Hope is a fleeting feeling for the Knights of Mourning. But the knightly order are willing to bet everything on their last chance of salvation. In search of a hero to rekindle the flame, these knights turn to the Mother of Lilies, a soulless mummified saint with legends about her ability to restore balance to the world. The knights believe that her lost soul will resurrect her and bring them their sought-after champion to guide them to solace. But madness looms in every knight’s mind and this long-awaited goal might not be what it once seemed… Dark Souls: Mother of Mourning #1 kicks off new fantasy adventure in the world of Dark Souls, it just takes an issue to get anywhere.

I’ve never played a Dark Souls game, but have read a few of the comics released. Generally, I think the comics have been excellent delivering a dark, tense, fantasy horror. Dark Souls: Mother of Mourning #1 debuts with more of that vibe as a trio of knights go on a quest in a final act of desperation to save the world. Written by George Mann, Dark Souls: Mother of Mourning #1 is a decent start. It introduces the characters and we get to know them. There’s a clear focus on the rather dour situation and you get a sense of desperation. It sets the mood really well. But the adventure takes a while to get there. The comic is a slag in some ways, stringing things out until the final few pages when the adventure really begins. This is very much the text crawl at the beginning of the film setting things up so we can see how far things have fallen. It’s rather slow but it’s still really well done.

The art by Maan House is the treat of the debut issue. With color by Steve Canon and lettering by Andworld Design, the comic is a mood, a dark, depressing, cold, dour, mood. Much of the issue is spent nailing that down, opening with better times and then transitioning to the world as it exists today. The detail of the art is fantastic with imagery that sucks you in for every small detail. This is a comic where every choice adds a little something, even if it’s to just enhance the setting and general vibe. The character too look great, still feeling knightly and “conservative” in a way compared to the rest of the world. The visuals, along with the dialogue, for them creates a stiff feel to them, but also one of honor and driven by mission, even when faced with the world they live in.

Dark Souls: Mother of Mourning #1 is a good comic. Don’t let that “read’ recommendation hold you back if you’re interested. The issue with this first issue is it feels like it spends far too much time focused on the setting and catching readers up as to the state of the world and what once existed. The adventure barely begins by the issue’s end. It’s likely as a single issue this one doesn’t excite too much, but when read collected, it’ll flow nicely right into the next chapter and what’s teased at the end.

Story: George Mann Art: Maan House
Color: Steve Canon Lettering: Andworld Design
Story: 7.5 Art: 9.0 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Titan Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle