Publisher: Magma Comix
Writer(s): Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing
Artist: Eamon Winkle
Colorist: Jay Fotos
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Release Date: 3rd April 2024

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On sale this week as part of new publisher Magma Comix’s first slate of comic book releases, The Principles of Necromancy sees acclaimed writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing (aka “Hivemind”) teaming up with rising star artist Eamon Winkle to introduce us to the world of Doctor Jakob Eyes, the world’s first necromancer.

Set in a non-magical fantasy realm, this first issue picks things up with the mysterious “City King” having driven the savage barbarian hordes into the wilderness where now they lay in wait, plotting their next attack against their heavily-armored and martially superior adversaries. Suddenly, out of the woods walks the aforementioned Doctor, offering his assistance to the clan’s badly injured Chief and kickstarting a twisted foray into a rapidly escalating world of macabre medical practices and grotesque body horror.

As first issues go, this one grabs the reader by the throat right from the opening pages. Jakob Eyes is an utterly chilling character, with cold glass eyes and a calm, dispassionate demeanor. Having one of the aforementioned barbarians narrating the issue works wonders in term of establishing this sense of uneasy awe as we watch him from a distance, and seeing the Doctor’s practices becoming gradually more and more grotesque with each barbarian defeat makes for a truly mesmerizing read.

On the visual side of things, Winkle (who I’ll admit to not having any prior knowledge of) absolutely knocks it out of the park, seamlessly transitioning from fairly traditional fantasy bloodletting to eye-widening moments of pure unadulterated body horror.  The level of detail on display is impressive, and colourist Jay Fotos does a great job of underscoring the more gruesome visual moments with flashes of crimson amidst the otherwise gray and washed-out backdrop. For a story like this, it’s vitally important that the visual horror lands effectively, and whether it’s stitched-together monstrosities or Doctor Eyes’ horrifyingly grotesque take on a “plague mask”, it’s safe to say that the artistic team more than hold up their end of the bargain here.

This is a first issue that would almost work perfectly as a standalone one-shot, but it’s clear that Kelly and Lanzing have bigger plans in store for the “good” Doctor, including gradually moving him from the outskirts of civilization to the court of the City King himself. You can consider me well and truly hooked, and while I’m not sure how successful Doctor Jakob Eyes’ attempts to “cure death” altogether are going to be, you can bet your ass that I’m going to be right there waiting to find out.  Boasting stomach-churning visuals and a deeply unsettling premise, this series is one hell of a statement of intent for Magma Comix, and deserves your immediate attention.

Rating: 4/5.

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[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]

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The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
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