Item: Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Alex Paknadel

In partnership with Devolver Digital and Massive Monster, Oni Press proudly presents Cult of the Lamb: The First Verse—the hugely anticipated first official graphic novel exploration into the sprawling cosmology of the millions-selling, multiple BAFTA Award–nominated video game phenomenon that has Polygon begging players to "smash that worship button"!

In a land pervaded by cruelty and evil, the most innocent among us—young Lamb—was selected to become a noble sacrifice. . . . Their death would be the magical rite that would forever seal the darkest of the Old Gods out of our realm and usher in a new age of bounty.

So Lamb died . . . but then they made a deal of their own.

At the crossroads of eternity, Lamb was met by the imprisoned deity known as the One Who Waits, who revealed the falsehoods and distortions of the false prophets who rule the world and the Old Faith. And so, Lamb was given a choice: Enter oblivion as intended . . .or return to the land of living with unholy powers and deliver a new cult unto the Earth.

The Four Bishops of the Old Faith must fall. The disbelievers must be destroyed. And, as Lamb assembles their flock, a new master shall reign over all of creation. Praise be to the Cult of the Lamb!

From acclaimed writer Alex Paknadel (All Against All, Red Goblin) and Eisner Award–nominated artist Troy Little (Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas) comes a deviously delightful, heretic-smashing excursion into the borderlands of the worldwide video game hit that IGN calls "adorably demonic."

Collects Cult of the Lamb (2024) #1–4.

Summary:

The Lamb was foretold to end the rule of the old gods, so it was ordered to death. Yet, by targeting the Lamb, they set about the very events they hoped to avoid. Now the Lamb is back, fighting and establishing their own cult.

Lamb’s journey is far from easy. He must battle, collect followers, and learn to trust again. Likewise, there are many difficult decisions to make along the way, including how to lead and who to save.

Review:

Ahhh! As a massive fan of the Cult of the Lamb game, I was excited by the news of a graphic novel adaptation. Better yet, it seems like Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1: The First Verse may be the first in a series? I can hope!

I think it's important for readers to be aware of this book's content (and content warnings). The cover looks cute, but it deals with very dark themes. I hope the title helps give some indication of that. Check out the TW below for more information.

Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1 covers the history of the world, the introduction of our leading character (the Lamb), and the stakes. It's heavy and depressing sometimes, but there's always a reason behind it all.

This story did a great job of capturing the gameplay elements and turning them into something readable. Given that at least half the gameplay is a roque-lite, I worried about how it'd translate. The good news is that there was already a strong plot, so adapting it worked brilliantly.

Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1 is absolutely worth checking out if you played (and loved) the game. It'll help fill the void between playthroughs.

Highlights:
Based on the Cult of the Lamb video game
Horror & Fantasy
Characters & Lore

Trigger Warnings:
Graphic Elements
Death & Murder
Sacrifice

Thanks to Oni Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1

by Alex Paknadel

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Nov 18, 2024

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