LONDON GOTHIC #1, from LG Comics, recounts the adventures of Duke Henry De Montford, the last member of a secret organization dedicated to stopping demonic forces from overrunning the world.
The Details
- Written by: Nick Henry
- Art by: Michael D. Burton
- Colors by: Michael D. Burton
- Letters by: Michael D. Burton
- Cover art by: Richard Molloy
- Cover price: $19.29
- Release date: Available now
Is It Good?
LONDON GOTHIC #1 is here to satisfy that sweet, sweet indie horror hole in your heart. Brought to us by the fine folks at LG Comics, this 90+ page graphic novel takes readers through the foggy streets and filthy sewers of 19th-century London to track down an assortment of monsters with a taste for human flesh. If that description doesn’t get your toes a tinglin’, nothing will.
Nick Henry’s adventure centers on the last member of a secret order dedicated to fighting on the side of Light against the Darkness. When monster occurrences in London begin to escalate, the Duke must get to the heart of the problem before all Hell breaks loose… literally.
The setup isn’t terribly original – monster hunting in Victorian London – so this graphic novel’s success relies on the details. In this case, Henry’s take fuses enough disparate pieces, from the Knights Templar to a Jack the Ripper vibe to an homage to Dracula and more, to assemble a reasonably fresh take on the genre. Also, the pacing is excellent, the dialog is mostly good, and the plot has enough intrigue to leave you wanting more.
The down points in this GN are minor but unavoidable. Some of the clipped language, meant to mimic accents and slang, is sometimes tough to get through. The art is not always clear in dark, confined spaces. And it takes a while for the book to mention any character names, so the slightly muddy art makes it tough to keep track of who is who when they don’t name each other.
Again, the quibbles about the art are minor, but on the whole, Michael D. Burton delivers a fine bit of atmospheric horror. The foggy, gloom of London after Midnight is captured perfectly. The monster designs are terrifying. And the action scenes are energetic.
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 a dapper man entering a London inn on the shadier side of town. He meets with his assistant, Jellico, to retrieve information about a series of gruesome murders. Together the man, referred to by Jellico as the Duke, head down to the London wharfs where they find several victims gruesomely killed and eaten by a gaggle of goblins. The Duke and Jellico dispatch the monsters in time to save one man, Inspector Bailey.
Later, Bailey recovers from his wounds but struggles with the reality of his ordeal. After investigating the deaths further, and learning of several children disappearances, Bailey visits the Duke again to find out what he knows. The Duke senses a potential ally in Bailey and brings the Investigator into his confidence.
The Duke is the last in a secret order of hunters sworn to hold back the Darkness. Now, attacks are increasing in frequency, and the Duke asks Bailey to help in his crusade. We conclude the issue with Mr. Punch, choo-choo trains, and a special delivery from Venice.
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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LONDON GOTHIC #1 delivers a robust tale of Victorian horror with homages to classic monsters (real and literary). The setting, pacing, dialog, and art are all on-point, so this is a confidently recommended pick.
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