The Sacrificers, Vol. 1

The Sacrificers #1

by Rick Remender (Writer), Max Fiumara (Illustrator), Dave McCaig (Colorist)

Tomorrow is a harmonious paradise thanks to five families who make everything perfect... for the price of one child per household. Now, as that bill comes due, a son expected to give everything for a family that never loved him, and an affluent daughter determined to destroy utopia, must unite to end one generation's unnaturally protracted reign.

Collects issues #1-6

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Dystopia, Comic Book, Bande Dessinée

189 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Rick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(B+) 78% | Good
Notes: Starts real dense but does make sense, much look and genre blending, takes a bit to really hit, but solid issue endings.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-3 ◦ Issues #4-6

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of thoughts.

1. Max Fiumara's art is uniformly excellent. The world and its inhabitants are designed beautifully.

2. Remender certainly knows how to tell a story. Good characters, good pacing.

3. The story itself is okay. It's a bit derivative. There are several stories that it more or less copies; the one it reminds me the most of is The Dark Crystal.

4. Remender explains that he won't be explaining anything. He mentions David Lynch as his favourite storyteller. Lynch is one of my favourites too. That Lynch doesn't explain much in his work, seems to me one of the lesser interesting things about him. Lots of storytellers do this, explaining too much is bad writing. To me Lynch is great because his storytelling is intuitive, he plows the furrows of the subconscious. That's why his work can be so affecting, it bypasses the rational, hits you right in your subconscious fears. I don't see any of that in this book, which isn't what Remender is trying to do of course, it just feels like he's taking the less interesting things from Lynch.

5. The title is terrible. It's clunky and kind of childish, especially for dark fantasy like this.

6. Remender is quite ruthless with his characters, but he's not cruel to them. That's important; characters die, but not so much for shock.

7. I hate letter pages. They never fail to be self-indulgent. I understand Remender wanting to communicate with his readers, but publishing that communication feels performative. It ends up being pages and pages of arselicking. (I am guessing these letter pages won't be in the trade, though.)

8. I have some questions about the setup (I know, they won't be explained). If the deal is to have the sacrificed children feel joyous, why the whole doomy sacrifice thing? Why take the children and chain them together, lead them around like prisoners? It feels like that's purely happening for storytelling purposes, and it' feels inconsistent with the world building.

9. Not bad, overall.

(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork and colors with a dark story

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening issue reminded me of the first Conan movie! Kids getting hauled away over dangerous landscapes with the destination unknown. Eventually the scope of the story pulls back and we get to see the leaders of this land. The motivation for the leaders is a bit generic. Parts had me feeling like this is could be a demented Pixar movie (not a bad thing).

Pretty standard fantasy stuff throughout, but I enjoyed the world-building enough to continue with the series.

Also Max Fiumara the artist. I've read a few of his Hellboy universe comics, but this was a huge step up for him. Incredible work. I feel like the colorist Dave McCaig is a much better match for him with his vibrant colors than the somber palette of Hellboy

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best stuff Remender came up with. Extraordinary, worldbuilding is interesting and everything is even better when brought to life by Fiumara’s hand. Can’t wait to read more of this story.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting, if not completely original concept. What really makes this comic remarkable, however, is the absolutely STUNNING art of Max Fiumara and Dave McCaig. The character designs are gorgeous and really carried me through the whole book.

[Maia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is absolutely stunning, but the story is a bit too cruel and dark for me to really enjoy. This book takes the concept of the child sacrifice of Omelas and expands it out into a whole fantasy world, in which gods maintain their power through the consumption of innocents. The stunning color panel carried me though the first volume but I'm unlikely to pick up a second book.

[MrGlassWontBreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sacrificers is a dark dystopian fantasy comic book that explores themes of inequality, power, privilege, corruption, faith, and doubt.

It’s set in a unique, visually distinct world of anthropomorphic animals, where families and villages are forced to give up a child for sacrifice to the gods every twenty years. The children are taken by an emissary to a secret location, No one knows what happens to them after they are taken, or why the Sacrifice takes place, only that it must happen.

The world-building is exquisite, the writing and pacing are very good, lots of plot twists and epic reveals. The characters are complex and layered, reacting to their tragic situations like real people would. You’ll find yourself easily invested in their story and development. It kind of starts slow, but the story quickly picks up, becoming a whole lot more interesting as things get very very dark and gory after the first three chapters.

The art and character designs are excellent and refreshing, unlike anything I’ve seen before. The elemental inspiration for the physical appearance of the Gods was uniquely and masterfully done. Despite their unusual appearance, the characters' faces are still very expressive and convey emotion very well. The scenery and color work are fantastic, the artist did a great job bringing this dark but vibrant world to life.

This was an amazing read with a very unexpected ending. Either way, I’m hooked and will be picking up the next volume soon. Great read for anyone craving a great dark fantasy story

[Jakub Kvíz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant start to a new series. With this one Remender has solidify himself as my #3 among my favorite writers right after Brubaker and Lemire.

I am really interested to see how the story is gonna progress and the dynamic between the Pidgeon and the Princess.

The art is also great and fits the story perfectly.

Can’t wait for volume 2!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read more graphic novel reviews at The Graphic Library.

In a near utopia, the gods are about to come together for The Harvest Festival, which takes place only every twenty years. At that time, they demand a seemingly small price from the beings who enjoy the peace and prosperity of the world below. We follow Pigeon, one of those souls as he goes off to pay that price, not entirely certain what the gods will demand of him and the others who are with him. Within the castle of the gods is Soluna, young the daughter of the powerful sun and moon deities, who is eager to defy her father and eavesdrop on the business of the divine at her first Harvest Festival. However, she finds herself helplessly entwined in a much bigger power struggle between several gods and the souls from below.

This story is engrossing and emotional -- there are a couple of moments that will really tore my heart out, and I couldn't believe the cruelty or lack of compassion even though I knew it was coming. Remender lets the reader know that not everything is as it seems, but we still can't believe it when the shoe drops, and it's satisfying when everything starts to crumble around us. I found the animal-based characters to be beautifully imagined and the humanoid ones to be a little weird or haunting at times. Volume one leaves off in a decent cliffhanger, so I'm highly anticipating the long-off volume two.

The illustrations are beautifully colored and realized. I instantly felt myself whisked away to this fantasy world and unquestioningly part of this cast of characters, regardless of how fantastical some of them seemed. Fiumata has expertly crafted some wonderful characters and set them in a beautiful scene that makes me want to be part of this hauntingly stunning world.

Image rates this as Teen+, owing most likely to the violence and the suggested nudity of the moon goddess. This would be a great addition to most high school collections.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

[Emmy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bleak, depressing, and full of ugly characters (both inside and out). Not sure why I bothered finishing. I guess I kept hoping it would get better.

[Ed Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art really elevates what could be a "meh" story.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Remender takes the extremely dark concept of child sacrifices to feed the gods and extrapolates. Let's meet the kids. Let's meet the gods. Let's see the machinery of the sacrifice and the mean people who run it. And then, after the stage is set, let's maybe have an adventure.

So yeah, The Sacrificers isn't your typical "fun" comic book. It's pretty freakin' brutal. But, by the end, the table is set for Pigeon (former child sacrifice) and Soluna (daughter of the sun and moon gods) to have some kind of adventure-type-thing that maybe probably ends up overthrowing the gods.

Cool stuff! Cosmic politicking, plus human-level tragedy. Pigeon is pretty terrifically ground down, while Soluna is nicely established as a spoiled jerk. (Of course, the ending gives us a nice role reversal as Pigeon is gifted god juice that was extracted from now-decrepit Soluna) The gods and their relationships are intriguing, and the worlds below are ripe for exploration. The Sacrificers is a weird, very dark fantasy that feels a bit like an inverted version of more common quest narratives. I'm excited to see where it goes.

Oh, and I have to mention that it looks terrific. Though the brutality enacted on these poor bird people is not really fun to look at.

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sacrificers is set in an intriguing dark sci-fi/fantasy world where the elite social classes live as gods amongst the peasants who make up their fiefs. The story follows Pigeon, a humble lad from a salt-of-the-earth working class family of birdlike humanoids who is offered up as the annual sacrifice for some unknown ritual. The story unfolds slowly at first, methodically building up the tension as to what Pidgeon's fate is to be. The tension is palpable in the first half of this volume, with the horrific truth behind the fate of the sacrificers being a significant gut punch. The story also follows the perspective of a spoiled, bratty princess named Soluna, who offers a much more exploratory view of the fantasy setting.

The world of The Sacrificers is just as imaginative as Remender's previous fantasy series, Seven to Eternity, though the worldbuilding is much more subdued. Remender defers a lot to artist Max Fiumara to flesh out the fantastical setting, though this might be a case where a bit more exposition would have helped to understand some of the secondary characters a bit more. There's a lot accomplished by Fiumara's alluring designs, though I do hope future issues spend some time developing the setting and secondary characters further. The colors by Dave McCaig are sublime as well, and Rus Wooton as the letterer is reliable as always.

[WakesWithTheNight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I breezed through this volume on Hoopla. The art, including the character design, is marvelous. Every character is extremely unique and well thought out. The story, while not so unique in its premise, seems to have been perfectly set up by this first volume. There are several characters, locations, and story arcs that could sprout from this very book. It's an impressive showing, in my opinion. All in all, if you have that extra library slot, I'd recommend giving The Sacrificers a solid shot. If you are the type to buy volumes outright, check out the amazing art - I'm sure most comic enthusiasts will be dazzled by it alone.

[Estibaliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75, mostly for the gorgeous art.

The story is good enough in itself, with that fantasy barbarian world where kids are sacrificed to the gods, without anyone in the mortal realm knowing really what's going on.

This would have worked much better for me if Princess Soluna wasn't such an insufferable character, but the ending sure holds a lot of promise.

Revenge, sweet revenge...

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This dystopian science-fiction series offers a pretty familiar concept--if you've seen the "Chicken Run" sequel, you basically get the picture here.

We're in the midst of a utopian society, we're told, that can keep running as long as families periodically hand off one of their kids to a mysterious chain gang. That side of the story is dismal and grounded; it's paired with some "intrigues of the gods" style storytelling on what's basically Mount Olympus.

It's all competently done, and the art by Max Fiumara is rich and detailed, but I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters. They felt more like archetypes than individuals, and they're generally a nasty and/or abused lot to boot.

The story also flies off into a few scenes of flesh-rending violence that felt excessive and ungrounded. I've enjoyed some of Rick Remender's work in the past, but this one wasn't for me.

[Štěpán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Remender's fantasy comics from Image are my jam. I love the artists he chooses and what he does with them. Usually, there is some spin on the fantasy trope and it doesn't feel so generic, even though the tropes may be a little bit generic. He can subvert expectations and deliver a proper gut punch. And The Sacrificers are no exception from this. The story is intriguing, the setting is original and fantastic and the art is simply breathtaking. Max Fumiara is a beast. I will definitely get this book in Remender's large hardcover format, once it is finished because the first six issues were a good ride. One thing, which drags it a little bit down to me, is that we do not know much about the characters. Because of Remender's approach and inspiration in Lynch, which he says in the first issue, I think he shuffled some traditional story approaches to try something new. And so far, it works wonders.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Remender & Max Fiumara combine together on a look at gods, peasants, immortality, and sacrifice. They created a world ruled by gods and the lengths these gods will go to stay on top. The book is dark, sad, and incredibly interesting. Pigeon is a character that you can't help but root for and the gods are great antagonists because they are easy to root against but there are a lot of layers here. I wished their was more political intrigue these gods but it could be on the horizon. I also thought some of the characters choices were mundane. Fiumara's art was dynamic, inventive, and was a perfect fit for the story. Overall, a very good start to what I hope is an incredible series.

[Mendousse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Premier tome d'un dyptique de dark fantasy scénarisé par un de mes auteurs de comics préféré, Rick Remender.
Comme toujours avec lui, l'originalité est permanente. À la différence avec sa série précédente de dark fantasy, Seven to eternity, je trouve des échos d'une approche française de la fantasy. Parfois, je dirais que Loisel l'a même un peu inspiré.
Le dessin de Max Fiumara est très agréable, avec quelques très belles planches.

[Viemärin Ykä · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tunnelmapläjäys, brutaalia dystopiafantasiaa veikeillä eläinhahmoilla. Tarina ei ole järin uniikki, ja lukiessa huomasin juonielementtejä monista muista synkän fantasian klassikoista, esim. Dark Chrystal -elokuvasta. Teos yhdistelee fantasiatarinoiden palasia tyylitietoisesti ja lisää tarpeeksi uusia omia vivahteita. Tunnelma on parhaimmillaan kuin JRPG-peleissä ikään - suuren seikkailun tuntua, iloineen ja suruineen.

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I did see the twist (things won’t be great for the chosen ones) it is still a beautiful comic with a great cast of mixed characters from humanoids, devil knight things and bird people. The world is built really well, in that I don’t wonder how or why i just accept it is how it is, in the best way possible.

I am excited to read the next volume

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new series. I share more on this book in the video review found on my YT.
https://youtu.be/tFl6qKW53YY

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm impressed with how many twists and turns are packed into the 6 issues contained in this collection. It's a tale of gods and the cruel way they hang onto their power, as well as those "lesser beings" who are literal fuel for the fire. Max Fiumara's art really works in fleshing out the world. I will definitely be reading more.

[John Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting world building and the end of this volume seems to set up what the rest of the series will be. Very excited for the next volume which I feel will bring the world building from this volume properly into play.

[Rahul Nadella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always appreciated the way Remender goes about building the worlds in his stories. They always feel fully fleshed out, wildly unique, and populated with characters that make you want to care about what you're reading. The Sacrificers, while very deliberately paced, does not let down in that regard in the slightest, particularly when it comes to the character designs. I loved the way Fiumara drew the people who were made out of fire and Rokos was the standout. The art immediately let you know that this is an imposing, godlike and dutiful character and the conversation between him and his mistress hinted at so much more to come. The writing is engaging and intense. This book legitimately surprises me at least 3 times in the fifth issue, my well read mind making assumptions and predictions of where the story will go, that are proven dead wrong upon the page turn. Classic.

[Thom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received access to read this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The story thus far is brutal and depressing but it sets up some interesting story threads that I want to see followed up on in volume 2. The artwork is very good, particularly the character designs but dialogue leaves a little to be desired.

[Bus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno. Hace ya tiempo que me había bajado del carro de remender porque estaba harto de su moralina y su psicología positiva. Además de que cada vez me parecía menos especial y todo me recordaba a obras previas. Esta me parece otra cosa. Ese mundo que ha creado y esos personajes me parecen algo nuevo, diferente y con una fuerza enorme. A ver como sigue pero arranca muy muy bien

[Sarah AK · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine, but not really my style. I may or may not continue. It wasn't bad by any means, but it didn't feel particularly exciting or original. I got strong whiffs of both Hunger Games and Altered Carbon... but with Marvel-esque gods and... pigeons?

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Nothing blinds a soul more than the arrogance of a child born to affluence." (Foreman)

The only contraries that exist in a universe in which mortal fealty marries fear more closely than hope surely constitute the flaws and fallacies whose consequences are borne, overwhelmingly, by the have-nots. Alas, all universes are like this, are they not?

THE SACRIFICERS v1 tightens its grip around the misfortunes of the commonfolk, appraises them for their besotted faiths, and queries whether any measure of pain, suffering, death, or despair is worth their so-named confidence in their gods. Deep with fantasy and mythology, and dauntless with its grasp of the violent tools and schemes of the powerful, THE SACRIFICERS v1 is exotic and creepy lore whose only detriment is the sheer gravity and obviousness of its allegorical nature.

The sun god gathers the other deities, his rivals and his compatriots, because every so often, they convene to self-congratulate and revitalize their fixed view of the world they govern. These deities, however, are comfortable and fruitless. Indeed, the sea god's wife is a mermaid who refuses to go into the water. Do the eternal and eternally arrogant fear anything?

Of the commonfolk, readers encounter many. In the world of THE SACRIFICERS v1, beastfolk predominate: avian, reptilian, amphibian. Pigeon, a bird-folk, finds himself pushed and pulled along with several other sacrifices to the gods. He's a hard worker, and his relationship with his family is quite sour, but the young bird is not so affected with a fondness for the gods that he will forgive their multitudinous slights (e.g., ignoring mortal suffering, preying on the infirm, glorifying sloth and slovenly deeds). Pigeon is his own person; he is well aware that if something appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

What happens when the commonfolk cross paths with the deities? (And the difference in power suddenly becomes negligible?) What happens when the devoted and the faithful are rebuked for their dedication? (And opportunism and greed feed a growing disgust?) What happens when the balance of authority, of divine punishment, changes hands? (And silent disinterest quickly churns into vocal discontent?) Readers are about to find out.

THE SACRIFICERS v1 wields a very determined and very cryptic aesthetic whose heavy shadows and outlines mirror the story's occasional bouts of immense grotesque and misanthropy. For example, the head foreman who collects mortal sacrifices for the gods commands corrupted homunculi as his foot soldiers. Even scenes of ritualistic glory (e.g., rejuvenated gods delighting at a dinner party, an evening dance from the moon goddess) echo with haunting blues, melancholy greens, and bright reds and oranges that suffocate.

But who knows, perhaps the corrupt and ungrateful, when they finally meet the bitter and emboldened consequences of their actions, will feel compelled to do better.

Or, maybe, they'll do what they have always done: make things worse.