Emily Carter
Dark Dungeons is a Chick tract that first came out in 1984. It was written by Jack Chick, who started publishing Chick tracts in the early 1970s. Chick tracts are short evangelical gospel tracts in a comic book format. Dark Dungeons was adapted into a film of the same name, which premiered in 2014.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of first publication | 1984 |
| Creator | Jack Chick |
| Format | Comic book |
| Number of pages | Approximately 20 |
| Page size | 3 by 5 inches (8 by 13 cm) |
| Content | Anti-RPG, anti-occult, anti-Wicca |
| Main characters | Debbie, Marcie, Mike, Miss Frost |
| Film adaptation | Yes, in 2014 |
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What You'll Learn
The comic was first published in 1984
The comic book "Dark Dungeons" was first published in 1984 by Jack Chick, who started publishing Chick Tracts in the early 1970s. Chick Tracts are short evangelical gospel tracts in a comic book format. The company Chick Publications has continued to print Chick's work, as well as tracts in a similar style by other writers.
"Dark Dungeons" is a 22-panel comic that claims table-top role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons are gateways to demon summoning and dark magic. The comic centres around a college student named Debbie, who is encouraged to join an RPG (role-playing game) club by her friend Marcie. Debbie soon becomes obsessed with the game and believes that it is a gateway to real-life occult activities. She joins a cult and starts to have hallucinations, such as believing that she can cast spells and join secret occult societies. The comic also features a group of sinister robed figures who are encouraging darkness to overtake the world through factors such as tarot cards, homosexuality, and role-playing games.
The comic has become a cult classic among gamers and has had a significant impact on popular culture. It has been referenced and parodied in various forms of media, including T-shirts and films. In 2014, a licensed film adaptation of "Dark Dungeons" was released, directed by L. Gabriel Gonda and written by JR Ralls. The film adaptation stayed true to the original tract, presenting an on-the-nose interpretation of Chick's perspective on gaming.
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It inspired a short film in 2014
The Chick tract "Dark Dungeons" inspired a short film in 2014, which premiered at GenCon on August 14, 2014. The film was directed by L. Gabriel Gonda and written by JR Ralls, who had conceived of the idea of adapting the tract into a film while in college. After winning $1,000 in a lottery in 2013, Ralls contacted Jack T. Chick to seek permission for the adaptation, which Chick granted free of charge.
The film adaptation of "Dark Dungeons" stays faithful to the original tract, presenting an "on-the-nose interpretation" of Chick's perspective on gaming. The film opens with a group of robed figures discussing their plan to encourage darkness to overtake the world through various factors, including tarot cards, homosexuality, and role-playing games. The story then shifts to focus on Debbie and her friend Marcie, who are starting at a new school. They are invited to join an RPG (role-playing game) club by a student named Mike, who later encourages Debbie to attend a religious meeting, claiming that only Jesus can fight the evil associated with RPGs. Debbie ultimately repents and destroys her RPG and occult materials, foiling the robed figures' plans and resulting in their fortress being destroyed by lightning.
The "Dark Dungeons" film adaptation has been described as both serious and campy, capturing the over-the-top drama of the original tract. It reflects Chick's belief that role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons can lead to real-life occult activities and demon summoning. The tract and film highlight the hysteria surrounding such games in the 1980s, with the film serving as a fun and creative exploration of Chick's high-stakes good-versus-evil narrative.
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It was written by JR Ralls
The Chick tract "Dark Dungeons" was written by Jack Chick and was first published in 1984 amid a sea of Dungeons & Dragons scare media. It is a 22-panel comic that claims table-top role-playing games are gateways to demon summoning and dark magic. In the comic, a character named Debbie thought playing Dungeons and Dragons was fun until it destroyed her friend.
In 2014, an official film adaptation of "Dark Dungeons" was released, written by J.R. Ralls. Ralls first came up with the idea of filming an adaptation of "Dark Dungeons" while in college, but the plans never came to fruition. After winning $1,000 in a lottery in 2013, Ralls contacted Jack Chick to ask for permission to create an adaptation, which Chick granted.
Ralls then turned to Kickstarter to fund the project. Despite having a working budget of only $1,000, Ralls was able to move forward with the film, which premiered at GenCon on August 14, 2014. The film stars Hyland, who approached her role with remarkable sincerity and scenery-chewing relish that did justice to Chick's larger-than-life villains.
The "Dark Dungeons" film is a funny and campy interpretation of Chick's perspective on gaming, while still capturing the over-the-top drama of the original tract. It is a careful and faithful adaptation of Chick's world, with a few gamer-friendly easter eggs and cameos.
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It was directed by L. Gabriel Gonda
Dark Dungeons is a 2014 American short film that was directed by L. Gabriel Gonda. The film is based on the Chick tract of the same name, which was first published in 1984. The Chick tract is a 22-panel comic created by evangelical cartoonist Jack Chick, which has become a cult classic among gamers.
The film adaptation of Dark Dungeons was written by JR Ralls, who also came up with the idea of adapting the comic into a film while in college. However, the project did not come to fruition until Ralls won $1,000 in a lottery in 2013 and decided to use the money to fund the film. Ralls contacted Jack T. Chick to seek permission for the adaptation, which Chick granted, and additional funding for the film was raised through a Kickstarter campaign.
The film premiered at GenCon on August 14, 2014, and was also released on VOD through the film's official website. The film follows a group of college students who are tempted by the dark and mystical world of role-playing games, in which they must fight for their souls. The film is described as funny, campy, and over-the-top interpretation of Chick's perspective on gaming, staying true to the spirit of the original tract.
L. Gabriel Gonda, the director of the film, described himself as a "neutral third party" with no ties to the gaming community or Chick's evangelical base. Gonda's role as a neutral party helped capture the bizarre, campy charm of the original tract, resulting in a film that was entertaining and faithful to the source material. The film received positive critical reception, with most critics interpreting it as a satire of its source material.
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It's based on Jack Chick's beliefs
The Chick tract "Dark Dungeons" was first published in 1984 amid a sea of Dungeons & Dragons scare media. The comic, created by Jack Chick, claimed that table-top role-playing games were gateways to demon summoning and dark magic. In the comic, a college student named Debbie joins a role-playing game club and becomes involved in a game that ultimately leads to her friend's suicide. The comic reflects Chick's beliefs about the dangers of role-playing games and the occult, suggesting that they are tools used by sinister forces to encourage darkness and promote homosexuality.
Chick was a Christian comic book creator who authored numerous tracts, or Christian comics, that often touched on controversial topics and presented his perspective on various issues. He was known for his reclusive nature and rarely granted interviews or shared personal information with the public. However, through his comics, Chick expressed his strong religious beliefs and concerns about certain practices and ideologies.
"Dark Dungeons" is a reflection of Chick's beliefs and worldview. The comic warns against the supposed dangers of role-playing games, claiming that they can lead to negative consequences such as psychotic breaks and even suicide. This aligns with Chick's religious perspective, which sees such games as a form of demon worship and a pathway to evil. By portraying the characters in the comic as being manipulated by robed figures encouraging darkness, Chick implies that role-playing games are a means of enticing people, especially the youth, towards destructive behaviours and away from God.
Additionally, Chick's beliefs about homosexuality are also evident in "Dark Dungeons." The robed figures in the comic are described as using homosexuality as one of the tools to spread darkness in the world. This reflects Chick's religious stance on the topic, suggesting that homosexuality is a sin or a form of moral decay. By including this element in the comic, Chick conveys his belief that homosexuality is something to be avoided or combatted, aligning with his conservative Christian values.
Furthermore, the tract's depiction of the occult and the destruction of RPG materials also reflects Chick's beliefs. In the comic, Debbie attends a religious meeting where she repents and takes part in burning RPG and occult books. This scene illustrates Chick's view that religious conversion and the rejection of certain practices, such as role-playing games and occultism, are necessary for spiritual salvation. By having Debbie turn to God and destroy the RPG materials, Chick emphasizes the importance of religious faith and the need to fight against evil influences.
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Frequently asked questions
The Chick tract Dark Dungeons was first published in 1984.
Dark Dungeons is about a college student, Debbie, who gets drawn into a fantasy world of role-playing games and the occult. The tract claims that table-top role-playing games are gateways to demon summoning and dark magic.
Chick tracts are short evangelical gospel tracts in a comic book format, originally created by American cartoonist Jack Chick in the 1960s.
