DEATH COMES FOR THE TOYMAKER #1, from Scout Comics on 7/5/23, re-imagines the true nature of the Holiday Season when the Toymaker’s contract with Death becomes an unbearable weight.
The Details
- Written by: Dakota Brown
- Art by: Ryan Cody
- Colors by: Ryan Cody
- Letters by: Micah Myers
- Cover art by: Ryan Cody
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: July 5th, 2023
Is It Good?
DEATH COMES FOR THE TOYMAKER #1 is a pleasantly unexpected surprise. Fantasy comics come and go, but fantasy comics that get you to re-think the stories and legends you already know earn bonus points in our book. If you thought you’d read every variation of the Santa Claus legend, this comic is probably a new one.
Dakota Brown’s twist on the Christmas legend centers on a Toymaker who visits naughty and nice children on a special night every year to deliver toys or salt. However, the Toymaker’s joy is clouded when his immortality comes at a cost – give Death a night off by doing his work for him. Give toys and take souls, all in one night.
On the central premise alone, this comic has a killer (heh) hook. However, Brown expands the context of these two characters by borrowing elements from ancient folklore and legends to make the Toymaker a version of Santa Claus that’s similar enough to the one you recognize but different enough to fit within the world Brown has constructed. In effect, Brown deconstructs and then rebuilds an entirely new Santa to create a new-yet-familiar legend that stands on its own.
New legends and new worlds only work when readers can pick up the rules of what’s happening with clarity, and Brown succeeds on that front as well. Through bits of narration and dialog, you get how and why the Toymaker formed a relationship with Death, you see how Toymaker makes good on his agreement, and through darn fine character acting within the art, you see how the cost of the contract weighs on the Toymaker’s heart.
The bonus surprise of this story is the oddly likable nature of Death. Rather than a dark, brooding malevolent force, Brown paints Death as just a person with a job to do who doesn’t take the vitriol directed at him personally. The Toymaker and Death are at odds because of the nature of their work, but there’s a strange bond between the two that’s compelling.
Ryan Cody’s art is a solid match for this type of story because Cody’s minimalist designs create a storybook feel to this unique fairytale. The only nitpick we could point out is that Cody’s colors are very muted, so the high-impact panels don’t hit as hard as they would if they had more pop.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Death visiting a snowy hovel the day before Ea’s Day. A white-bearded man sits before a roaring fire when Death enters for a visit. Rather than cower in fear, the old man, Toymaker, greets his visitor with a mildly rude amount of familiarity.
On this night, the Toymaker visits naughty and nice children to deliver a present or salt, depending on the list on which the child’s name is written. Gift-giving is the Toymaker’s dream, but to give as long as he has, the Toymaker made a contract with Death – Immortality in exchange for giving Death one night of vacation.
After his night of giving and obligated life-taking, the Toymaker recalls how his partnership first began. Suddenly, one of the Toymaker’s helpers approaches with an idea. We conclude the issue with a fight by a river, a fight in the snow, and a renegotiation.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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DEATH COMES FOR THE TOYMAKER #1 recasts the Santa Claus story you thought you knew into a poignant fantasy about a Toymaker locked in an eternal deal with Death. Dakota Brown mixes in aspects of myth and folklore to create a completely new take on a familiar legend for a compelling fantasy.
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