Recently released digitally is the compelling 6-issue comic series Anathema. The second I saw it on my Kindle comic shop I had to read it. What I discovered was a dark tale of supernatural horror, regret and redemption.
“A young woman must travel to the darkest corners of the earth and face off against fearsome foes to reclaim her lover’s soul, stolen by a cult of nightmarish creatures. She must learn to harness the darkness within herself if she hopes to vanquish her foes and set her lover free.”
Written by Rachel Deering
Art by Christopher Mooneyham
Here is my break down of Anathema…
Art: 5 out of 5
Truly beautiful. The artwork captured the dark tone of the story perfectly. Anathema is one of those comics in which the artwork draws you in as much as the words. It’s something every comic artist should do, but not everyone can. This is not your classic, boring, straight-on, comic book art. The art was both visually appealing and emotional.
Story: 5 out of 5
Issue #1 opens with Mercy Barlowe telling the story of her girlfriend being burned at the stake for the couple’s “abomination.” What follows is crippling guilt, demonic backstories, and a quest to save a loved one. Mercy fights fire with fire by cursing herself in order to save her lover’s soul. The story was dark, innovative and captivating. I have never read a werewolf story in which the curse was chosen. It was fantastic, in a deep and heartbreaking kind of way. An added bonus was that the writer mixed real werewolf folklore into the story.
I highly recommend Anathema. It’s not your average love story (not with the lover dying within the first few pages) It is definitely worth the attention of any werewolf fan. I look forward to reading the next issue.
Added note: This comic has nudity in it, so it’s not appropriate for young readers.
Preview panel:
– Moonlight
About the Author
Moonlight (aka Amanda) loves to write about, read about and learn about everything pertaining to werewolves and other supernatural beasties. She writes for top genre sites like Vampires.com and Werewolves.com. You will most likely find her huddled over a book with coffee in hand. You can stalk her via her Twitter.
I haven’t seen any posts about this, but another comic I really enjoyed (right up until the end) was “Wetworks” on the old wildstorm label. It centers around a group of covert ops mercenaries who are caught in a war between the night tribes (most notably werewolves and vampires). It’s a fun read and I love the mythology they set in place and the werewolf kickassery that ensues – especially when one even joins the team.
Thanks, I’ll have to check that one out :)