I'm not a huge fan of this comic overall. Like I mentioned above, the artwork by Owen Gieni isn't great. And unfortunately, Dan Watters' writing, while certainly intriguing (especially for a first issue of a full series) couldn't quite compensate for that. But I can see a world in which players who like Theros, Elspeth Tirel, or the <em>Theros: Beyond Death</em> storyline all buy this comic for their collections. It's not hard to see that working out for them.</p>
<p>In the future, however, I'll be getting the physical comics as well, if only to review them for my loyal readers.</p>
<p>Let me now open the floor to you all! Did you manage to snag a copy of <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> from your local comic shop? What did you think about it? Did you like its writing and/or its illustrations? What was your favorite aspect of this comic book? What did you like the least? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


REVIEW: Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 (Dark Horse Comics)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Untold Stories #2 Variant cover. Illustrated by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anireal.art/?hl=en">Jessica Fong</a></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dark Horse Comics' collaboration with Wizards of the Coast to create a new <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> comic book series is just beginning. We don't even have the first issue just yet (as it is due out on September 10th). However, the details for issue #2 are beginning to trickle outward to the public. Here's what we know about <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2 so far!</p>
<div id="attachment_158793" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Owen-Gieni-main-cover-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-158793" class="wp-image-158793" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Owen-Gieni-main-cover-2.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #2. Main cover illustrated by Owen Gieni. Image credit: Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Owen-Gieni-main-cover-2.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Owen-Gieni-main-cover-2-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-158793" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2. Main cover illustrated by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/owen_gieni/?hl=en"><strong>Owen Gieni</strong></a>. Image credit: Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast</p></div>
<h2>Klothys and Calix Make an Appearance</h2>
<p>This story follows Elspeth's efforts to escape the Theroan underworld. It also appears to follow <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Klothys, God of Destiny" href="#" target="_blank">Klothys, God of Destiny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and her champion, the demigod and Planeswalker known as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Calix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Klothys is upset that Elspeth is attempting to defy her fate to perish in that despondent realm. So, largely unable to fully leave Nyx (the <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> Olympus analogue), she sends Calix to pursue Elspeth.</p>
<p>As we don't know the exact plot for issue #1, the two may make their introduction there. However, it's also entirely possible that issue #2 will be Klothys and Calix's debut.</p>
<div id="attachment_158794" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jessica-Fong-variant-cover-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-158794" class="wp-image-158794" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jessica-Fong-variant-cover-2.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #2. Variant cover illustrated by Jessica Fong. Image credit: Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jessica-Fong-variant-cover-2.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jessica-Fong-variant-cover-2-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-158794" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2. Variant cover illustrated by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anireal.art/?hl=en"><strong>Jessica Fong</strong></a>. Image credit: Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast</p></div>
<h2>Erebos Presides Over the Storyline</h2>
<p>As this all unfolds, one figure stands present, orchestrating much of what happens here: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erebos, God of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Erebos, God of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Erebos is a covetous tyrant of a God, and also presides over ill fate and misfortune. As such, he would naturally have a role in this story. You can see in the variant cover art for <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2 (stunningly illustrated by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en"><strong>Magali Villeneuve</strong></a>) that Erebos is very present in the background. In visual language, this often will signify that the character is pulling some of the strings and will play an important role in later acts of the story. Does that mean Erebos has a larger role than many Vorthos may have been led to believe? Perhaps, but we will see. After all, this is Dark Horse Comics' version of the story as a whole.</p>
<div id="attachment_158798" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Magali-Villeneuve-variant-cover-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-158798" class="wp-image-158798" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Magali-Villeneuve-variant-cover-2.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #2. Variant cover illustrated by Magali Villeneuve. Image credit: Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Magali-Villeneuve-variant-cover-2.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Magali-Villeneuve-variant-cover-2-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-158798" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2. Variant cover illustrated by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en"><strong>Magali Villeneuve</strong></a>. Image credit: Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast</p></div>
<h2>Dark Horse Comics Has Provided Further Details</h2>
<p>Of course, with new comic book covers often comes new details about that comic book. As such, let's provide what Dark Horse has made public:</p>
<blockquote>
<div class="product-description">
<p>After slaying one god and being betrayed by another, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth Tirel" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth Tirel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> scours Theros’s underworld for the man she loved and lost. However, the god of fate plans to redirect Elspeth into a tragic destiny.</p>
<p>• In partnership with Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast, Dark Horse expands the world of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>—a widely popular tabletop and digital collectible card game with a 30+ year legacy.</p>
<p>• Written by acclaimed writer <strong>Dan Watters</strong> and illustrated by the talented <a href="https://www.instagram.com/owen_gieni/?hl=en"><strong>Owen Gieni</strong></a>.</p>
<p>• Four-issue series.</p>
</div>
<div class="product_details">
<h3>Creators</h3>
<dl>
<dt>Writer: <strong>Dan Watters</strong></dt>
<dt>Artist: <strong>Owen Gieni</strong></dt>
<dt>Colorist: <strong>Hilary Jenkins</strong></dt>
<dt>Letterer: <strong>Clayton Cowles</strong></dt>
<dt>Cover Artist: <strong>Owen Gieni</strong></dt>
</dl>
</div>
<div class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> Media Tie-In, Fantasy</div>
</blockquote>
<div>As this description alludes to, Elspeth has entered the Underworld hoping to find and rescue <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daxos of Meletis" href="#" target="_blank">Daxos of Meletis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who is canonically Elspeth's Theroan paramour. However, Klothys clearly has other plans for Elspeth there.</div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2 releases on October 22nd, 2025, quite a bit of time away from the time we're writing this piece. So, for now, this is the brunt of what we know about Dark Horse Comics' <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> #2. Are you planning to read this comic book series? What's your opinion of Theros, <em>Theros: Beyond Death</em>, and/or Elspeth? Sound off in the comments below!</div>


dark horse

REVIEW: Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 (Dark Horse Comics)

Dark Horse Comics' Elspeth #2: What We Know So Far