Craving More Than Just Monocyte. Revisiting This Classic and Finding Other Works Just Like It!

As part of the “From the Vault” series, I revisit a horror comic that truly stands the test of time and is a rarity in the hobby. IDW’s Monocyte is one of those titles that has a companion soundtrack! As a striking artistic centerpiece that any horror art or comic collector should treasure, it’s rare to see an additional release offered by the creators.

This four-part saga tells of an uprising led by a one-eyed demon—Monocyte—literally hell-bent on destroying the Conduit, a machine created by the Olignostics. They are immortals born from a fusion of politics and technology. Their origin traces back to an MIT scientist’s experiment harnessing the mysterious power of “Absolute Zero.” What that truly means is left vague in the dense two-page text spread that introduces the Olignostics and their rivals, the Antediluvians.

The Antediluvians are easier to understand. They have walked the Earth since the dawn of time, a secret order bound by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge passed down through generations. Their governance allows only one to ascend to the throne—the Green Man, or Al-Khidr—while the Olignostics function more like a parasite.

The first issue offers only a light setup, but fortunately a collected graphic novel edition is available. Every panel is a fully painted work of art—digitally scanned and arranged for print—a feat in itself.

Monocyte was created by Menton J. Matthews III (publishing as Menton3) and Kasra Ghanbari. While both shaped the narrative, Menton3’s presence dominates; his art feels more akin to Clive Barker’s visceral worlds than to H.R. Giger’s biomechanical nightmares. He uses white space to evoke isolation, then punctuates it with poetic, haunting text.

By issue #2, the rising action takes hold. Monocyte, seemingly a servant of Death, may actually be the key to a greater cosmic force feared by the Olignostics. Unlocking it will not be easy. Meanwhile, in the Antediluvian city of Filius Philosophorum, the Green Man sits in contemplation. Even his people have reason to fear this “destroyer of worlds,” a title Monocyte has earned through sheer devastation—including the annihilation of the Olignostics’ primary power source, possibly fueled by an angel. “What is this Quintessence of Ashes?” he asks, as the war grinds on without clear victors.

Neither side can truly die, raising the question: What will become of them when their human pawns are gone? The story’s meditations on mortality, meaning, and the futility of endless conflict still resonate today, finding thematic kinship in modern works like Netflix’s The Sandman, Amazon’s The Rings of Power, and animated epics such as Scavengers Reign—all of which blend mythology, cosmic stakes, and haunting visuals. Even the slow-burn philosophical sci-fi of Foundation feels like it shares DNA with Monocyte’s sprawling, ominous universe.

What makes Monocyte so enduring is that nothing recent has quite matched its ambition. From Riley Rossmo’s jarring cupid pink cover to Alan Hubbard and Chris Newman’s scarlet-soaked side story, every visual choice pushes boundaries. Bill Sienkiewicz’s three ghastly, skull-like faces in his contribution could haunt anyone’s dreams. The bonus content—lore expansions, behind-the-scenes art, and a companion CD—makes this not just a comic, but a multimedia experience.

Soundtrack Review

(Available on Bandcamp)

If Monocyte ever received an animated series or streaming film adaptation, few musicians could rise to the challenge. While the trip-hop grit of Portishead or the layered beats of DJ Shadow could capture fragments of the mood, the imagery Menton3 creates demands something more personal. Fortunately, Menton3 is also a musician—and he keeps Monocyte’s soundtrack in his own hands. The album, sharing the comic’s name, blends symphonic textures with industrial electronica, conjuring visions of walking through a techno-organic meat grinder.

“Proxy” drifts spectrally between surround channels, while “If Wishes Were Catholics” weaves Hindu-inspired mysticism over a grunge pulse. “Forced Vision” evokes angelic presences—or perhaps the Olignostics themselves. Standout tracks like “To Kill a King” and “Veil” blend unexpected musical traditions into the sonic palette.

The pacing of the music mirrors the beats of the comic, making it best experienced as a paired journey—pages and soundscape together, exactly as the creators intended. In a media landscape now flooded with transmedia storytelling—from graphic novels paired with original scores to narrative-driven games with full orchestral treatments—Monocyte feels ahead of its time, its vision fully realized over a decade before “cinematic universe” became the industry buzzword.

If Monocyte’s cosmic horror, myth, and striking visuals left you wanting more, explore these modern works that share its tone and ambition:

Graphic Novels & Comics

• The Sandman: Overture (Neil Gaiman & J.H. Williams III) – Lush prequel blending myth, dream, and cosmic stakes.
• East of West (Jonathan Hickman & Nick Dragotta) – Apocalyptic prophecy meets sci-fi in a visually bold saga.
• Gideon Falls (Jeff Lemire & Andrea Sorrentino) – Rural horror fused with metaphysical dread and inventive layouts.
• The Goddamned (Jason Aaron & R.M. Guéra) – A brutal reimagining of biblical epics with mythic scale.

Television & Streaming

• Scavengers Reign (Max) – Hypnotic animated sci-fi where beauty and horror entwine.
• The Sandman (Netflix) – Gaiman’s dream-haunted world brought faithfully to the screen.
• Foundation (Apple TV+) – Epic questions of fate, immortality, and power.

Films

• Mad God (Phil Tippett) – Stop-motion nightmare dense with surreal apocalyptic imagery.
• Annihilation (Alex Garland) – Cerebral sci-fi horror steeped in the unknowable.
• The Green Knight (David Lowery) – Mythic, meditative, and visually dreamlike.

Music for the Mood

• Chelsea Wolfe – Abyss – Gothic rock meets industrial atmosphere.
• Godflesh – A World Lit Only by Fire – Industrial metal at its most primal and apocalyptic.
• Dead Can Dance – Within the Realm of a Dying Sun – Ethereal, ceremonial, and haunting.