Cult of the lamb vol 1 is the first official graphic novel exploring the back story to the hugely popular game with the same name.
A young lamb is sent to be sacrificed, but makes a deal with a deity known as the One Who Waits. Lamb then makes the choice to start a cult in an effort to bring down the four bishops of the old faith.

I’ve had the pleasure of playing the game before reading this and can safely say that this graphic novel is a great addition to the cult of the lamb lore. Exploring many things that were unsaid in the game (backstory), while keeping the adorably demonic vibes of the game intact.
The art style is just as amazing as it is in game.

However there did feel like there were some inconsistencies in plot/characters/story. Some characters came popping out of seemingly nowhere.

Highly recommended for those who’ve played and enjoyed the game, but also anybody else looking for a cute demonic graphic novel.

Big thanks to Netgalley, Oni Press, Alex Paknadel and Troy little for allowing me to read an e-arc of this graphic novel.

This was really cute and funny, a bit on the nose in terms of plot points and dialogue, but that didn't take away from the fun too much. I liked the art overall, even if some of the character designs aren't my favorite they were executed well. I felt like I struggled a bit to follow some of the plot's direction, but I was able to usually pick up enough to get the gist of why something just happened or what the new direction was. I did not realize when I chose to read this that it was based on a video game, but this did get me very intrigued and I've begun to research what platform I want to get the game on so I can play it. This is definitely a very graphic, gory, and mature graphic novel. It reminds me of some of the gore comedy you'd get from Weird Al, so anyone who enjoys that sort of meld will probably like this too.

I have to start by saying that I was a massive fan of Cult of the Lamb prior to receiving this ARC and have played it multiple times to completion.

This book did not disappoint. To start with, the art style throughout was beautiful, and really captured the essence of Cult of the Lamb with the fight scenes looking beautiful where you can really see the action. I found that a good chunk of the book was written very lyrically, especially the 3rd person narration overtop explaining certain areas but it never felt like it was too expositional as a book. There was some of the character dialogue that fell a little flat, but this didn't stop me from continuing or loving the character dynamics, especially between Lamb and Nana. Seeing the responsibilities progress in the eyes of the Lamb was a great arc throughout and I am excited to see where they go next and how they portray the following 'bosses' and community development. Thank you for letting me read this early copy of the book!

"Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1: The First Verse" is the first part in a series of graphic novels that tells the story of a lamb who becomes a cult leader in order to avenge his own death. This graphic novel is based on a video game that you don't necessarily need to have played, (in fact i haven't), but I would assume it is highly recommended.

As for the novel, I loved the illustrations and the colour palette. I think this was the perfect balance between cute and gore and my three stars are all dedicated to the visuals. However, I think that the storytelling was a bit chaotic and choppy, and even hard to follow at times even though there was barely any plot in this. Although maybe that was the problem?

Anyways, 3.5 from me, it was fun and i might consider reading the next volumes!

3.5 stars.

The art was nice, really captured the look of the Cult of the Lamb game. While I did like it well enough it also somehow felt a bit lacking, it didn’t quite hook me in with the story. It’s a nice companion piece for big fans of the game.

I read halfway and decided to DNF. I really enjoyed the video game, but this comic was just not pulling me in. The art was really well done, though.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for the review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing a copy for review. All opinions are my own.

"Not a temple... No it was supposed to be home"

The first 4 issues of the cult of the lamb comic are bound together in this graphic novel volume. Based on the game of the same name, the story follows lamb, his execution, his resurrection and his vengeance. I have not played the game that this is based on but I believe you can read it independently of that and not miss anything important. I do however want to play the game now that I have read this.

The art style is dark and well done albeit a little clunky at times with how things are arranged on page. This did not affect my reading too badly though.

I enjoyed the friendship between Nana and the lamb and how Nana's arc plays out. Interested to see how Ratau and Clauneck will be in future volumes.

I will definitely be picking up future volumes.

Brilliant companion to the game but it explains the story well enough that you don't have to have played it first. Beautiful artwork, really colourful and eye catching! Loved it, can't wait for the next one!

The art work is so damn cute. I love the game so I had to check this out. It's a cute dark comic. I'm so glad j got a chance to check it out.

Dark and intense and flippin' adorable to boot!!

The artwork is so bright and colorful and vibrant and there is so much detail to enjoy and look at, you almost forgot this a book full of gore and death. How fun!

As a fan of the game, it was great to see this on the page however it was missing the magic. Still something to read if you are a fan of the series.

I am completely unfamiliar with the franchise this is based on, but thought the art and the name were intriguing so I'd pick this up. Then subsequently learned it was a spin-off of the video game.

...And now that I'm finished I'm honestly not sure what to think of it. On the one hand the art can be very colorful and I like the juxtaposition of the extra cutesy animals and horribly gruesome monsters. Both are executed very well. Though the panels can be very dark and gritty and over-stuffed with so many details that it all kind of becomes visual noise.

The writing itself is very simple and suitable for children, as long as the content isn't too dark for them as an individual. It reminded me a lot of Toonami shows like Samurai Jack. It looks like the target age from the publisher is 12+, which is about right. Though I think younger kids could handle it if they're already consuming superheroes which can be similarly bloody and dark.

As for the story itself, it's very simple and -despite being only ~100 pages long- contains a lot of repetition. The characters aren't very fleshed out and not much happened, so I hope that it feels more complete over time with more volumes. For my personal investment, I don't think there was enough to sample here that makes me want to continue.

But my housemate loves this franchise, so I'll be sure to edit this later if they have any thoughts to add!

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Oni Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Dark stories, cute and gory art, takes on religion

I loved this so much. It's cute, gory, funny, and perfectly unhinged. I'm going to get the game, as well as an actual copy of this novel. I already pre-ordered it. I highly recommend this!

I'm not super familiar with the game Cult of the Lamb from a couple of years back except for a few references in media, but I was curious about the vibes of the universe so I wanted to check out this first volume. And wow, it didn’t disappoint.

The story grabbed my attention right away and I had no choice but to finish reading in one go. It captures the lamb’s journey from innocence to cult figure who doesn't trust anyone, and makes you doubt every character's motives yourself.

I also need to talk about the art because that's what makes the whole book so deliciously creepy. It uses this cutesy art style you'd normally see in children's cartoons which clashes with the horribly violent scenes. The contrast is striking and really drew me in, I couldn't look away.

Overall, I absolutely loved it! It got me interested in the universe, and I’d definitely read more when the next volume comes out. You're sure to enjoy this one if you're a fan of the game looking for an adaptation or you are new to it and would like an intro.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

This was such a quirky book! Was so fun! Perfect for the spooky season and it so matches my aesthetic. Being a goth this kind of book is perfect!

This comic fleshes out the game's opening and first dungeon up until the first boss. You get to meet a few more characters, watch them interact, and watch the adventures of the Lamb as they make their way through the wood. The art is great, and the story was pretty fun, until one part that, to my surprise, made me pretty sad honestly. But it was overall a great experience.

I play Cult of the Lamb religiously. I was so excited to read this. It’s perfection! The art style is fun and cute. The story is fun and strange. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

This graphic novel wa everything I was expecting and more! A super immersive story line with fantasy horror that kept me in the edge of my seat. I don’t normally love graphic novels but this was so jam packed with action that I read it in one sitting. The illustrations were breathtaking and they added that needed imagery to this gory story. I can’t wait to read the next one

What else can I say about a colourful, vibrant graphic novel other than I loved it! It was a quick read, only about 100 pages, but I think that was the perfect time to break it before the next book. At first, jumping back into the world of the Cult of the Lamb was me trying to remember the little things, but this story packs a punch and delivers it in a way that new fans would enjoy it as well.
The art is colourful and really draws the eye in, and the action scenes are very well done.
Dialogue matches the art perfectly, and it aided in passing time in the story while still pushing the plot forward.
Altogether, I enjoyed this book full of tension and monsters and can't wait for the next one!

In which the sacrificial lamb becomes the almighty shepherd... of a cult. I'm not sure if this was intended to be a direct graphic novelisation of the video game or if it's purely supplementary, but I had a lot of fun with it! I think the concept is great and the art style is true to the source material (an initial draw for me when it came to the game, so it was neat to see that borne out). I could definitely see myself continuing with the next installments.