Cult of the Lamb, Vol. One: The First Verse
Praise be the cult.
Sacrificed in the honor of the Four Bishops of the Old Faith and lost between life and death, Lamb meets the One Who Waits, an ancient power determined to exterminate its enemies and return to existence. This begins Lamb’s return to life, to seek vengeance and gather influence by raising a cult in the name of the old god imprisoned below. At first, revenge seems the natural choice against Lamb’s murderers. However, things grow more complicated when Lamb meets pious Ratau and innocent Nana—the first two members of the group they will soon gather. It is in this—caught between devotion to an ancient being and the possibility of joy in a harsh world—that Lamb will be forced to make a choice. Will the cult become a fresh start for those who are rescued; or will it also grow from the blood of sacrifice?
With this first volume, Cult of the Lamb: The First Verse, Oni Press brings the popular video game to the page with Alex Paknadel and Troy Little capturing the animal cuteness and pervasive violence of the original in equal measure, humor and horror entwined into one epic adventure. I confess that, though I’ve seen others play portions of the game, I have yet to play through it entirely on my own. This gave me a measure of freedom from expectations regarding the adaptation, though nothing contained in this volume appeared to be a notable departure from the source material.
The story is consistently delivered in lighthearted tones, borrowing familiar language of chosen heroes and epic fantasy for this bright and colorful world of animals and strange magic. There are some pretty direct references to certain game mechanics which will likely be more humorous to those familiar with the game, but largely, the story takes its own shape without expecting the reader to have any great deal of previous knowledge.
And for a game that involves a lot of building and combat, Parknadel does an excellent job narrowing the focus to Lamb and the surrounding characters. At the core of the story, is the rise of a hero overshadowed by impending tragedy. With themes of devotion, friendship, and sacrifice, a comic that could have simply been an action-filled joke, takes on a surprising sense of gravity as even Lamb’s most sincere efforts seem to lead only toward more suffering. It’s a legitimately fun and entertaining read, but watching the rise of a well-meaning hero who may become the very thing they are fighting against gives the story a weight deeper than just watching Lamb battle cultists across the dark forest and beyond.
At the same time, Little’s art remains true to the original style. With bright colors, dramatic action, and visual humor, each page infuses the story with whimsy enough to balance out the darker elements of the world. Moving from light to dark with bold, cartoon illustrations, Little captures the shifting moods and ancient magic of the narrative, making the book a joy to read, even as things begin to turn toward the worst. The story is action-adventure and dark fantasy, and this imaginative world feel very alive at every turn, as do the hopes and sorrows of the characters that live there.
Oni gives the book a 16+ rating for older teens, which suits the audience well. Teen readers are likely to be familiar with the original game and may find themselves drawn to a comic adaptation. Though combat, blood, and sacrifice are core elements of the story and do appear regularly on the page, they’re depicted cartoonishly rather than realistically and never to such an extent that the violence overtakes the story being told. Along with some darker themes, mature teens of varying ages should be fine to pick this up—and it’s likely to be a hit with audiences who are fond of the game or similar media where cutesy characters find themselves in decidedly not-cutesy situations. In the end, Cult of the Lamb offers surprisingly focused layers of depth, complexity, and nuanced storytelling while also remaining true to the original material. This volume is only the opening act, but I’m seated and ready to follow Lamb wherever they lead, be it victory or tragedy.
Cult of the Lamb, Vol. One: The First Verse Â
By Alex Paknadel
Art by Troy Little
Oni Press, 2024
ISBN: 9781637155226
Company Age Rating:Â 16+
Related media:Â Game to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
