Cult of the Lambby Massive Monster and Devolver Digital is a beloved, indie darling. The unique wayCult of the Lambcombines a colony sim with roguelite gameplay has been a fan-favorite with players since 2022. Its cute and chaotic exterior holds one important piece to its success within it - and that’s a dark narrative about the occult and eternally serving a trapped entity who seeks revenge.
The story ofCult of the Lambis most certainly present, but it typically takes a backseat to what players need to do to grow their own following and village. However, if players want to dive deeper into the story, Oni Press is happy to provide it with its upcomingCult of the Lambcomic book miniseries. Game Rant recently spoke with writer Alex Paknadel and artist Troy Little about what went into designing the comic.
Getting to Know the Writer and Artist of the Cult of the Lamb Comics
Alex Paknadel has already worked on quite several projects beforeCult of the Lamb. He has written for the Big 3 in comic publishing: DC, Marvel, and Image. Regarding video games, Paknadel has already writtenstories forAssassin’s CreedandLittle Nightmares,which gives him a fair bit of experience with these specific adaptations. He also recommendsCult of the Lambfans read hisAll Against Allminiseries from Image Comics to understand his writing style. BeforeCult of the Lamb, Paknadel coincidentally read about sacrificial topics just recently.
When I was offered the job, I’d been reading a lot of philosophical and anthropological stuff on sacrifice from thinkers like Rene Girard, Georges Bataille, etc. It was extremely serendipitous that the project fell into my lap just as I was getting seriously into the meat of the issues the game explores so brilliantly.
Illustrating the story that Paknadel is penning is Troy Little fromAngora Napkin,originallyby IDW Publishingand now self-published, among other titles. Little’s style can hit the perfect dynamic of the sinister world ofCult of the Lamb,as he is known for an art style used to both cartoony shapes and detailed, horrific monsters. The aim between writing and art, according to Paknadel, is to bring in the breathlessness fromCotL’s management by keeping the pace fast and hectic. Little is brought onto this world by its art and his experience as a personal fan of the video game, too.
Coming in hot off the Rick & Morty VS Cthulhu series has my head still mired in the arcane and eldritch, so this is a great place to land. I love the densely populated worlds of Carles Dalmau, who did much of the promotional art for the game and is a major reference point when trying to invoke the tone and vibe.
Alex Paknadel and Troy Little Are the Perfect Match for Cult of the Lamb
Comics and graphic novels are a visual medium, so having good art to enhance the scenes is critical to understanding the story and characters. As the comics are reading material designed to elevate the narrative basis of the game while people play or introduce comic readers to the game down the line, it’s important that both the writing and artwork match in tone and style with the video game it was based on. In that regard, Paknadel says that Troy Little’s work will bring out every emotion the Lamb’s adventure needs to,
It’s a perfect trust fall. Troy is far more familiar with this kind of material than I am, so he can take my rather prescriptive scripts and rearrange them into a narratively satisfying sequence. The life he’s infused into these characters truly has to be seen to be believed as well. The game is exquisite, obviously, but there are character nuances that can’t be easily expressed in that format. Troy’s doing all the heavy lifting here. If you’re not crying by the end, I’d be amazed.
Suffice it to say that with Paknadel and Little working together,Cult and the Lamb’s comic adaptation will be rather emotionally charged as well as action-packed. There’s plenty of room to balance both whentaking down the Bishops of the Old Faith, running a cult, and adventuring through wild lands for materials while battling every foe within just four issues. While the duo aren’t aiming to necessarily preserve the gameplay of the chaotic title, the way that the narrative found in the original game is becoming a prominent focus lends well to expanding upon it.
While fans can expect the comic to launch at the end of this year in December, they can secure whatever copy they desire physical or digital through Oni Press' Kickstarter. Fans can preorder their copy ofCult of the Lambthroughthis Kickstarter link.
Cult of the Lamb
WHERE TO PLAY
Heretics never rest, and the Lamb is in need of an ally. Unholy Alliance introduces a new playable character to Cult of the Lamb: the Goat! Summoned by blood and born in corruption, this wicked new ally can join the holy Lamb in local co-op. Crusade through dungeons, slay heretics, build your cult, and seek new powers together. But there’s more. As well as the addition of co-op play, the Unholy Alliance expansion also adds new tarot cards, relics, buildings, fleeces, follower traits, follower quests, and other secrets to discover!Cult of the Lamb casts players in the role of a possessed lamb saved from annihilation by an ominous stranger and must repay their debt by building a loyal following in his name. Start your own cult in a land of false prophets, venturing out into diverse and mysterious regions to build a loyal community of woodland worshippers and spread your Word to become the one true cult.
