Written by David Hazan
Art by Cecilia Lo Valvo
Colors by Marissa Louise
Letters by Lucas Gattoni
Published by Mad Cave Studios

Magic is fucking real.

Kerra

“Magic is all but extinct. When the last ailing wizard casts a final desperate spell to summon the descendants of ancient bloodlines to a school for magic now in disrepair…those chosen ones find a horror of the likes they’ve never experienced. They will have to confront the deepest parts of themselves, their tragic pasts, and defeat each other in order to survive the ordeal.”

This story is bonkers good. Like holy hell. We’ve got a new world of magic to explore and rules to learn because trying to use magic your own way has consequences. I got sucked in immediately by our old, wizened wizard, Homunculus. Like in many fantasy stories involving magic, he kicks things off and sends our potential heroes over the threshold in their lives to his castle to learn about magic and take on the mantle as the next generation of wizards. But not all stories should be told the same way and David takes a look at the darker side of stories. Just as the tale may twist our main characters, we will see the art works in magical ways to do the same.

Even more than that, these people are all ripped out of very tough spots in their lives, with some being very close to death. In one issue I’m already attached to several of these characters and intrigued by their history. The mysteries surrounding this world and the magic system have me so excited for more of the story.

Cecilia Lo Valvo’s art is dark and gritty and yet also packed with dynamic action sequences, incredible emotional depictions, and some wild scenes that I never expected to see depicted in a comic. This is the first time I’ve seen Cecilia’s artwork and I already know I need more. In terms of paneling, there is not a single standard type of paneling employed in the comic and I love that they have made that decision.

Marissa Louise’s colors are impressively dark, yet bold. They drive the tonal mood of the comic and push the mysticism to new levels. Lucas Gattoni has the most impressive lettering I’ve seen since Jérôme Gagnon’s in Granite State Punk. Sound effects come off the page in a guttural scream and don’t play by the typical lettering standards in such a good way.

David Hazan and company have the next big magical hit on their hands here. Each creator is firing on all cylinders and think so far outside of the boxes on the page that they deliver a huge payoff. The final page will leave you reeling and clamoring for more.

David Hazan does not just write comics, he writes masterpieces and works with some of the best talent in comics. If you loved his work on Nottingham or if you’re a fan of dark fantasy magic, you need this comic in your life.

Rating: 10/10

Monomyth #1 releases May 3, 2023!