I love this game and I just love this book! I’m usually not one to read manga/graphics novels but this one was great!

I haven't played the game, and now I think I want to! This was such an interesting story--I was kind of surprised, given the vibrant, adorable art style! Every page was a wash of neon, it felt immersive. Honestly very excited for more bound volumes, and to try the game!

I ADORED this graphic novel. Cult of the Lamb is one of my favorite video games and getting more lore on it was so fun. I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy!
It’s cute. It’s dark. It’s a great time.

A super fun title with gorgeous artwork and a striking layout. Made me want to play the game the entire time I was reading…. which was a distraction to the book. Definitely check it out.

I didn’t manage to get the Netgally file downloaded in time, I read this title through a library platform.

THANK YOU THANK YOU ONI PRESS!!!

"Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1" successfully translates the dark whimsy of the hit video game into comic form, maintaining the original's blend of cute aesthetics and sinister undertones. Paknadel captures the essence of what made the game compelling - an innocent Lamb's transformation into a cult leader after making a deal with an ancient deity - while adapting it naturally to the comic medium.
The story deftly balances its darker themes of religious manipulation and power with moments of dark humor. The narrative follows Lamb's journey from sacrificial victim to revolutionary leader, challenging the Four Bishops of the Old Faith. Paknadel's writing gives depth to the game's lore, exploring themes of faith, power, and rebellion through a fresh lens.

While newcomers can enjoy the comic on its own merits, fans of the game will particularly appreciate how the adaptation expands on familiar elements while maintaining the original's distinctive tone. The only minor drawback might be that some of the game's interactive elements necessarily lose their impact in comic form. Nevertheless, this is a strong adaptation that stands on its own as an engaging dark fantasy tale.

Cult of the Lamb: The First Verse brings the eerie, offbeat charm of the beloved video game into graphic novel form, capturing the darkly whimsical tone that made the original so popular. With its striking visuals and intriguing expansion of the game’s lore, this is a fun companion piece for fans of the franchise.

Alex Paknadel’s storytelling successfully translates the game’s mix of horror and satire, diving deeper into the Lamb’s journey and the sinister forces at play. The narrative keeps the same cult-building, deity-defying themes, while Troy Little’s artwork balances the grotesque and the adorable, creating a unique visual style that feels right at home in the Cult of the Lamb universe.

That said, while the book is visually engaging and packed with atmospheric worldbuilding, the pacing can feel uneven, and some plot points lack the depth needed to make them as impactful as they could be. Readers unfamiliar with the game might find certain elements confusing or underexplained.

Despite these minor shortcomings, The First Verse is an entertaining dive into the bizarre and brutal world of Cult of the Lamb, making it a worthy read for fans looking to revisit the game's eerie yet endearing universe in a new format.

Thank you Oni Press and Netgalley for the readers copy.
Not that many books can straddle the line of both cute/funny and dark/scary but this succeeds almost effortlessly.
I loved the premise and the characters but I felt that I may have enjoyed this more if I'd played the game. There was something missing that I can't really place.
The art, colouring, and design were a feast for the eyes and I can only imagine how beautiful it would be in motion.

Fans of the Cult of the Lamb video game will be pleased with this graphic novel adaption. Between the artwork and evolution of the lore, this volume 1 will leave you asking for more from the One Who Waits

A comic book that is going so well with the video game. It's a chance for non-gamer to discover Cult of The Lamb. The choice in the story, the discovery of a new backstory. The comic handle well the translation between the game and a drawing serie. Can't wait to read the rest!

A brilliant graphic novel, with excellent artwork. Great for fans of the game, but equally a great introduction to it for anyone not familiar with the game or story.

The art style is very cute, which creates a good contrast with the themes of the story, which are pretty dark. The way action scenes are illustrated is very interesting and gives (literally) some punch. It's fascinating to see more of The Lamb’s personality, who is way less adorable in this comic book compared to the image I had of it with the game. Moreover, the supportive characters are also interesting, especially Nana, which is a character with a strong personality.
This book is especially great if you know the game.

Ever since I heard one of my favorite games of 2024 was getting a graphic novel, I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. I’m so glad I finally did and the fun time I had!

Backstory for people who know nothing about this creepy cozy little game: in this hit indie game, you start out as the last lamb alive that is to be sacrificed. Suddenly, as you are at death’s door, a god gives you the opportunity to come back to life as long as you swear allegiance to them and promise to begin and grow a cult in their honor. You might be thinking to yourself, Raven, this doesn’t exactly sound very cozy. And yet, the lamb is the cutest little guy there ever was, with so many decoration options such as a cottage core dlc. Who would have known managing a cult could be cozy? 

Where the graphic novel starts is at the very beginning of our sweet lamb’s story. We get to truly experience the heart of the story from the lamb's perspective, making it even more personal than the video game. Each character is given such precious art that it hits that much harder when any of our cute animal friends die, making the story so much more real than when we see our small followers from a distance on our video game screens. I love learning more lore, some true to the game and some in ways that could diverge from the choices you make as an individual in the game setting.

I recommend this book both to preexisting lovers of the franchise and to newbies alike, although I do admit my love for the game gives me an extra attachment and bias toward my love of the book.

For both book and game, I would most certainly check trigger warnings. These both deal with heavy topics that while somewhat glossed over and cartoon in nature, can be triggering to some regardless. Calling this game “cozy” is for sure a debated topic within the cozy gaming sphere as there is a lot of violence in various forms.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this eARC. I loved getting to dive into even more of the world of Cult of the Lamb! I cannot wait for the next comics to come out.

CULT OF THE LAMB VOL. 1: The First Verse – Horror Graphic Novel

Written by – Alex Paknadel
Illustrated by – Troy Little

‘In a land pervaded by cruelty and evil, the most innocent among us—young Lamb—was selected to become a noble sacrifice. . . . Their death would be the magical rite that would forever seal the darkest of the Old Gods out of our realm and usher in a new age of bounty.

‘So Lamb died . . . but then they made a deal of their own.’

Based on the video game, CULT OF THE LAMB—though I have yet to play it—I found the Graphic Novel to be a gore-filled-fun-fest, wiiiiith an exception to a scene at the end—Nope, no spoilers!

P.S. I LOVE The Artwork!

Thank you, NetGalley and Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group, LLC., for providing me with an eBook of CULT OF THE LAMB at the request of an honest review.

It was so fun to have the video game format expanded into the comic book. I loved going deeper into the story and the art was great!

I loved playing Cult of the Lamb, so when I heard about the graphic novel release, I knew I had to get it. The story revisits the game’s beginnings but shifts the focus to the narrative side. While the hack-and-slash elements are still present, the real highlight is exploring the perspective of Nana, one of the lamb’s followers, and what it means to be a friend rather than just a believer.

The art is stunning, and the deeper story they’ve built around the world adds so much heart to the Cult of the Lamb universe. It’s not just about the action—that’s the game’s territory. This graphic novel captures the soul. Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC! 💙

Beware, all video game lovers!
The Lamb is here! This comic is fun, cute, still horror and just perfect for all fans of the game. However, I feel that it's for all readers, who look at the cover art and think "I want to experience this". This first volume was excellent and I can't wait for more.

Firstly I have to state that I was a huge fan out the game. Following on from that comes this wonderful publication.
This comic/graphic novel gels perfectly with the game in terms of both plot and appearance. It also duplicates the humour uses throughout the game.
All in all this was a fun and quick read which I would highly recommend.

First, I am not much of a graphic novel/comic reader, but I've heard so many good things about the Cult of the Lamb game and the story sounded interesting, so I wanted to give this a try.

Unfortunately, this did not work for me. I did not follow the story at all in the beginning which made me care less and less about the way things continued or the character arcs.
The artwork itself was stunning, but at times it was overwhelming to follow, especially with very little explanation of what anything was within the context of the story. All of the main issues are very early on, and largely due to the fact that I knew very little about this story/game going into reading it.

This was such fun, just like the game! Loooved the art, the storyline, simply a hoot and a holler!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining read! I wasn't that familiar with the source video game, but gave me a good sense of what it is like. Some of the dialogue felt hard to get, and hence plot wise it was a bit hard to follow, but overall I enjoyed it and would read the following volumes!