5 Hit Fantasy Books That Became Incredible Comics

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A Game of Thrones and The Dark Tower Comics Featured Image

Published Aug 30, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT

Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny.

Fantasy books deliver sprawling, imaginative worlds and unforgettable characters that truly immerse readers in the story. Among the most popular and talked-about series, some have reached wider audiences through different formats, especially comic books. The transition from novel to comic changes how readers experience each story, bringing familiar worlds and characters to life with stunning art and more accessible storytelling.

Comic adaptations can capture narrative elements in ways that novels can’t, and sometimes they reinvent characters and worlds to explore aspects of the story that may span dozens or hundreds of pages. While comic books typically offer a condensed version of the story, they’re no less rich than the original. When handled well, fantasy comics reimagine existing worlds and carve out their own unique identity, making them must-reads for fans of the original novels.

A Game of Thrones

George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones established one of the most well-known epic fantasy series known as A Song of Ice and Fire. It follows the Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons, and Targaryens, all noble families that are pulled into a large-scale conflict to seize control of the Iron Throne and rule over Westeros. At the same time, a growing supernatural danger looms just beyond the Wall, threatening to destroy all of humanity.

The Citadel · Maester’s Examination How Well Do You Know Westeros? “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”

🐺StarkWinter is Coming

🦁LannisterHear Me Roar

🐉TargaryenFire and Blood

🦌BaratheonOurs is the Fury

🐙GreyjoyWe Do Not Sow

ENTER WESTEROS →

The Lannisters are the wealthiest family in Westeros, ruling from their ancestral seat. What is the name of their castle?

AHighgarden BStorm’s End CCasterly Rock DThe Eyrie

✓ Correct! Casterly Rock sits atop gold mines in the Westerlands and has been the seat of House Lannister for centuries. The gold beneath it is the source of the family’s legendary wealth — though as Tywin once noted, the mines ran dry years ago.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Casterly Rock. Highgarden belongs to the Tyrells, Storm’s End to the Baratheons, and The Eyrie to the Arryns. Casterly Rock has been the Lannister stronghold since Lann the Clever swindled it from House Casterly.

Jon Snow rises through the ranks of the Night’s Watch to eventually hold what title — the highest position in the order?

AFirst Ranger BLord Commander CMaster of Arms DWarden of the North

✓ Correct! Jon Snow was elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch by his sworn brothers. He was one of the youngest men to ever hold the title, following in the footsteps of legends like Jeor Mormont.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Lord Commander. While Jon started as a steward, he was elected Lord Commander after the death of Jeor Mormont. Warden of the North is a different title entirely — one held by the Stark family.

Daenerys Targaryen hatches three dragons from petrified eggs. Which of the following is NOT one of her dragons?

ABalerion BDrogon CRhaegal DViserion

✓ Correct! Balerion “the Black Dread” was Aegon the Conqueror’s dragon, who died of old age over a century before the events of the show. Daenerys’ three dragons are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion — named after Khal Drogo, Rhaegar, and Viserys.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Balerion. Daenerys’ three dragons are Drogon (black and red), Rhaegal (green and bronze), and Viserion (cream and gold). Balerion the Black Dread was Aegon the Conqueror’s mount, dead long before Daenerys was born.

The Red Wedding is one of the most shocking moments in TV history. At whose castle does this massacre take place?

AHarrenhal BRiverrun CCasterly Rock DThe Twins

✓ Correct! The Red Wedding took place at The Twins, the castle of House Frey. Lord Walder Frey violated the sacred guest right by slaughtering Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, and their bannermen during the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Twins. Walder Frey’s castle — two towers spanning the Green Fork — was where he broke sacred guest right to massacre the Starks. “The Lannisters send their regards” remains one of the show’s most chilling lines.

Jon Snow wields a Valyrian steel bastard sword given to him by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. What is the sword’s name?

AIce BLongclaw CHeartsbane DOathkeeper

✓ Correct! Longclaw is a Valyrian steel bastard sword that was the ancestral weapon of House Mormont. Jeor gave it to Jon after he saved the Lord Commander from a wight, replacing the bear pommel with a white wolf for House Stark.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Longclaw. Ice was the Stark greatsword (melted down by Tywin Lannister), Heartsbane belonged to House Tarly, and Oathkeeper was one of the two swords forged from Ice. Longclaw is the Mormont blade Jon carries throughout the series.

Tyrion Lannister serves as Hand of the King to which ruler, expertly managing the defense of King’s Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater?

ARobert Baratheon BTommen Baratheon CJoffrey Baratheon DDaenerys Targaryen

✓ Correct! Tywin sent Tyrion to serve as Hand in his place during Joffrey’s reign. Tyrion brilliantly orchestrated the defense against Stannis Baratheon’s fleet using wildfire, though he received no credit and was nearly killed in the battle.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Joffrey Baratheon. Tyrion served as Joffrey’s Hand of the King in Season 2, appointed by his father Tywin. He later served as Hand to Daenerys, but it was under Joffrey that the Battle of the Blackwater took place.

Jon Snow’s true parentage is one of the show’s biggest reveals. What is his real Targaryen name, given by his mother Lyanna Stark?

AAegon Targaryen BAemon Targaryen CRhaegar Targaryen DJaehaerys Targaryen

✓ Correct! Lyanna Stark named her son Aegon Targaryen. He is the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna, who were secretly married. This made Jon the true heir to the Iron Throne — a fact that changed the course of the final season.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Aegon Targaryen. Lyanna whispered the name to Ned Stark in the Tower of Joy. Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen (not named after him), making him Aegon — a name carried by many Targaryen kings, including the Conqueror himself.

In the series finale, who is chosen by the lords and ladies of Westeros to rule the Six Kingdoms as king?

AJon Snow BSansa Stark CTyrion Lannister DBran Stark

✓ Correct! Bran Stark — now Bran the Broken — was chosen as king of the Six Kingdoms at the Dragonpit council. Tyrion argued that Bran’s story was the most compelling reason to rule. Sansa became Queen in the North, and Jon was sent back to the Wall.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Bran Stark. Tyrion nominated Bran at the great council, arguing “who has a better story than Bran the Broken?” Sansa was crowned Queen in the independent North, Jon returned to the Wall, and Tyrion served as Bran’s Hand of the King.

REVEAL MY SCORE →

The Citadel · Results Sealed Your Westeros Record

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Did you claim the Iron Throne — or lose your head?

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Martin’s novel was adapted into a graphic novel for Dynamite Entertainment by Daniel Abraham and artist Tommy Patterson. Rather than recreating the book’s chapter-by-chapter point-of-view structure, the comic moves between characters far more fluidly, with several perspectives unfolding within the same issue, with different colored text boxes conveying which character is being centered.

Patterson’s art also brings Martin’s descriptive world to life, presenting Westeros as vast and immersive as its written version, while Abraham streamlines the dialogue and internal narration without losing any of the original impact or meaning. Even after reading Martin’s A Game of Thrones or watching the HBO series, the comic remains a must-read for its interpretation of the story and world, giving fans a different perspective of how Westeros can be experienced.

American Gods

American Gods centers on Shadow Moon, an ex-convict recently released and mourning his wife, Laura, after she tragically dies in a car accident. Navigating this difficult time in his life, he finds a job as a bodyguard for a con man, Mr. Wednesday, only to find that there’s far more to him than meets the eye and learns that ancient myths and gods are real yet fading with new gods rising to take their place.

Dark Horse Comics published the comic book adaptation by P. Craig Russell with illustrations by both Russell and Scott Hampton. Unlike the Starz TV adaptation, which expanded the story and added multiple subplots, the comic remains as a highly faithful rendition of the novel. Much of the original dialogue and narrative is preserved, with the artwork matching Gaiman’s melancholic atmosphere as Shadow and Wednesday travel across the country and face various mythical beings.

What makes the comic stand out even more is the standalone historical chapters that share how different gods arrived in America, with each one being drawn by various guest artists, giving it distinct visual interludes. Beyond that, given that the comic doesn’t alter plotlines or inject subplots, it's arguably the best version to visualize Gaiman’s work, making it worth picking up for fans who want to experience a faithful interpretation of the story.

The Dark Tower

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower is a unique blend of genres from fantasy to sci-fi to Western. The story follows Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, as he crosses a warped reality in search of the Dark Tower before it’s destroyed by the Crimson King, a cosmic, malicious entity. Along his journey, he encounters unlikely allies who help him cross the apocalyptic world to save the multiverse.

Through stories like The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, the comic dramatizes events that were confined to flashbacks or mentions in the original.

The comic adaptation was published by Marvel, and they approached the adaptation as an expansion of King’s story rather than a straightforward reimagining of the novel. Written by Peter David and Robin Furth, with art by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, the comic explores Roland’s youth and the history of Mid-World. Through stories like The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, the comic dramatizes events that were confined to flashbacks or mentions in the original.

Similarly, new characters and an expanded exploration of Gilead’s fall broaden the story’s lore, all of which were overseen by King himself. The art style captures the world’s grim, surreal atmosphere and shapes Roland’s backstory in a way that adds greater weight to his character. Fans of the original novel who are interested in experiencing events such as the Battle of Jericho Hill and the aforementioned Fall of Gilead absolutely need to pick up the comic.

A Wizard of Earthsea

A Wizard of Earthsea is a classic fantasy novel written by Ursula K. Le Guin in 1968. The story centers on a young boy named Ged who mistakenly unleashes a dangerous shadow he can’t control after using forbidden magic. To save the world, he begins a journey across Earthsea in pursuit of the creature that hunts him in return, ultimately leading to the boundaries of the world for one final confrontation.

The comic adaptation, published by Clarion Books in 2025, was done by Fred Fordham, who is known for other comic adaptations including Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. His adaptation of the novel contains gorgeously done watercolor art, and he expresses many moments through textless panels that convey meaning through expressions, body language, shadows, and the environment itself.

Fordham’s interpretation of the classic fantasy novel is especially worth reading because Le Guin left a considerable amount of room for readers to imagine Earthsea for themselves, giving the graphic novel plenty to work with, leading to must-see beautiful, book-accurate visuals. The wordless sequences in the comic invite pause, slowing the story down and letting certain moments communicate through composition instead of narrative blocks of text, turning the beloved novel into a meaningful work of art that can’t be missed.

Assassin's Apprentice

Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice follows a young boy known as Fitz, the illegitimate son of a prince, who grows up at Buckkeep Castle while secretly training to serve the crown as an assassin. What no one knows is that he also possesses forbidden magic, power despised by society, known as the Wit, allowing him to telepathically bond with animals. When Fitz is sent on his first solo mission, he must overcome betrayal and court politics as war with the Red-Ship Raiders closes in.

Hobb herself collaborated with Jody Houser to adapt the novel for Dark Horse Comics, with Ryan Kelly providing the artwork. The comic is highly faithful to the source material but trades slow-burn storytelling for a faster-paced adventure. It also conveys emotion and retrospective thoughts through its art and visual framing rather than detailed narration. Given that Hobb collaborated on the comic, fans of the original novel know for certain that the characters and world are all lore-accurate.

The Assassin’s Apprentice comic maintains every major plot point and character relationship while streamlining the story to make it more accessible and immediately engaging for all audiences who choose to pick it up. For readers who want to re-enter Hobb’s world or explore it for the first time, the comic stands out as an amazing complement to the original novel.

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