Journey step started: July 9, 2025
Journey step ended: Sept 22, 2025
Click the Google sheet to the right to see every item covered on this step of the journey.
The Gunslinger Born — The Long Road Home — Treachery — The Sorcerer — Fall of Gilead — Battle of Jericho Hill — Sheemie’s Tale
The Little Sisters of Eluria — Misc One-Shots
The Gunslinger Born
Day 1286: Jul 9, 2025
Most educated Stephen King fans will tell you that the proper reading order for The Dark Tower series is in the order of publication. And I agree – if it’s your first time through.
For me, this time around, I’m trying to get through the story in chronological sequence. And since Roland dove into his back story in Wizard and Glass, I’m going to remain there for a while before moving onto Wolves of the Calla.
So I start with the 7-part graphic novel series called “The Gunslinger Born”. Apparently, this retells material covered in the novels already, but it does set the foundation for some new storytelling afterwards.
I’m excited to see these stories brought to life in a visual artform!
Can’t think of a better opening line!
And the most famous line in all of King’s work:
This issue covers Roland’s trial with his trainer Cort where he earns his guns. It’s one of my favorite scenes in all of the series.
I’m not a fan of how Cort is portrayed. He looks too oafish – more of an ogre than a respected battle veteran.
The words Cort speaks, however, are spot on!
Some of these panels are beautiful works of art!
If Mike Flanagan’s adaptation captures this moment half as well, it will be a wonder to behold.
Breathtaking!
This first issue of the series ends with Roland’s father Stephen walking in on him at the brothel.
This was an INCREDIBLE opening to the series! If the rest can match this quality, I’m truly in for a wonderful treat.
Read the “bonus” material from the first issue and WOW am I getting a wonderful education on the geography of Mid-World! I’m going to keep this hand for the subsequent novels in this series.
Interesting lore of the Mid-World universe.
This lore is fascinating! It’s like diving into the Silmarillion after reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
And here’s a map of Mejis that would have been very helpful while reading Wizard and Glass.
Day 1287: Jul 10, 2025
Reading the 2nd issue of The Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Now I return to the story proper with Stephen Deschain walking in on his 14-year-old at the whorehouse.
Wow – this is quite the nightmarish image of The Crimson King!
Fascinating conversation – not found in the text of Wizard and Glass – between The Crimson King and the magician, Walter O’Dim.
No back to the main storyline, Rhea’s place is exceptionally rendered!
The first disappointing thing I’ve encountered so far: The author completely neglected to capture Susan’s rebuke of Rhea – a rebuke that so offended Rhea that it motivated her to plant that hypnotic suggestion, led to the confrontation with Roland and eventually to Susan’s demise.
They left out the entire motivation for most of Rhea’s actions!
Day 1288: Jul 11, 2025
Issue no. 3.of Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Roland and Susan’s first encounter was captured beautifully.
Wow – what a ghoulish image of “The Good Man”, John Farson!
Cuthbert and the showdown at The Traveller’s Rest!
Oh this is going to be sooooooo much fun when it is captured on screen!
Reading the bonus material and even here, in the year 2007, they misspell Stephen King’s name.
Who proofread this thing? The comment in brackets was inserted by the editors to “clarify” what “Wizard and Glass” was, and they get it wrong (it’s the fourth novel, not the third).
Day 1289: Jul 12, 2025
Today, I’m reading Issue no. 4.of the 7-part series: Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
It’s a little bit of a slow-go here in the middle of this series. I suppose that reflects accurately on the book pacing. But the creation of the bond between Roland and Susan is too important to rush through.
The coloring of some of these panels truly pops out! Even a wordy panel like this weedeater giving up the young gunslingers to Roy DePape.
The little additions to the story beyond what’s found in the book are very interesting. In this case, Latigo used slow mutants to work in the refinery because of their expendability with inevitable accidents. Where’s OSHA when you need them?
Trying to determine the “allegiance” of the thinny. That’s a good one!
“Balls to the witch” would make for a ripping prog-metal band name!
The transcript of an audience Q&A was in the bonus material. This question and the answer blew my mind. King had a desire to rewrite the ENTIRE Dark Tower Series???
Now we get some fan-fic lore about the origins of Rhea of the Cöos. I love it!
Day 1290: Jul 13, 2025
Currently reading Issue no. 5.of the 7-part series: Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
I see the cover features Musty the cat and Ermot the snake. But we’re more than halfway through and we really haven’t seen ANY of the friction between Susan and her Aunt Cordelia – which was a major plot driver throughout the book.
Another famous line from the book, but this time it feels too rushed. It feels unearned.
You can definitely feel the value behind the hundreds of pages of characterization that led up to this moment in the novel.
This is some rather cool post-apocalyptic imagery right here. WWII coming to the Mid-World.
I don’t think the book ever mentioned Rhea’s last name. Here, it’s given as “Dubativo”.
“…the left nut of Satan”
Huh – I’m going to have to try and work that phrase into a conversation at some point today!
And this issue closes out with Eldred Jonas discovering Cuthbert’s “Lookout” back at the oilfield.
This installment was again beautifully drawn, but it felt very much like a filler with no real lore-pushing or that feeling of “otherworldliness” that the previous four had.
Only two more issues to go!
In the bonus material, some more lore-building. This time, it’s Eldred Jonas’s backstory. And for some reason, it’s not a story that I’m particularly interested in.
Day 1291: Jul 14, 2025
Nearing the end of the 7-part series: Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born. Today, I’m reading Issue No 6. So far, it’s not been a bad, albeit compressed, retelling of Wizard and Glass.
The moment Cuthbert clocks Roland for bein careless about his affair with Susan. It came across with more surprise and suddenness in the text than it did here.
And this right here, I believe, is the crux and power of Wizard and Glass.
Still a little creeped out to remember that Roland is only 14 years old in this story.
“A woman in love, is what. In my experience, they got their own laws.”
That’s not text from the book, but it should have been.
Which also has me wondering: Who is the narrator in this series?
Eldred Jonas waking up to the oil field explosions is going to make for a GREAT scene in the TV series.
This issue ends with an ominous prediction about Susan’s fate.
But in my opinion, Rhea isn’t haggard-enough looking. She looks too close to what I imagined Aunt Cordelia looks like (although I don’t thing SHE’s even been portrayed in this series yet).
In the bonus material, the origins of the Charyou tree as well as the different levels of guns found in Mid-World were covered.
Day 1292: Jul 15, 2025
Finishing off the 7-part graphic novel series: Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
I question the choice of cover. Why focus on Eldred Jonas for the climax of Wizard and Glass?
Great framing of Jonas leading the horsemen to the oilfields.
It must’ve been hard to capture the chaotic motion of a battle fought on horseback, but I thought they did an admirable job here.
My biggest complaint about Wizard and Glass was how easily & quickly Eldred Jonas was dispatched. Hundreds of pages building him up to be the world’s biggest villain and poof – he’s dead.
It happens quite frequently in other King works as well. I see this as an opportunity for Mike Flanagan to “improve” upon the story in his adaptation (like Frank Darabont did with The Mist).
At least they address Aunt Cordelia’s absence in this rendition of the story head-on. I don’t agree with the choice, but if you’re gonna bring her in, doing so during Rhea’s vampire scene is the best place to do it!
Now THIS is the scene I will be standing at attention for when Flanagan release his work. To see the slaughter in Eyebolt Canyon and the thinny wiping out the army – my God, what a sight that will be!
The story abruptly ends here. And to be honest, it was a rather unsatisfying ending.
Am I prejudiced by what I’ve read in the books? Certainly.
I would not have expected to suddenly be taken to the Wizard of Oz timeline with Jake, Eddie and Susannah. But, Roland did continue this story past the charyou tree; about what happened in Hambry afterwards and what Roland did in Gilead when he returned. What Roland saw about The Dark Tower in the glass…
Well that’s it for this particular series. I thought it was a fine retelling of King’s work.
Fortunately, there are quite a few more graphic novel series that tell entirely new tales, filling in some of the blanks of The Dark Tower series. I’m really looking forward to diving into “The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home”. But first, there are some podcast episodes about “The Gunslinger Born” that I want to digest.
Day 1293: Jul 16, 2025
Listened to this episode from Chat Sematary about the graphic novelization of Wizard and Glass, a 7-part series titled “Dark Tower Beginnings: Gunslinger Born”.
(sadly, this creator’s Patreon is no longer available and neither is this episode – glad I downloaded it when I could!)
Day 1294: Jul 17, 2025
Dark Tower Radio covers, among other things current in the year 2017 the graphic novelization of Wizard and Glass, a 7-part series titled “Dark Tower Beginnings: Gunslinger Born”.
Day 1295: Jul 18, 2025
Finished this episode from Dark Tower Radio.
Day 1296: Jul 19, 2025
A short and sweet criticism of “Dark Tower Beginnings: Gunslinger Born”. They really didn’t like it!
Day 1297: Jul 20, 2025
Spending the next 7 days with Dark Tower Palaver as they spend some time with the series, Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Day 1298: Jul 21, 2025
Finished off this episode from Dark Tower Palaver as they page-by-page through the beginning of Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Day 1299: Jul 22, 2025
Dark Tower Palaver continues with their in-depth reading of Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Day 1300: Jul 23, 2025
Finished off this episode from Dark Tower Palaver about Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Day 1301: Jul 24, 2025
Several years later, Dark Tower Palaver revisited Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Day 1302: Jul 25, 2025
Continuing through this Dark Tower Palaver covering the first three issues of Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
Day 1303: Jul 26, 2025
Finished this Dark Tower Palaver about the first three issues of Dark Tower Beginnings: The Gunslinger Born.
And tomorrow, I go back to the graphic novels, starting with “The Long Road Home”.
The Long Road Home
Day 1304: Jul 27, 2025
I continue through the graphic novelization of Roland’s time in-between Wizard and Glass and The Gunslinger with the 5-part series, “The Long Road Home”.
I’m not sure how much of this is new material or if this a continuation of Wizard and Glass with the events that occurred after the Reaping at Hambry.
As much as I do like seeing their adaptation of the printed word, I am also hungry for something NEW. So here we go!
This prologue suggests that it indeed will be a continuation of Wizard and Glass. Oh well…
This suggests that Roland held the crispy body of his lover, Susan. But that didn’t happen in the book – he saw her burn through the Wizard’s Glass and then went into something of a coma while his buddies hauled him back to Gilead.
Roland shooting Alain in the gut? I think we might be swirling around inside Roland’s fever-like hallucinations after all.
If so, very clever opening. Very clever indeed.
If not… the WTF???
So no, Roland was shooting at the pink Wizard’s Orb that Alain was carrying, not Alain himself.
But the shattered orb reformed and turned into a monstrous eyeball? OK, we’re definitely in new territory here!
And in Alien-like fashion, it gloms onto Roland’s face.
But shouting “Farson’s Balls!”??? I’m surprised that has become an expletive in this world. Think of it – is anyone shouting “Trump’s Balls!” when they stub their toe? 😂
Wow – very confusing. So no, this isn’t a dream-state hallucination. The creators are taking some liberty with the text and yet tie to the actual events that occurred in Wizard and Glass. It’s a bit jarring, but we’ll see if it works.
DePape is still alive and he and his posse are chasing the ka-tet. Meanwhile, good ole forgotten Sheemie is out there wandering the lands!
I don’t know what the hell I just read, but it looks like Sheemie wandered into something and accidentally activated a demon robot.
We’re definitely off script here!
We’ve reached the end of this issue and now get into some bonus material, including some lore that mentions “Thunderclap” – something Stephen King mentioned in his Afterword of Wizard and Glass.
We’ve reached the end of this issue and now get into some bonus material, including some lore that mentions “Thunderclap” – something Stephen King mentioned in his Afterword of Wizard and Glass.
Day 1305: Jul 28, 2025
Reading Issue 2 of The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home.
Issue 1 picked up right were The Gunslinger Born left off in the aftermath of Susan’s death in Hambry and Roland’s immersion into the Wizard’s glass.
Poor Sheemie accidentally triggered an evil murder robot that’s now shooting him full of lightning. Definitely straying from the source material here!
Meanwhile, inside Maerlyn’s Grapefruit, Roland encounters the Crow, whom we all know from other stories is Randall Flagg (or Marten in this tale).
I’m feeling a sense of plot-padding in this issue as a good six pages have been taken up with the crossing of a rickety old bridge. Of course, everything almost falls off of it as they cross (the orb, Roland himself)…
The story ends with Sheemie who now has sparkle power for some reason.
So what WAS that evil glowing murderbot that shot a lightning storm into Sheemie? Thank goodness the bonus material is there to explain it all.
And that’s it for this somewhat disappointing issue.
Other than a bridge crossing and the electrification of Sheemie, not much happened. Still, I like that there’s very little here that also appeared in Wizard and Glass. Looks like The Long Road Home indeed will be mostly new material.
Day 1306: Jul 29, 2025
Reading Issue 3 of The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home.
Sheemie has been electro-possessed by an ancient glowing murderbot. Alain and Cuthbert managed to cross a rickety death-bridge with an unconscious Roland.
Oh – I didn’t pick up from the last issue that Sheemie developed teleportation powers! I suppose that’s a plot device that’s gonna come in handy!
I really don’t like how Alain’s been drawn. And Cuthbert’s dialog is off – at least compared to how he spoke in the book.
Very impressive artistry here as Cuthbert is alone, losing a horse to some wolf-like creature.
Roland’s possessed body springs to life and hand-dispatches one of these demon-wolves by himself.
What the heck??? We’re really off the deep end here, aren’t we?
The bonus material concluded with the continuation of a tale of King Arthur Eld being captured and a robot-clone of his returning to Gilead. The Tower send the 12 animal-headed Guardians to dispatch the golem-Eld and his companions after the authentic knights plumb-bob teleported themselves out of captivity.
Got it? Yeah, me neither.
Day 1307: Jul 30, 2025
Getting close to the end of The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, picking up Issue 4 today.
Alain hops in and out of the Wizard’s Glass in an attempt to pull Roland out of it. Outside, in the real world, oversized mutant wolves are about to pounce on the ka-tet.
Poor Alain gets a chunk taken out of his arm by one of the mutant wolves. Who knows what radioactive poison is now spreading through his veins?
And out of nowhere pops Sheemie! I’m not sure I like his sudden teleportation powers. It seems too… convenient.
Inside Maerlyn’s Grapefruit, Roland is deposited at the lair of the Crimson King.
In honor of this past weekend’s release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, I have to acknowledge the line “I am the Eater of Worlds”, a title also used by Galactus.
Oh – and also by Pennywise, apparently.
Sheemie is a magic healer as well as mystical traveler.
Definitely have to admire this imagining of Roland’s conversation with The Crimson King.
And Jesus Sheemie rides his way INTO the Wizard’s Glass to go rescue Roland.
That’s it for today! Tomorrow, I finish off this series.
Day 1308: Jul 31, 2025
I finish off The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home with Issue No. 5 and this very intense cover of young Roland and The Crimson King!
The Crimson King reveals that he has a blood connection with Roland. It’s not quite the “I am your father” Darth Vader reveal, but…
And Jesus Sheemie comes to the rescue? I’m not sure I like his elevation to god-like status in this series.
The reunion between father and son, both gunslingers, was rather touching.
We’ve reached the conclusion of the story with Roland still obsessed over Maerlyn’s Grapefruit. This was the most compact of the issues, but that was was fine. The Sheemie Ex Machina was a bit of lazy plotting, but we at least did advance the story a bit.
The bonus material contains an encyclopedic article about the 12 Guardians. Maturin the Turtle (who make an appearance in #IT) is featured below.
A beautiful map featuring The Dark Tower itself and the 12 beams!
Day 1309: Aug 1, 2025
Listening now to Chat Sematary speak about the 5-issue comic series, The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home.
(creator has discontinue their Patreon account so this episode is no longer available)
Moving on to this episode from Dark Tower Radio where they also talk about The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home.
The Ka-Tet of DTR are back! On this episode we continue our journey to the Tower through the Dark Tower comic book series as we palaver and give our thoughts and reviews on the next chapter “The Long Road Home”. So hunker down and tune your dial as Dark Tower Radio is back on the air.
Day 1310: Aug 2, 2025
Finished off this episode from Dark Tower Radio where they raved about “The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home”.
The Ka-Tet of DTR are back! On this episode we continue our journey to the Tower through the Dark Tower comic book series as we palaver and give our thoughts and reviews on the next chapter “The Long Road Home”. So hunker down and tune your dial as Dark Tower Radio is back on the air.
Treachery
Day 1311: Aug 3, 2025
I start on the next graphic novel series, a six-parter called “The Dark Tower: Treachery”.
I assume it dives deeper into Roland’s return to Gilead and his encounter with his mother. But for a 6 issue series, there’s going to be a LOT of blanks being filled in.
After many many pages in previous series that were primarily a dark-red tint, it is visually refreshing to kick of this series with the bright blue of Gilead!
An interesting plot point developed from the outset: Alain and Cuthbert earned their guns and were officially welcomed into the ranks of gunslingers. However, jealously has spread among the other cadets who feel they merely rode along on Roland’s coattails.
This is very realistic and I’m curious to see where this goes.
Roland, meanwhile, held on to Maerlyn’s Grapefruit and willingly entered it a second time. But instead of a palaver with the Crimson King, he instead speaks directly to the Tower!
Looks like I fell for the oldest trick in the book. Surprise! It was the big bad villain after all! 🙄
An interesting POV shift as we move away from the characters we’ve focused on for nearly a year now, and shift to the young gunslingers’ fathers who raid a Farson outpost.
This issue ends with the senior gunslingers about to be blown up by a grenade and the reveal that a member of their group was a spy for Farson all along.
Day 1312: Aug 4, 2025
Issue No. 2 of “The Dark Tower: Treachery”. Looks like a new character is being introduced. Cort’s daughter, if I’m not mistaken.
Roland and gang have returned to Gilead. Roland enters into the Wizard’s Glass again. Cuthbert and Alain are dealing with local jealously over their ascension into gunslingerdom. And the leaders of Gilead walked into a trap and appear to have been wiped out in a grenade explosion. We shall see.
A grim image of the young gunslingers getting in some shooting practice on a buffalo’s skull filling in for the main enemy.
Ahhh… This is Cort’s neice, Aileen.
Stephen Deschain and others survived the grenade trap after all. But this is a horrible case of telling rather than showing.
It’s a well-tread plotline – a talented female held back because of societal norms against women. Guess we’ll be exploring this familiar arc in this series.
The bonus material contains an essay on women’s roles in society in Mid-World. Then it dives into the lore of female gods and heroes from ancient times.
Day 1313: Aug 5, 2025
Now reading Issue No. 3 of “The Dark Tower: Treachery”.
Cort’s niece tries to break into the all-boys gunslingers club. Stephen Deschain and the other leaders survived a grenade boobytrap. Other than that – I don’t recall that much else happened in the last issue.
But the artwork has been spectacular!
I absolute LOVE these opening pages! The 12 Guardians all laid out – that’s epic!
I like how each issue has a different coloring theme. We’ve see blood-red. The last issue was more of an earthy beige. Now we’re seeing a dull purple. It really distinguishes each chapter.
The attention has turned to a convent of sorts with grim stone statues surrounding it. And it’s here that the story now focuses on Gabrielle Deschain, Roland’s mother who was sent here in disgrace.
Now THIS is precisely the type of story-filling that I am here to experience!
The artwork of the convent at Debaria is absolutely exquisite. The the rose petals at the bottom of the frame are a perfect added detail.
Oh crap – Marten has infiltrated that convent and is keeping Gabrielle under his spell!
Perfectly capturing the pain and sadness of addiction.
Roland has visions of the return of Rhea of the Cöos.
I’m glad they’re exploring this story point in depth. I felt like her appearance in Gilead was glossed over too quickly in Wizard and Glass.
The story ends here with a gruesome image of Rhea decapitating Stephen Deschain. I’m not sure if this really happens or if this is just a twisted vision that Roland is seeing inside Maerlyn’s Grapefruit.
I hope indeed it was “just a dream”.
The bonus section went into extensive detail about the Little Sisters of the Rose along with a foreshadowing of what we’ll find in “The Little Sister of Eluria”.
Day 1314: Aug 6, 2025
I enter into the second half of the series “The Dark Tower: Treachery”, reading Issue No. 4.
Rhea of the Cöos arrives in Gilead and Roland sees a vision of his father’s murder at her hands. But was it real?
So maybe Steven Deschain is NOT dead yet as Marten Broadcloak convinces Gabrielle Deschain to murder her estranged husband.
In a fevered state, Roland mistakes his friends for Rhea as he fires at them.
An interesting twist on what we know from the book. I wonder if that’s going to turn out the same way.
John Farson seems far more intimidating than The Crimson King does!
“A hallucinating gunslinger. No danger there.”
Roland finally turns in Maerlyn’s Grapefruit to his father. A spy oversees the transaction and sends a message to Farson.
The issue concludes with this stunning artwork!
An interview with the writer & Dark Tower expert, Robin Furth. I’m glad to see that so much of Roland’s tale, previously untold, will be revealed in these series.
Day 1315: Aug 7, 2025
I’m reading the penultimate issue of The Dark Tower: Treachery.
So far, this series has been dark. Not visually, but tonally. Everybody is either depressed or worried or about to commit murder. There’s no joy in Mid-World for sure.
What impresses me is how detailed a drawing can look but upon closer inspection, you realize that there’s very little detail at all. This panel feel crisp and sharp yet there is very little that’s actually rendered here. Brilliant!
The issue ends with Gabrielle Deschain poised to murder her husband, Roalnd’s father, with a poisoned knife given to her by Marten Broadcloak.
Seems like a lot of plot points will need to be wrapped up in the final issue that I’ll read tomorrow!
The grimmest page of the entire series! They introduced several new characters out of the blue here, include Farson’s musician nephew. But this panel talks of a cruelty that Farson performed that was quite extreme.
Day 1316: Aug 8, 2025
Finishing off the 6-part series, The Dark Tower: Treachery.
Roland’s mother Gabrielle returns to Gilead to murder her husband Steven. Rhea of the Cöos is still lurking about and we reach the traumatic tale of matricide that was revealed at the end of Wizard and Glass.
Additional plots: Alain & Cuthbert receive jealous vibes from their peers. Cort’s niece wants to be a gunslinger in a patriarchal system. That same niece is being matched with Roland for marriage. The riddle game has been rigged by a musician sent by Farson. A spy has infiltrated Gilead’s leadership. The whereabouts of Maerlyn’s Grapefruit have been revealed to the enemy.
A lot of additional plot threads to wrap up in addition to the main Roland/Gabrielle story!
Steven Deschain oversees a banquet to celebrate Roland and his kat-tet’s ascension in gunslingerdom.
I wonder how much of these plot points and imagery will make it into Mike Flanagan’s Dark Tower series?
The riddles were swapped out by Farson’s nephew, the musician. The riddle whose answer was “a raven and a writing desk” is never explicitly stated here – because it’s an allusion to the Mad Hatter from “Alice in Wonderland” who offered the riddle “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” without ever answering it.
Cort kills the cheating riddle master in a sequence of events that truly expanded Cort’s character and made him one of the most noble characters in this tale. Wonderful writing!
They’re doing an impressive job of addressing all of those plot lines in a succinct and natural manner. The pacing of this last issue is frenetic but believable!
And here comes the moment as shared in Wizard and Glass. Roland’s greatest source of guilt.
And there it is. Wonderfully executed (no pun intended).
What? It ends right there??? No!
Wow – what a way to drive anticipation for the next series to continue the story from here.
Yes! This is what we’re all here for. The eternal question: “What happens next?”.
But first, I have a few podcasts about The Dark Tower: Treachery I need to get through.
First up is a Patreon episode from Chat Sematary (which, unfortunately is no longer available online).
Day 1317: Aug 9, 2025
Dark Tower Radio praises The Dark Tower: Treachery.
Day 1318: Aug 10, 2025
Finished off this episode from Dark Tower Radio who weren’t entire thrilled with The Dark Tower: Treachery.
Day 1319: Aug 11, 2025
Radio Free Mid-World dives into both The Dark Tower: Long Road Home and The Dark Tower: Treachery graphic novel series.
Day 1320: Aug 12, 2025
Finished off this episode from Radio Free Mid-World dives where they covered both The Dark Tower: Long Road Home and The Dark Tower: Treachery graphic novel series.
The Sorcerer
Day 1321: Aug 13, 2025
Starting the next Marvel-produced comic on The Dark Tower lore. This time, it’s a “one-shot” (i.e. a single issue) titled “The Sorcerer”.
This is one bad-ass cover. I hope the material lives up to it!
The back story is quickly given, including the matricide committed by Roland.
Looks like we’re going to relive past plot point, but from a completely different point of view. Could be interesting…
The narrator is the Sorcerer himself, Walter O’Dim!
I’m familiar with all of these names, except… “Rudin Filaro”? That’s a new one. Wikipedia lists even more names with references.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Flagg
So the Magician is the offspring of Maerlyn himself.
But the question is: Is RF a reliable narrator?
Interesting that a quote taken directly from the infamous Aleister Crowley was used here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_Will
An interesting plot point… The Magician has a sister – one who is a jinni who apparently inhabits or controls the Wizard’s Glass known as Maerlyn’s Grapefruit.
Huh….
And the Crimson King is their cousin. Well, that must be a helluva family gathering at Christmastime!
A character long forgotten makes an appearance: Coral Thorin, sister of the Mayor Of Hambry and lover of the deceased Eldred Jonas.
I think I was just fine not knowing what had happened to her.
Hmmm… A bit of retconning here. Roland mistaking his approaching mother for the with Rhea is an idea implanted by the Magicians’ jinni sister.
I liked it better when it an act performed by Rhea herself as revenge on Roland.
Farson’s nephew whom he sent as a spy into Gilead (where he was found out and killed by Cort) is resurrected by the Magician.
Is this really necessary? I feel this tale has really gone off the deep end.
Marten is really pissed that his sister caused the death of Gabrielle Deschain. Did Marten have actual feelings for her? I thought she was simply a means to an end.
Wild! Maerlyn’s Grapefruit has now been delivered to Farson.
That’s really pushing the plot forward. Looks like it’ll be picked up from here in the next series!
Fall of Gilead
Day 1322: Aug 14, 2025
With that bizarre “The Sorcerer” on-shot out of the way (in which Farson gets possession of Maerlyn’s Grapefruit thanks to the Magician, Marten) we get to a 6-issue series titled The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead.
The ghost of Gabrielle Deschain comforts Roland? This smacks of Princess Leia’s “Force ghost” scene.
A portrait of Pennywise being adjusted in the background for those looking for Easter eggs. This one was a bit too obvious but I wonder if there have been others throughout these series that I have missed.
Cort finds a book in the floorboards of the room in which Farson’s nephew (the spy) was staying. But if I remember correctly, the nephews brought not only a poison blade to give to Gabrielle to murder Steven with, but he also brought a poisoned book. It felt like a throwaway panel in a previous issue and I’m struggling to even remember the details. It was like Chekhov’s poisoned book.
This issue ends with Steven Deschain walking in on the aftermath of Roland having just killed his own mother.
I look forward to seeing out this plays out tomorrow.
Day 1323: Aug 15, 2025
Issue No. 2 of The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead.
Cort is near death from book poisoning. Gabrielle is dead from lead poisoning (bad joke – she was shot to death by her son, Roland). Farson has possession of Maerlyn’s Grapefruit.
Things are very, very grim for the city of Gilead.
The dialogue speaks strongly to the current state of affairs in the US.
I also don’t like how Roland has been drawn in this series. Very different from past ones. In one panel he looks like a 12 year old. In the next, he’s 30.
Oh yeah – Sheemie the God has arrived. I wonder if he’s retained all those magical powers he acquired in “The Long Road Home”.
The glowing eyes would indicate, yes. Yes, Sheemie still has god-like powers. Meh.
Slow mutants are rendered quite differently here (left) than they were in the The Gunslinger graphic novel (right).
That’s some high-caliber weaponry those gunslingers carry!
A fascinating essay from Robin Furth about the creative choices she made in the writing of these series. This bit about Aileen is really interesting.
Day 1324: Aug 16, 2025
Issue No. 3 of 6-part series: The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead.
It’s been a slow-burn for the past two issues while the key players in Gilead deal with the fallout of the “Treachery’s” events. But nothing fantastical so far: No half human/spider demons running around. No visits inside a magic ball. We did have the return of Jesus-Sheemie and an ambush of slow mutants though…
Things are very, very grim for the city of Gilead.
With his dying words, Cort heaps praise on Roland.
Those poor slow mutants are about to mess with Sheemie, he with the god-like powers.
Did Sheemie need to be saved? Or did he allow himself to be saved by Cuthbert and Alain?
Heartbreaking. The always laughing & joking Cuthbert is being told about the death of his father…
Cort has passed. And now the wise Vannay is about to be assassinated.
The Fall of Gilead indeed is a slow one as they’re just being taken out one by one in each issue.
Day 1325: Aug 17, 2025
Reading Issue No. 4 of 6-part series: The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead.
The legendary “Horn of Eld” is featured on the cover, although I don’t recall seeing its mention in any of the books through Wizard and Glass nor in any of the comics up to this point. Maybe I just missed it.
“It’s the beginning of the end” as this beautifully rendered opening page states. As the ranks of our “heroes” begins to thin, you can certainly assess this statement to be true.
A very realistic plot point, something that King himself might’ve penned. Word is out that Roland killed his mother, a woman who was beloved among the people.
The framing of Steven’s head inside of the snake in the stained glass window behind him is obvious, but still well done.
A jailed Roland being rescued by a disguised female “gunslinger” who is also a love interest? Hmmmm… where have I see this before? 🤷
Farson’s men united with slow mutants – a type of unifier that calls to mind Sauron.
The gunslingers are now in full battle against Farson’s army and the horn has been blasted. What does this horn do other than raise an alarm? And I would imagine the gunfire noise would be louder and carry further than a horn anyway.
I did NOT know that “Cuthbert” was found in that initial poem that inspired this epic!
Day 1326: Aug 18, 2025
Reading Issue No. 5 of the 6-part series: The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead.
So far, it feels like a very ones-sided war: Farson’s plans have been executed to perfection and death permeates the inner sanctum at Gilead.
Chekhov’s Sheemie has made a brief appearance, but otherwise hasn’t contributed anything to the plot.
We last let Steven Deschain surrounded by Farson’s army and he had just blown the Horn of Eld. Who heeds that call?
What happened with the horn was blown at the end of the last issue?
Apparently, nothing. Seven Deschain limps home on his horse. Well, that was a letdown.
The gruesome bloodletting continues within the walls of Gilead.
And Steven Deschain is himself quite easily dispatched of.
Stabbed from behind, directly through the chest. I would’ve been dead right then and there – but not Terminator Steven Deschain. He goes on for a few more pages engaged in battle and killing his assassin. Then he pauses to write a message. Perhaps he’ll cook some breakfast for the staff as well.
What pits? And what lies within those pits???
The fathers now all dead, it’s left to the young generation of gunslingers to defend (or avenge) Gilead.
Although revealed somewhat in flashbacks during the beginning of this issue, the details of what lies beneath Gilead is given in the bonus text and really ramps up anticipation for the final issue. Will Gilead exact some sort of revenge itself upon Farson’s army before it finally falls?
Day 1327: Aug 19, 2025
Finishing off The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead today. It’s been a dour series with the inevitable march of doom (the outcome is in the title after all).
All of the leaders of Gilead are dead. Only Roland and the other young gunslingers remain. And they’re about to bring forth the surprise savagery upon the enemy that the city was build to deliver.
The final assault on Gilead looks wild!
The people of Gilead could just as easily be the people of Colorado. They don’t look or dress any different than a middle-class family in our day and age.
Tanks rolling in on a medieval/midwestern town. Just doesn’t seem fair.
I would LOVE to see this sequence animated!
King has attempted his own Lord of the Rings epic and right here is his The Two Towers battle of Helm’s Deep.
The end has arrived.
The series ends with the sigil of the Crimson King being raised above Gilead and the entire population of the town burned to bones.
The defenses of the city appeared to be no more than a fart in the wind against Farson’s army. All that buildup… for nothing.
AND WHERE”S SUPER-SHEEMIE???
Gilead has finally fallen and tomorrow I’ll start on the next series, “The Battle of Jericho Hill”.
Here is Chat Sematary with some thoughts about the series that just concluded.
“The Dark Tower: The Sorcerer + The Fall of Gilead”
(note: The creator has discontinued their Patreon account and this episode is no longer available for download)
Battle of Jericho Hill
Day 1328: Aug 20, 2025
Starting the next comic series extended the lore of The Dark Tower. Here is the famous “Battle of Jericho Hill” – a five-part series that continues the story after the fall of the gunslingers and Gilead.
An important prologue letting us know we’re now several years passed from the fall of Gilead.
A lot of expository in these opening pages. But this one section about Gilead’s demise causing a “beamquake” is rather interesting.
So Sheemie is back with the ka-tet. He was terribly underutilized in the previous series, now that he has all sorts of spooky powers. But he’s reintroduced here just to be a target of Marten Broadcloak who happened to be flying overhead in his raven form.
Seems quite unnecessary.
This isn’t the kind of question you ask when “several years have passed”. You pretty much should know what world you’re in by now…
And it’s with this call to action and Sheemie’s non-sequitur that this issue ends. Basically – nothing happened in this first outing of the series. Hope it picks up in the second!
Day 1329: Aug 21, 2025
Reading Issue No. 2 of “Battle of Jericho Hill”. The first issue was disappointing, so we’ll see if the story picks up any here in this second outing.
This feels like something that would have been better left revealed rather than just spouted out in a soliloquy on page 2. Beambreakers are a rather heady-concept to just be blurted out like that.
“General Grisson” – a baddie that kinda just dropped in out of nowhere. He made an appearance in The Fall of Gilead, but other than a bad-ass costume, he’s gotten zero character development.
Now, he’s got lasers.
Roland and gang strike a blow for the good guys, a welcome relief from the dourness of a long string of previous chapters to this story.
This issue ends with a newly introduced gunslinger named “Randolph” and his family being brutally attacked by some weird, misshapen creature in their camp.
This series feels all over the place.
Day 1330: Aug 22, 2025
On to Issue No. 3 of the 5-part series “Battle of Jericho Hill”.
We have fast-forwarded several years since the fall of Gilead and Roland decides finally to take the battle to his enemies. He successfully (or so he thought) blew up the evil General Grissom and his laser tank and continued on his quest to The Dark Tower.
Looks like there’s yet ANOTHER traitor/spy in Roland’s company. This time, it’s Randolph, the character who came out of nowhere at the end of the last issue. Randolph whose wife and child were kidnapped by a slow mutant.
The twirling moustached Marten is behind it all. Of course.
Introducing the “Cult of Amoco”!
“As we pour it upon your holy pump, become engorged with our love for you.”
I can’t believe I’m actually reading these words this morning. I feel like I’ve entered the script for The Mangler 3.
Roland and his fellow gunslingers made quick work of the Cult of Amoco. We barely had a chance to get to know them.
Uh-oh. Sheemie has been lured to Marten and was captured. But – is Marten aware of Sheemie’s powers? Remember, Sheemie entered into Maerlyn’s Grapefruit to rescue Roland from the Crimson King. He must’ve gained some attention from that stunt!
Sheemie uses the Wizard’s Glass Communications Network to send a message to Roland. And how is Marten allowed to take that thing wherever he goes? I highly doubt John Farson would’ve let it out of his sight!
Day 1331: Aug 23, 2025
To be honest, I started off a month ago on all of these graphic novel adaptations of The Dark Tower lore. Initially, they were very exciting and added some color (no pun intended) to the epic. But now, I’m beginning to feel the experience wear thin. I really miss King’s own writing. This fan fic (which is what it feels like) isn’t quite landing for me.
On to Issue No. 4 of the 5-part series “Battle of Jericho Hill”.
“General DeMullet”? Was “General DeRattail” already taken? 😂
Marten takes on the form of a religious man (remember, he can shapeshift). But he also makes the captured traitor Randolph (remember him?) look like the wizard himself.
There’s some convoluted plot to infiltrate Roland’s camp and create chaos from within.
You’d think the ability to shapeshift like that would’ve been used more often. Seems like it would be very effective in wartime.
Roland and Cuthbert KILL Alain by ACCIDENT?
I’m not liking this story one bit. No sir.
Maybe it’s just one of those things where he’s just injured but will survive. You know, every shot the gunslingers took hit true and killed their enemy, but these two shots in particular missed the vitals. It’s a stretch – a plot contrivance – but I’ve seen it before.
Randolph’s back? I though the Wizard made Randolph look like himself. I could’ve sworn that’s what I saw a few pages ago. I’m so confused.
Guess Alain is dead after all. 😢
So Roland speaks with Randolph who confesses everything. Randolph ends up taking his own life with a gun that he had smuggled on his person.
But…
…now we’re back to the monk (who is really Marten) and this prisoner (who looks like Marten but I thought was really Randolph who actually killed himself on the previous page in front of Roland).
I’m so damn confused and now I’m just getting mad at this story.
Ah – so the “prisoner” was actually Marten’s raven. So damn convoluted.
And we leave off with Farson’s army FINALLY arriving. There is only one more issue to go in this series.
Day 1332: Aug 24, 2025
Finishing off the 5-part series “Battle of Jericho Hill”.
Is it bad that I still don’t know what “Jericho Hill” is? I don’t recall that name even having been mentioned once in this series so far.
We dive right into the middle of the action on the first page.
We lost Alain in the last issue. Here, we lose Aileen. Cuthbert’s time is not far behind, I’m sure.
Bringing a flamethrower to a gunfight… What a way to meet your end!
A little father-son bonding time!
Roland’s final exchange with Cuthbert was quite touching.
Cuthbert’s time has come.
Roland indeed is the last gunslinger standing.
And we’ve reached the end with Roland as the lone survivor. Did Farson’s army think he was dead (when I was just knocked out)? That across as an overly-simple plot contrivance.
Before I begin the next chapter in Roland’s backstory (“The Little Sisters of Eluria”) I have a few podcast episodes to listen to, starting with Chat Sematary’s review of “Battle of Jericho Hill”.
(unfortunately, the creator’s patreon account is no more so this episode is no longer available online)
Day 1333: Aug 25, 2025
Listening to a very special episode from The Losers’ Club where they have on the two hosts of The Kingslingers to discuss “Battle of Jericho Hill”.
The meshing of these two podcasts sounds so natural!
Day 1334: Aug 26, 2025
Finished this great crossover episode from The Losers’ Club where they have on the two hosts of The Kingslingers to discuss “Battle of Jericho Hill”.
Day 1335: Aug 27, 2025
Radio Free Mid-World reviews the graphic novel series that fill out some of the Dark Tower lore.
Day 1336: Aug 28, 2025
Finished off this Radio Free Mid-World episode about several graphic novel series about The Dark Tower.
Best line: “Sheemie is the Jar-Jar Binks of The Dark Tower.”
Can’t argue with that! 😂
Sheemie’s Tale
Day 1337: Aug 29, 2025
Today, I plan to read both issues of a 2-part comic series titled “Sheemie’s Tale”
Apparently, this story falls concurrently with events that occurred during the first novel: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, although it is filled with lore that isn’t known about until later novels in the series.
So let’s start reading Part 1!
An interesting prelude. Does The Dark Tower itself have a voice? Or is this just quoting from the 7th book in the series?
I initially thought that Sheemie was killed by Marten back in Battle of Jericho Hill – but I guess he was just knocked out, held captive, and then sent to this prison.
Definitely feeling like I should have read the rest of the novels to learn more about Devar, Beam Breakers and these guards walking around with animal heads.
Thunderclap was mention in the final pages of Wizard and Glass. I thought Lud was a terrible place… this looks to be worse!
This was a very creative way to quickly tell the mythos of The Dark Tower universe.
The artwork is very different from all these past series I’ve read. I rather like it!
Sheemie recounts, from his perspective, all of the happenings from his birth up through the events of The Fall of Gilead and Battle of Jericho Hill. It’s very well done!
I really enjoyed the first issue once I got over the shock of the change in location and lore. But it was extremely well-done and the quick background recap in Sheemie’s voice was delivered wonderfully.
I’ve heard of the Headless Horseman and a “horseless carriage”, but the concept of a headless horse is new to me. Look at Sheemie trying to escape capture on this robot horse!
Sheemie falls into an otherworldly pit inhabited by Lovecraftian tentacled gods.
This cosmic horror is lit! Absolutely stunning!
And here Sheemie’s Tale ends. Wonderfully written and exquisitely drawn. Until today, the graphic novel adaptation of #TheStand had been my favorite of this genre, but Sheemie’s Tale has dethroned it.
Applause applause! 👏 👏👏
That’s it for today! Tomorrow, I head back to read some actual Stephen King text. But can you guess what it will be?
The Little Sisters of Eluria
Day 1338: Aug 30, 2025
I pick up Roland’s journey after the devastation of Jericho Hill with a tale that was released in Everything’s Eventual called “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
This story was written as a submission to a fantasy collection being put together by author Robert Silverberg (a great writer, by the way). And in his preface to this story in the 2002 book, Everything’s Eventual, King announces that he’s just completed Wolves of the Calla.
Interesting!
There was also a small but rather lovely wooden building with a modest bell tower on top, a sturdy fieldstone foundation on the bottom, and a gold-painted cross on its double doors. The cross, like the one over the gate, marked this as a worshipping place for those who held to the Jesus Man.
I wonder whether the story of Jesus crossed worlds via those who traveled through thinnies or if Jesus himself made appearances in multiple worlds.
Something here’s a long way from right, the gunslinger thought. ‘Ware, Roland; this place has a reddish odor.
“a reddish odor” – what an amazing, yet nonsensical description!
Roland turned and saw eight people in the street, walking toward him in a line, like beaters who hope to flush out birds or drive small game. Their skin was waxy green. Folk wearing such skin would likely glow in the dark like ghosts.
This seemingly abandoned town Roland wandered into is definitely creepy! I wonder if this story will make it into the Flanagan Dark Tower series.
They only stood there, watching him, not coming at him . . . but not retreating, either. He thought (as he had about the cross-dog) that he should kill them as they stood there, just draw his other gun and mow them down. It would be the work of seconds only, and child’s play to his gifted hands, even if some ran. But he couldn’t. Not just cold, like that. He wasn’t that kind of killer . . . at least, not yet.
Foreshadowing of his massacre at Tull!
The thing which had been hiding beneath the overturned wagon was a monster with two heads growing out of his neck, one with the vestigial, slack face of a corpse. The other, although just as green, was more lively. Broad lips spread in a cheerful grin as he raised his club to strike again.
“Hush, man,” a young woman’s voice said . . . or perhaps it was the voice of a girl. Certainly the first person Roland thought of was Susan, the girl from Mejis, she who had spoken to him as thee.
Awwww… That little pang of sadness was not expected today.
Now, opening his eyes and seeing Rhea not just once but five times over, he thought: This is what comes of remembering those old times. By conjuring Susan, I’ve conjured Rhea of the Cöos, as well. Rhea and her sisters.
The five were dressed in billowing habits as white as the walls and the panels of the ceiling. Their antique crones’ faces were framed in wimples just as white, their skin as gray and runneled as droughted earth by comparison.
The five were dressed in billowing habits as white as the walls and the panels of the ceiling. Their antique crones’ faces were framed in wimples just as white, their skin as gray and runneled as droughted earth by comparison. Hanging like phylacteries from the bands of silk imprisoning their hair (if they indeed had hair) were lines of tiny bells which chimed as they moved or spoke. Upon the snowy breasts of their habits was embroidered a blood-red rose
“Our place,” she said simply. “The home of the Little Sisters of Eluria. Our convent, if’ee like.”
“This is no convent,” Roland said, looking past her at the empty beds. “It’s an infirmary. Isn’t it?”
“A hospital,” she said, still stroking his fingers. “We serve the doctors . . . and they serve us.”‘
What an ominous statement!
“Promise me you’ll not scream and wake the pube in yonder bed.”
“Pube?”
“The boy. Do ye promise?”
Terminology taken from The Waste Lands.
The bugs ran down to the tips of the suspended man’s toes, then leaped off them in waves, like creatures springing off an embankment and into a swimming hole. They organized themselves quickly and easily on the bright white sheet below, and began to march down to the floor in a battalion about a foot wide.
Are these bugs the “doctors”?
Six women, five old and one young.
Doctors that sang and then crawled away across the floor when dismissed by jingling bells.
And an improbable hospital ward of perhaps a hundred beds, a ward with a silk roof and silk walls . . .
. . . and all the beds empty save three.
A very good synopsis of the first three chapters of The Little Sisters of Eluria. I’ll continue with the next two chapters tomorrow.
Day 1339: Aug 31, 2025
Reading Ch III & IV of the novella “The Little Sisters of Eluria” today, which is found in the collection Everything’s Eventual.
A young(er) Roland had his ass kicked by a gang of slow mutants. When he regained consciousness, he was being taken care of by an order of weird-ass nuns, most of whom were old, but the one young one was fairly hot. Oh, and there were bugs as doctors.
You have been kind to me—”
“Aye, so we have!” she said, rather indignantly.
“—and I hope your kindness has no hidden motive. If it does, Sister, remember that I’m quick. And, as for myself, I have not always been kind.”
I went to Catholic school. This is accurate.
Another of the sisters materialized out of the darkness: Sister Tamra, who had called herself one-and-twenty. In the moment before she reached Roland’s bed, her face was that of a hag who will never see eighty again… or ninety. Then it shimmered and was once more the plump, healthy countenance of a thirty-year-old matron. Except for the eyes. They remained yellowish in the corneas, gummy in the corners, and watchful.
I went to Catholic school. This is accurate.
It was five of the Little Sisters—Mary, Louise, Tamra, Coquina, Michela. They came up the long aisle of the black infirmary, laughing together like children out on a prank, carrying long tapers in silver holders, the bells lining the forehead-bands of their wimples chiming little silver runs of sound. They gathered about the bed of the bearded man. From within their circle, candleglow rose in a shimmery column that died before it got halfway to the silken ceiling.
If Roland could have raised his hands, he would have put them to his ears to block those sounds out. As it was, he could only lie still, listening and waiting for them to stop.
For a long time—forever, it seemed—they did not. The women slurped and grunted like pigs snuffling half-liquefied feed up out of a trough. There was even one resounding belch, followed by more whispered giggles (these ended when Sister Mary uttered a single curt word—”Hais!”). And once there was a low, moaning cry—from the bearded man, Roland was quite sure. If so, it was his last on this side of the clearing.
Nuns as feeding vampires – that’s not as farfetched of a concept as one might think.
“But it might make a difference to you.” Sister Mary grinned humorlessly, baring her unnaturally large teeth. “Flowing blood’s risky around here. The doctors don’t like it. It stirs them up.”
It wasn’t just the bugs that were stirred up at the sight of blood, and Roland knew it.
Who comes up with the idea of bugs being “doctors”??? Sai King, that’s who.
She only looked at him, touched her tongue against her upper lip, giggled, and departed. Roland closed his eyes and lay back against his pillow, feeling lethargy steal over him again. Her speculative eyes . . . her peeping tongue. He had seen women look at roast chickens and joints of mutton that same way, calculating when they might be done.
Ah… what I would give to have a woman look at ME that way! 😆
Day 1340: Sep 1, 2025
I finish off the novella “The Little Sisters of Eluria”, a stand-alone Roland tale found in the collection Everything’s Eventual.
A young(er) Roland is trapped in an outdoor “hospital” tended to by vampire nuns who are in cahoots with a local tribe of slow mutants. Swarms of crawling bugs act as “doctors” to make sick patients well enough for the Sisters to feed upon. An amulet and a friendly young nun are all that protect him.
Did I get all that right?
Roland’s heart seemed to stop dead in his chest. He looked around and saw Sister Coquina getting to her feet. She had crept in while he was dozing and hidden under the bed on his right side to watch him.
This right here was the most frightening passage to me. The visual of a nun slithering across the ground and hiding under the bed… Oh yeah – this is nightmare material!
She half-turned and held her hand out to the mouth of the ancient hospital tent. It was a faded olive-drab in the moonlight, with an old red cross drawn on its roof. Roland wondered how many towns the Sisters had been to with this tent, which was so small and plain on the outside, so huge and gloriously dim on the inside. How many towns and over how many years.
There’s an origin story here just waiting to be told.
“Ask me not, Roland—what good is it? ‘Tis done, the bridge burned. I can’t go back. Nor would if I could.” She looked down, biting her lip, and when she looked up again, Roland saw fresh tears falling on her cheeks. “I have supped with them. There were times when I couldn’t help it, no more than you could help drinking their wretched soup, no matter if you knew what was in it.”
For all his lack of personality, Roland could still charm a vampire nun.
Sister Mary came from the shadows. Her fine white habit with its bright red rose had reverted to what it really was: the shroud of a corpse. Caught, hooded in its grimy folds, was a wrinkled, sagging face from which two black eyes stared. They looked like rotted dates. Below them, exposed by the thing’s smile, four great incisors gleamed.
Upon the stretched skin of Sister Mary’s forehead, bells tinkled.
There’s always one left, isn’t there?
Mary’s grimace of a smile fell away. “Oh, I can,” she breathed. Her mouth yawned. In the moonlight, her fangs gleamed in her gums like bone needles poked through a red pillow.
“like bone needles poked through a red pillow” – my God!
There was a growl from above them. It rose, then splintered into a volley of snarling barks. Mary turned to her left, and in the moment before the snarling thing left the rock on which it was standing, Roland could clearly read the startled bewilderment on Big Sister’s face.
It launched itself at her…
Deus ex lycanthrope?
Now Roland knew the answer. “It was a dog. Just a town-dog. I saw it in the square, before the green folk knocked me out and took me to the Sisters. I suppose the other animals that could run away did run away, but not that one. It had nothing to fear from the Little Sisters of Eluria, and somehow it knew it didn’t. It bears the sign of the Jesus Man on its chest.”
Huh – I had forgotten about that.
Yet she had come to him one last time, imposing her will over a thousand various parts that should have lost the ability to think when the whole lost its cohesion . . . and yet she had thought, somehow— enough to make that shape. How much effort might that have taken?
The big reveal at the end was that those nuns were actually a collective of bugs themselves. Reminds me a lot of this segment from Creepshow.
That’s it for this little story. It didn’t move Roland’s plot forward at all; it didn’t evolve his character any. But it did provide some memorable scenes that I’m eager to see rendered in the comic series that I’ll begin in a few days.
Day 1341: Sep 2, 2025
The Cast of Ka begins their review of “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Day 1342: Sep 3, 2025
Listening to The Cast of Ka and their second episode about “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Day 1343: Sep 4, 2025
Finishing off the third episode from The Cast of Ka about “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Day 1344: Sep 5, 2025
There’s a comic adaptation of the “The Little Sisters of Eluria”. Today, I’m reading the first issue (out of five).
In case you needed a quick “catch-me-up” that doesn’t tell very much.
Well, if you’re gonna tell and not show, you might as well give away the biggest foreshadowing statement of the story right up front.
I’m always wary of people who speak to themselves in the third person. Reminds me too much of a certain US President.
They are really dragging out Roland’s exploration of Eluria. What was only a few paragraphs in the text is now 10 pages of wandering around and being spooked by the ghost town.
Ah – the dog with a cross on its chest. The dogs that was briefly mentioned at the beginning of the story that I had completely forgotten about by the end. Well, I’m bookmarking this little fella right now!
And the slow mutants break out into the dance routine from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.
Two heads are better than one… in theory, anyway.
Unlike the text, in which Roland is knocked out and wakes up in the “hospital”, the writers here chose to reveal the truth right way, continuing the story while Roland is unconscious.
This issue ends with a camera reveal upward of Roland waking up in a strange “sling” of a bed.
First impressions: Great artwork, questionable storytelling choices. Tomorrow, onto Issue No. 2!
Day 1345: Sep 6, 2025
Reading Issue No.2 of the five-part comic adaptation of “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
I had more of an outdoorsy vibe when reading the book, but I like this rendition of the white hospital in which Roland awakened after having been attacked by slow mutants.
Sister Jenna looks lovely in her wimples and dark bells.
By the way: “Wimple” is a word I had to look up when I read the story last week. It’s a “a cloth headdress covering the head, neck, and the sides of the face, formerly worn by women and still worn by some nuns.”
And I grew up in a catholic school taught by nuns – you’d think I would’ve known this!
I don’t know which was more disgusting: The bugs crawling over (and inside) the poor old guy or his long, unclipped toenails rendered here in graphic detail.
The artist must’ve thought, “I went to art school for THIS?”
What did Stephen King tell Robin Furth about the origins of the Little Sisters? Where did they come from? What was their backstory?
He didn’t reveal much.
Day 1346: Sep 7, 2025
Hit the midpoint of the 5-part comic series adaptation of “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Several pages dedicated to Roland’s fellow patient/prisoner’s back story. A story that was told in a single line in the text.
Gotta fill five full issues with something…
Sixteen pages in and we’re still on this backstory of a minor character who essentially just went through the same thing that Roland did back in the first issue. Expanding this has added nothing to the plot or a deeper understanding of what’s going on in Eluria.
Being given magic broccoli is where they decided the “cliffhanger ending” should be. Mmmmmkay.
Day 1347: Sep 8, 2025
Reading Issue No. 4 of the comic adaptation of “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
My initial excitement that an adaptation existed of one of the weirder tales (among a very weird Dark Tower mythos) existed has waned considerable now that I’m more than halfway through it. Now I question whether it was even really necessary.
Probably the most distracting thing about this particular series was the decision to use spoken word bubbles when clearly thought bubbles would have been more appropriate. It takes me out of the story to think Roland is talking out loud to himself every step of the way.
I learned in one of the podcast episodes that the speech uttered by Sister Mary in this ritual is the same dark speech of some underground demon from King’s novel, #Desperation. I’ll try to remember that nugget years from now when I finally get around to that book.
This would’ve been a perfect opportunity for “show, don’t tell”.
I wondered if they would “go there” in this comic. Oh yes, they did.
A vampiric bug nun with a gun. I bet that sentence has never been written before in all of this history of written language.
Which was soon outdone by a sexy vampiric bug nun with two guns!
A fitting end for one of the bad nuns to be consumed by an army of the bug doctors. Issues with the story aside, I thought the artwork was very well done.
Day 1348: Sep 9, 2025
I mercifully reach the end of the comic adaptation of “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Huh?
While I do complain about the dialog and storytelling, the artwork is outstanding.
I went through the Catholic school system and was taught by nuns. This pretty much was what class was like.
We’ve had Jesus Sheemie come to the rescue in other comics. Why not Jesus Lassie in this one? (although, to be fair, Jesus Sheemie was an invention of the comics while the good cross-bearing doggie here was indeed in King’s text).
Sweet dreams of the Dark Tower for Roland.
I’ve reached the end of this comic series and have about a week’s worth of podcasts to catch up on before I sprint into the final pieces of this particular part of my journey.
Day 1349: Sep 10, 2025
Listening now to Kingslingers talk about “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Day 1350: Sep 11, 2025
Finishing off this 2-hour episode from the Kingslingers about “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Day 1351: Sep 12, 2025
Chat Sematary may be the only podcast to deliver an episode dedicated to the comic series adaptation of “The Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Sadly, this podcast has been discontinued and the creator suspended their Patreon account. This episode is no longer available (and I’m glad I downloaded it when I did!)
Stephen King Cast talks about the two entries in “Everything’s Eventual” that dealt with the Dark Tower lore: “Little Sisters of Eluria” and “Everything’s Eventual”.
Day 1352: Sep 13, 2025
Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came go in depth on the novella “Little Sisters of Euleria”.
Day 1353: Sep 14, 2025
Enjoyed Radio Free Mid-World‘s irreverent take on “Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Day 1354: Sep 15, 2025
Derry Public Radio has an unhinged episode (in a good way) of “Little Sisters of Eluria”.
Misc One-shots
Day 1355: Sep 16, 2025
I’m nearing the end of this step of the Journey, exploring the “in-between” places of The Dark Tower saga.
Today, I read the two-issue comic series titled, “The Dark Tower – The Gunslinger: Evil Ground”
The opening page states that Roland is on horseback through the Desatoya Mountains – the same mountain range where the town of Eluria was located. But… Roland looks about 30 years older here than when he had encountered the Little Sisters?
A ghost hobo is certainly an interesting character to add to the saga!
Up to this point, I don’t think the “blue men” have been explained, although they’ve made some random appearances in these comics. I suppose I’ll get the full story once I continue with the Dark Tower novels.
Roland is dreaming a flashback of the young gunslinger’s attack on one of Farson’s camps. I’m not sure what the point of this particular series is as it’s adding nothing to Roland’s story.
This comic may have an “unusual history” but there certainly wasn’t anything unusual or interesting in this first issue (other than the hobo ghost – which seems to have been quickly forgotten).
Well, onto Issue No. 2 to wrap this up!
The second and final issue of “Evil Ground”. The cover art is intriguing!
Roland, Sheemie and gang escape to the haunted ruins of a castle after the flashback battle with the blue man group.
Roland is dreaming about a dream of meeting his dead father. We’re heading into “Inception” territory here.
The haunted castle contain some living dead creatures that trapped the sleeping gunslingers in a dream while they fed on their sleeping bodies.
Again… what’s the point of all this?
Roland blows his horn several times and the ghosts of Arthur Eld and his men come galloping to the rescue. Hmmm… where have I seen THIS before?
Apparently, this two comic issues were about The Horn of Eld, providing some backstory as well as an essay dedicated to the subject.
Meh.
Day 1356: Sep 17, 2025
This is the final comic of The Dark Tower saga! It’s called “So Fell Lord Perth”.
I like the name as it was vaguely referred to in The Waste Lands. I remember Andrew Quick (leader of Lud) blowing a gasket when Jake said this line to him.
The setting is immediately after The Battle of Jericho Hill and Roland is talking with a dying Aileen. What a depressing way to start!
And as she lay dying, Roland decides to tell her the tale of Lord Perth. I take it there won’t be a quiz at the end?
Back in the olden days, Arthur Eld was a young sheepherder in the town of Topeka. One day, a messenger came to town with some good news…
The beating over the head with the David and Goliath motif is a bit much.
And a beautiful image to end this completely unnecessary “one-shot”.
So what’s next? There are some addition Dark Tower comic reference books like “Guide to Gilead” and “End-World Almanac”. I’ll breeze through those in 3-4 days and then there’s a couple of wrap-up podcast episodes. And then I’ll be DONE with this particular step on my journey!
Day 1357: Sep 18, 2025
I started today by listening to Chat Sematary give a very, very brief overview of those last few small-series Dark Tower comics that I just read. At only 7 minutes in duration, I don’t think she added anything to the experience.
(The podcast creator has since ended her Patreon, so this episode is no longer available.)
I now move onto a set of Marvel “encyclopedias” that they released that ad to the massive comic adaptation of the Dark Tower saga that they produced.
Today, I’m reading “The Dark Tower: Marvel Spotlight”.
I suppose if you can get your work to start off with a direct opening letter written by Stephen King himself, you just gotta let him do it!
After that was a lengthy interview with Robin Furth, the writer of these comic series and sidekick researcher to Stephen King.
Then there were some preview pages of issues I’ve already covered.
An interview with Jae Lee, the artist who launched this series, was really interesting.
There are more interviews that a full blown comic nerd (not me) would undoubtedly appreciate.
Day 1358: Sep 19, 2025
Reading Marvel’s “End-World Almanac”. I wonder what useful information awaits me inside!
The contents look interesting enough.
I’ll definitely be keeping THIS map handy as I work through the remaining novels of The Dark Tower!
Learned that there were also 6 Demons, one for each beam) who are the counterpart to the 12 Guardians of this universe. These Demon Elementals are not named (despite what the image says).
Huh. I had always envisioned the Manni as shaved-headed Buddhist monks wandering the earth like Kung-Fu. I didn’t picture them as Amish.
I do believe I’ve visited this place. It’s called South Carolina. 😂
Overall, I found this guide to be quite interesting and I’ll definitely be revisiting some of its entries as I continue on this journey through The Dark Tower!
Day 1359: Sep 20, 2025
Now turning to Marvel’s “Guide to Gilead”.
And here are the contents of this particular one-shot. This doesn’t feel as interesting to me as the End-World Almanac was that I read yesterday.
As I feared, I found little of interest in this Marvel one-shot. Tomorrow I finish off reading all comic publications relating to The Dark Tower!
Day 1360: Sep 21, 2025
The final entries in The Dark Tower’s comic universe.
Starting with Marvel’s “Gunslinger’s Guidebook”. After reading this, I fully expect to join my own ka-tet of sandalwood-handle-gripping men of the White!
I have a feeling I’ll be blowing through this one pretty quickly.
I still find it hard to believe that King signed off on this bit of lore.
And finally, a little “sketchbook” that I have absolutely no interest in. But, I’m a completist and I don’t get to choose what I read.
That’s it for today. I have a pair of podcast episodes to listen to tomorrow but then that’s it for this particular milestone on my journey!
Day 1361: Sep 22, 2025
Listening to Chat Sematary do one final episode about the comic The Gunslinger Born.
(Note: The creator has since taken down her Patreon, so the link to this episode is no longer available – glad I downloaded it before she left!)
“I would murder a hobo to see Stephen King’s Spiderman” was not one of the most enlightening things The Kingcast said in this episode about The Dark Tower comics.
And that CONCLUDES this milestone in my journey, wrapping up all of the comics adaptations and myth building of The Dark Tower series.
Some quick stats:
Number of items consumed in this step (books + podcast episodes): 74
Hours spent: 50
Days passed: 76
Number of times I was bored: numerous
Current ETA for completing this entire journey: Jan 3, 2033
Favorite moments of these Dark Tower: Beginnings series:
🔵 Sheemie’s Tale was my favorite – such cosmic horror!
🔵 The artwork was fairly spectacular throughout
🔵 The Crimson King is Arthur Eld’s son???
🔵 The rendering of The Crimson King was quite badass
🔵 The maps were awesome!
🔵 The gore was quite gore-y
🔵 There was a substantial amount of new story told and mythology fleshed out
Not-so-favorite moments of these Dark Tower: Beginnings series:
🔵 Fall of Gilead and Battle of Jericho Hill were underwhelming
🔵 Super-Sheemie and all of his magical powers (which may be the fault of the subsequent novels, I’m not sure)
🔵 Most of the essays and bonus material
🔵 Unnecessary tales (looking at you, “So Fell Lord Perth”)
🔵 The fact that Wolve of the Calla and beyond didn’t get adaptations
What’s next? I’m circling back to Carrie and other books to catch up on some newly released podcasts covering that material – including a sit-down watch of the new ‘Salem’s Lot movie! (Remember that one?)
After a few weeks of nostalgia, I’ll continue The Dark Tower saga with “The Wind Through the Keyhole”.