Obviously, there can’t be a clear winner (or loser). But c’mon, why can’t we at least see both sides licking their wounds?
While this one-shot written by Jonathan Maberry and illustrated by Bruno Abdias is not the only title set in this Death May Die universe, I have to wonder if any of the comics are meant to one day lead up to how the game ends? What this team wrote felt like a spec product than anything meaningful. Basically, the idea concerns preventing the second coming (of the Great Old Ones). Like in Arkham Horror the board/card game, there’s a timer (a doom track) that counts down to when all the seals are broken and all hell breaks loose!
Here, Kurt Metzger is a leader of a cult. He believes Azathoth, and Tsathoggua will soon come. Even though he’s incarcerated so he can rave to fellow inmates, the fact there are members with him in jail is simply trouble waiting to happen. Mike Kozlov had enough and is the good guy in this tale. He’ll need help, and even in jail, he doesn’t have enough support. Even then, can he stop any cosmic god from coming to Earth? As for being that bystander, he’s very effective in that role and does little but to narrate like a beduffled Raymond Burr. By the time Cthulhu, the harbinger, arrives to wreak havoc, his appearance has disturbed the sleep of another titan–Godzilla!
Although all these characters exist in the game in some form or another, they felt like one-dimensional figures hopping from one danger to another, like they’re dancing on a hot plate. Because I have not played enough of this game, I didn’t really care for any of their individual story as much. The one graphic novel I read (which came with the expansion pack for the game), is much better in letting readers in on the secret, and in Arkham Horror (comic book review), I at least had a better understanding regarding the larger picture.
Although the tale really doesn’t offer a lot, that’s because most one-shots are not meant to offer anything long-lasting. Should a reprint get made, I hope the one huge spelling mistake gracing page two, where Azathoth’s name is misspelt, gets fixed.
As for the Godzilla miniature that comes with this package, the design is from the 2019 film. I was lucky to have a friend able to buy this for me at SDCC, rather than spend my money on eBay. The figure is to scale with the game, and is beautifully detailed. I will have fun painting him up. I just need some pictures of G in daylight to mix up a proper colour combination.
3 Roars out of 5
Postscript: Sadly, when most of CMON’s comic book division is gatekeeping, the graphic novels are considered unavailable. They are limited/Kickstarter exclusives. Cthulhu: Death May Die Volume 1, Fight or Flight is a resonably entertaining introduction ot the world, and Volume 2, A Touch of Providence, in theory, is shipping, and already being sold at inflated priced on eBay.
In theory, Source Point Press’ mini-series of the same name is due out this month. The first two issues were solicited in the Aug and Sept issue of Diamond Press’ Previews, but as for whether they’ll arrive at comic book stores, let’s hope no kaiju is getting in the way of arrival. To note: Aftershock’s Miskatonic: Even Death May Die trade paperback is unrelated.