Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Dynamite | Tagged: Comoact Comics, pathfinder

Dynamite Copies DC's Compact Comics Format, Starting With Pathfinder

Dynamite Entertainment copies DC's Compact Comics format, starting with Pathfinder: Dark Waters Rising

Published Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:59:08 -0500

Article Summary

Dynamite Entertainment launches Compact Editions, mirroring DC's popular Compact Comics format.
First release is Pathfinder: Dark Waters Rising, packed with over 220 pages for just $9.99.
Collects Pathfinder issues #1-6, bonus stories, and extra worldbuilding content for RPG fans.
Written by Jim Zub, Pathfinder's Compact Edition is set to attract both comic and tabletop audiences.

Dynamite Entertainment is set to do what many other comic publishers have been doing of late, ripping off the DC Compact Comics format, taking a well-regarded comics run, up to twelve issues say, then shrinking it down into a thickish wedge, and placing it into DC Compact Comics promotional comic store shelving where it will fit perfectly, and sell a lot for $10 each. And Dynamite will begin with Pathfinder, as it already sells well at Barnes & Noble and Game stores, and it's also written by Conan and Skullkicker's Jim Zub.

"Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce the first entry in a curated line of Compact Editions, offering some of the most revered storylines by fans and critics in an unbeatably affordable format perfect for new readers, sharing the medium, and those looking to try them out. It all starts this June with the debut of Pathfinder: Dark Waters Rising. This book features a whopping 224 pages of epic adventure and is offered for just $9.99 from US retailers at a 5.5 by 8.5 inches format. It collects issues #1-6 of Dynamite's initial Pathfinder series from 2012, plus a bonus 10-page story "The Last Mosswood Goblin" and over 30 pages of worldbuilding details to both enhance the story and assist in playing the titular tabletop roleplaying game. Bestselling author Jim Zub drives these journeys, well established for his fabulous fantasy in titles like Conan the Barbarian, Skullkickers, Wayward, and an extensive bibliography at Marvel Comics. He's joined by artists including Andrew Huerta."

"The warrior Valeros trusts in his sword skills and his companions, which include the enigmatic sorceress Seoni, the clever elven rogue Merisiel, the formidable wizard Ezren, the seasoned dwarven ranger Harsk, and the brave cleric Kyra. However, this group of adventurers is unprepared for the threats that lie in wait. The fragmented goblin tribes of Varisia are coming together in unprecedented ways."

Expect more, a lot more, to come from Dynamite Entertainment, when this sells well as it undoubtably will.