If you’re a fan of The Witcher, you’re likely familiar with the tragedy known as Netflix’s season four, which earned a 59% critic score and an abysmal 19% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. For many, it felt like the franchise had hit its death knell, but hope may still be on the horizon thanks to a new series.
Dark Horse Comics kicked off The Witcher: Blood Stone, a four-part mini-series, this past January, and even with just the first issue released, it’s already winning over fans and critics alike.
The debut earned a 4.1 out of 5 on League of Comic Geeks, receiving a “very positive” rating from readers. So, if season four of The Witcher left you disappointed, fear not, this new mini-series is breathing fresh life into the franchise and restoring its reputation with fans.
The Witcher: Blood Stone Brings Geralt of Rivia Back to His Roots
The Witcher: Blood Stone #2 Releases March 11, 2026
The best part of Dark Horse Comics’ Blood Stone series is that it captures what made the early seasons of The Witcher so compelling, focusing on Geralt as the central character and his monster-hunting adventures. It’s a straightforward Witcher tale that stays true to the tone and feel of Andrzej Sapkowski’s original books and the video games.
The story follows Geralt as he investigates ancient dwarven mines where treasure hunters have gone missing, with local legend claiming a horned beast is responsible. In exploring the deadly mountains and the labyrinthine dwarven caves, Geralt discovers that some secrets are best left undisturbed.
Fans can now dive into issue #1 of The Witcher: Blood Stone, which acts as a refreshing palate cleanser, bringing much-needed simplicity to a franchise that has lately over-complicated and mismanaged its storytelling. Issue #2 is set to release on March 11, 2026.
The Witcher’s Rocky Ride on Netflix: An Overview
Blood Stone Gives The Witcher Franchise the Redemption Netflix Couldn’t Deliver
Netflix’s The Witcher has had a turbulent history with critics and audiences alike. Season one earned a 68% critic score and an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, season two jumped to a 95% critic score but dropped to 55% from audiences, season three fell to 79% critics and 22% audience, and season four tanked with just 59% critics and 19% audience approval.
It’s clear the show has been on a downward spiral with audiences since the beginning. This also suggests that the controversial recasting of Henry Cavill’s Geralt with Liam Hemsworth wasn’t the sole reason fans grew frustrated; viewers were increasingly dissatisfied with the show’s direction and decisions.
Much of this dissatisfaction stems from the show’s deviation from Sapkowski’s source material as the seasons progressed, a concern even Henry Cavill shared, which ultimately contributed to his departure. That makes Dark Horse Comics’ Blood Stone all the more significant, offering The Witcher franchise a redemption and restoring faith among fans.
The Witcher: Blood Stone #1 from Dark Horse Comics is now available to read!
- Created by
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Andrzej Sapkowski
- First Film
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The Hexer (Wiedźmin)