Around these parts, we’ve seen our fair share of comics-centric Kickstarters. But few have performed quite like Cult of the Lamb: The First Verse. Yes, the comics adaptation of the beloved Cult of the Lamb game smashed its crowdfunding goals from the get-go, raising some $300,000 (of a $10,000 goal) in just two days. Guess people just really love lambs, cults, and roguelite games.
So why, then, do we bother to talk about Cult of the Lamb despite the overwhelming likelihood it’s already a done deal? Well, for one thing, there’s still heaps of incentives to unlock; the more these campaigns are funded, the more creators offer up for truly ravenous fans. But more than anything, the book seems deeply exciting. There’s a solid creative team attached — writer Alex Paknadel (All Against All) and artist Troy Little (Rick and Morty) — who have crafted a tale that reaches “deep into the sprawling cosmology and diabolic cast of characters that populates the many realms of the beloved, millions-selling video game” to allow us lowly mortals to witness the “coming of Lamb’s first flock anew.” So, whether you’re a fan of the game or not, it sounds like there’s something for everyone. (If your list of everything includes cutesy animal sacrifices and dungeon crawling.)
If you’d like to contribute to the Cult of the Lamb campaign, head here. (It’s already passed the $360,000 mark, FYI.) We’ve further stoked your interest by reaching out to both Paknadel and Little to answer a few burning questions via email. That includes their experiences with the game, how they adapt a title like this, their collaborative process, and even possible follow-up stories.
And stay tuned for more info on a future release date for Cult of the Lamb (via Oni Press).
AIPT: What’s your experience with Cult of the Lamb coming into this? Did you have to play the game to really be able to tell an effective story?
Alex Paknadel: I had zero experience of playing the game, but I was taken with the high concept immediately: a lamb sacrificed by a tyrannical religion is resurrected by a mysterious deity to wreak revenge on his killers and establish an upstart cult to overthrow the old religion. That’s meaty enough on its own, purely in story terms. However, once my interest was piqued, I made a point of playing the game and loved every second.
Troy Little: I had heard whispers of the game and the look and tone of it was instantly appealing to me. I’m a fan of Carles Dalmau’s work (who did a lot of the promotional illustration for the game), which is probably where I first came across the little lamb. Once I got playing, I was hooked.
AIPT: Are there unique challenges and/or opportunities of adapting a video game like Cult of the Lamb?
AP: Fidelity to the source material is the biggest challenge, I would say. You want to tell a story that’s meaningful to you, but there are legions of fans who all have their own idea of how the story should unfold in other media. You can’t cater to every taste, but you can match the fans’ passion and enthusiasm. I’ve done this a couple of times, and there’s really no substitute for just loving the source material.
TL: Adapting a visual narrative from such iconic little avatars could be challenging but luckily Devolver has produced a series of short animated scenes from the game universe that show how wonderfully alive and expressive these characters can be in another medium. Capturing the vibe of these 2D sprites and translating them into an illustrated tome is almost as much fun as playing the game.
Courtesy of Oni Press.
AIPT: Is it important to build a really big world in the comics or instead try and stick closer to what’s already there in the actual game?
AP: The game is very carefully narratively crafted, so I’ve tried to stick to that as closely as possible. We rightly praise world-building in speculative fiction, but we’re storytellers, not cartographers. A story guides you down certain paths, whereas world-building gives you many to choose from. The latter is a tremendous skill, and I like to think I can turn my hand to it from time to time, but my job is to put characters you care about in peril. That’s really all it is.
TL: While staying true to the source Alex is bringing some real pathos and tragedy to the bodycount. He’s grafting some really smart ideas into the Lamb’s world that expand on what we see in the game. I’m making grabby hands and begging for the next script to find out what beautiful nightmares I get to draw next.
AIPT: How does your story relate to the game itself? A prequel/sequel kind of situation? Do you spin right out of it or tell something unseen in the game?
AP: Our book – at least in this first arc – is a parallel text to the game. You’re seeing the events of the game’s first biomes, but from a character perspective rather than the game’s intentional god’s eye view. We’re on the Lamb’s side due to the nature of their predicament, but we don’t really get a window into their thoughts or their past. That’s what our book does. Crucially (from my perspective, anyway), we also hear from the Followers.
AIPT: Among other things, the game’s being known as equally cute and creepy. Can we expect even greater levels of each given your catalog and history (I’m thinking of how All Against All is both deeply savage and still rather endearing)?
AP: We are playing the story straight as a drama, which is as it should be, in my view.
Cover by Troy Little. Courtesy of Oni Press.
TL: To say that I’m in my element is an understatement. I adore the contrasting nature of the chibi Lamb and his flock against the black, oozing vileness of the monsters and heretics. I’m curious to see how far I can push things and I promise you I’m going to enjoy every ink splattered page of it.
AIPT: Does the fact that the game is quite popular already worldwide somehow make your job easier or tougher somehow?
AP: Tougher, definitely. As I mentioned earlier, everyone has their own idea of how the game should be translated into other media. I’m up for the challenge though, simply because I love the idea so much. I happened to be offered the gig when I was getting really into the anthropology of sacrifice via writers like Rene Girard and Georges Bataille, so it really did feel like kismet.
AIPT: What’s it like working with Troy Little, and what does he bring to this whole project?
AP: I’ve just seen Troy’s line art for the first issue, and I can’t tell you how beautiful it is. The energy of the game is perfectly preserved, but he’s made it seem native to comics, by which I mean he’s done the furthest thing from a cut and paste job. These characters have life and emotions on the page. There’s a subtlety I think readers are going to love as it deepens and enriches their experience of the game.
TL: *Blushes* Please, go on…
AIPT: How many stories can we expect, and is this a franchise with a bright future (or potential future) in comics?
AP: That is very much up to readers. I’d love to be associated with this franchise for a very long time, but the power really is in the hands of the fans of the game. For now, all I can and should focus on is making the best possible Cult of the Lamb graphic novel to satisfy existing and new fans. Beyond that, we’ll see.
Cover by Juan Gedeon. Courtesy of Oni Press.
TL: Based on the first few days of the Kickstarter and the general response online, I’m happy to imagine myself wearing the robes of the Cult for some time.
AIPT: What teasers or other tidbits can you share that might prepare us for the actual story?
AP: I mentioned earlier that we’re going to be seeing more of a followers’ perspective in this. One follower in particular is going to be our window into this world, and I can’t wait for readers to meet them.
AIPT: If you could adapt another video game into a comics project, what would it be and why?
AP: Spider-Man. I just think that character would translate brilliantly to the comics medium, and I’m amazed nobody’s thought of it.
TL: Can we get Geof Darrow to adapt Katamari Damacy? Can you imagine how cool that would be???
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