In an alternative future, a cult worshipping a Lovecraftian squid type elder god brings forth the dark deity’s reign upon Earth. The world changes in the bad way good guys of literature and film fought to prevent. Enter a nanite enhanced (Nanites: the equivalent to mutant power of the last two decades) soldier for hire. A gang boss wants to kidnap the Squid princess (Squid being the worship of the tentacle gods) and sent the evil gods packing. To do so he enlists the soldier, called a Squidder, to do so.

The story and the art reflect one another quite well. By that I mean the art looks like it has the vestiges of something good, but it has been diluted. The illustrations in the book look like they are fourteen lines away from taking full form. Sure, the use of tones, shades, and showing provides a haunting look, yet the overall impact of the art leaves one guessing as to what is going on in each panel. And I did like the way the face of the high priest looks like a skull as the acolyte outstretches his arms on page three. Too many other stylized panels (like the gunfight) made comprehension a chore.

The story does the same. There are general story ideas present, but there’s no fine detailing to flush out the core of the plot. The word “squid” appears in so many forms that readers will not be able to follow the true intent of the language.

The kernels of some interesting story elements appear in the comic: elder gods, scientifically enhanced soldiers, and futuristic mob gang bosses just to name a few. The creative team behind this book throws way too much at the audience from the onset, resulting in a lot of confusing elements to be deciphered before a true enjoyment of the book could be achieved.

Score: 2/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Ben Templesmith Publisher: IDW/44Flood Price: $3.99 Release Date: 7/16/14 Format: Print/Digital