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Sacred Lamb
A meta-horror story about survival, obsession, men, women, and chainsaws.
Sacred Lamb is a secret town where the survivors of endemic slasher killers (think real-world Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger) reside in a 'witness protection' to stop innocent people from being murdered when the inevitable 'sequel' occurs and the slasher returns from the dead.
Social media influencer Kellyn West, who just recently dispatched "her" own slasher killer Clay Coogan on a live stream, is the newest resident. Feeling more locked away than protected behind the barbed wire fenced-in town, where the government has hidden away these E.V.s ("Endemic Victims") since the slasher spree started in the 1970s, Kellyn has to team with an old woman, and the original Survivor Girl, known only as "The Babysitter" to rally the EVes and survive as an army of slashers start showing up, seemingly back from the dead, and back for blood.
From NY Times bestselling author TIM SEELEY (Hack/Slash) and artist Jelena Ðordevic (Killiamsburgh).
Sacred Lamb is a secret town where the survivors of endemic slasher killers (think real-world Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger) reside in a 'witness protection' to stop innocent people from being murdered when the inevitable 'sequel' occurs and the slasher returns from the dead.
Social media influencer Kellyn West, who just recently dispatched "her" own slasher killer Clay Coogan on a live stream, is the newest resident. Feeling more locked away than protected behind the barbed wire fenced-in town, where the government has hidden away these E.V.s ("Endemic Victims") since the slasher spree started in the 1970s, Kellyn has to team with an old woman, and the original Survivor Girl, known only as "The Babysitter" to rally the EVes and survive as an army of slashers start showing up, seemingly back from the dead, and back for blood.
From NY Times bestselling author TIM SEELEY (Hack/Slash) and artist Jelena Ðordevic (Killiamsburgh).
168 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2023
2 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Tim Seeley
1,698 books618 followersTim Seeley is a comic book artist and writer known for his work on books such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, The Dark Elf Trilogy, Batman Eternal and Grayson. He is also the co-creator of the Image Comics titles Hack/Slash[1] and Revival, as well as the Dark Horse titles, ExSanguine and Sundowners. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
October 24, 2022
A cool idea with poor presentation. It's about a secret town in the middle of nowhere for survivors of slashers. The victims are called Eve's and live the rest of their lives in this small walled town, away from their serial killers. Then the latest "Eve" arrives and people start dying. The storytelling is very uneven and slow. I expected a lot better from Seeley, who typically writes several comics at a time. The art was very old-fashioned looking and kind of fugly.
May 28, 2023
Sacred Lamb involves one of my personal favorite horror tropes: it follows "final girls" (or, in this case "Eves") after their slasher run-ins. Unfortunately, I didn't think it was executed so well in this instance! The characters all felt pretty flat and shallow, and we didn't get to see much of the trauma response that you would expect from portrayals of characters who have undergone such awful circumstances. I'm not saying I enjoy seeing final girls suffer, but it's only realistic to expect more awareness and concern from these women than what we got.
I also have to admit that the art was not my cup of tea at all, and some of the plot pieces felt like threads that never quite tied up. I was left with quite a few questions in the end, and then the abrupt cliffhanger was a bit pointless as well. There's also something to be said about the casual inclusion of a cis gay man in the "women's group" and the trope of the magical Black woman saving the day, but by now you're getting the gist.
All of that aside, I was intrigued enough to stay invested in the story, I enjoyed Kellyn as a main character (especially getting to see her delve into what led her to become an influencer in the first place), and I always love seeing women rooting each other on, especially in the face of misogyny.
Despite having a few redeeming qualities, at the end of the day, the good didn't outweigh the bad for me with Sacred Lamb, and I won't be recommending this title when there are so many other better horror graphics in the world.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: one gay side character, multiple side characters of color
✨ Content warnings for:
———
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I also have to admit that the art was not my cup of tea at all, and some of the plot pieces felt like threads that never quite tied up. I was left with quite a few questions in the end, and then the abrupt cliffhanger was a bit pointless as well. There's also something to be said about the casual inclusion of a cis gay man in the "women's group" and the trope of the magical Black woman saving the day, but by now you're getting the gist.
All of that aside, I was intrigued enough to stay invested in the story, I enjoyed Kellyn as a main character (especially getting to see her delve into what led her to become an influencer in the first place), and I always love seeing women rooting each other on, especially in the face of misogyny.
Despite having a few redeeming qualities, at the end of the day, the good didn't outweigh the bad for me with Sacred Lamb, and I won't be recommending this title when there are so many other better horror graphics in the world.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: one gay side character, multiple side characters of color
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
November 18, 2022
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
This was a really cool idea and there was definitely a decent story in here somewhere but I felt like a lot of it was really awkward and convoluted and I'm sorry to say it but the art style is just awful. Proportions are all off and the coloring is weird and patchy as well. Maybe it was supposed to make it look like some kind of old school indie comic? Whatever the reason behind it, it was just awful to look at and really kept distracting me the whole time I was reading.
This was a really cool idea and there was definitely a decent story in here somewhere but I felt like a lot of it was really awkward and convoluted and I'm sorry to say it but the art style is just awful. Proportions are all off and the coloring is weird and patchy as well. Maybe it was supposed to make it look like some kind of old school indie comic? Whatever the reason behind it, it was just awful to look at and really kept distracting me the whole time I was reading.
October 6, 2022
You know how there were like six Friday the 13th movies and Jason kept like resurrecting and going on killing sprees, even after he had been frozen in outer space? That's what this book is like. It has the same vibes as 80s horror movies that didn't age the best. I don't entirely understand the supernatural elements of this and I didn't enjoy the art style.
November 28, 2022
Bad. Just... bad.
October 27, 2022
For fans of Riley Sager's The Final Girls and Grady Hendrix's Final Girl Support Group, Sacred Lamb is a gory thriller that I think many readers are going to love. The premise of this story is one that we have started to see pop up more often. Surviving "Final Girls" gather together to build community and hopefully heal from the trauma of their ordeals living through different massacres through the years. When one of their own turns up dead and in a very public way, they know that they aren't being given the whole truth.
There are a lot of moving pieces to this story, but they culminate in a fast-paced horror showdown.. The characters in this collection (although have their own backstory) felt reminiscent of some of my favorite final girls. Sacred Lamb takes the prize as one of my favorite graphic novels this year (and this book doesn't even come out until 2023). Check this graphic novel out as soon as you can, because its worth it!
There are a lot of moving pieces to this story, but they culminate in a fast-paced horror showdown.. The characters in this collection (although have their own backstory) felt reminiscent of some of my favorite final girls. Sacred Lamb takes the prize as one of my favorite graphic novels this year (and this book doesn't even come out until 2023). Check this graphic novel out as soon as you can, because its worth it!
October 18, 2022
This graphic novel started off with a bang and just kept going - it was fantastic. The story follows a group of women who have been the victims of slashers, think Ghostface or Freddy Krueger, killers like that. They have all been cut off from friends and family and taken to a compound called Sacred Lamb. Here they will live out the rest of their lives together. But then weird things start happening at Sacred Lamb. And then all hell breaks lose. No spoilers here, you'll have to read this one and find out for yourself how it ends.
November 2, 2023
I don't even remember what possessed me to ask for this book back in August 2022. I only finished reading this graphic novel so I could confidently eview it and try to steer others away from my mistake. Really, really wish I could give it zero stars but one is damning enough I suppose.
I have no idea what the hell is up lately with men enjoying writing stories about "final girls", AKA torture porn for the girls who were already torture porn'd. Usually these stories or books, when handled by women or a man who has a woman in his life that he actually listens to, can have some wonderful moments in them, powerful moments but this just... felt like one weak attempt.
Not even twenty percent in and one of the male characters is already looking at the main character and, rather than saying "you're like a celebrity to these people!" he was written to say "you're like a porn star". And later, this same character is tied up in wrapping paper and nearly sexually assaulted. Weeee men stop writing female sexual assault stoylines 2023. I don't care who helped you, it's always tone deaf and I'm always left laughing at how stupid you sound.
I have nothing good or nice to say other than don't read it. There's so many other quality stories you could be reading, written by women or nonbinary people or by men about men, who want their rage and anger to be heard. Not some bullshit done in the name of... i don't know, whatever this garbage was.
**Thank you to NetGalley & TKO Presents for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
I have no idea what the hell is up lately with men enjoying writing stories about "final girls", AKA torture porn for the girls who were already torture porn'd. Usually these stories or books, when handled by women or a man who has a woman in his life that he actually listens to, can have some wonderful moments in them, powerful moments but this just... felt like one weak attempt.
Not even twenty percent in and one of the male characters is already looking at the main character and, rather than saying "you're like a celebrity to these people!" he was written to say "you're like a porn star". And later, this same character is tied up in wrapping paper and nearly sexually assaulted. Weeee men stop writing female sexual assault stoylines 2023. I don't care who helped you, it's always tone deaf and I'm always left laughing at how stupid you sound.
I have nothing good or nice to say other than don't read it. There's so many other quality stories you could be reading, written by women or nonbinary people or by men about men, who want their rage and anger to be heard. Not some bullshit done in the name of... i don't know, whatever this garbage was.
**Thank you to NetGalley & TKO Presents for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
March 12, 2023
well that was brutal.
Sacred Lamb is a pretty gory thriller/horror about a secret town with the same name in the middle of nowhere for slasher survivors. Some victims have been in the facility for decades, but we learn of Sacrad Lamb's existence along with Kellyn West, the famous unboxing influencer. After she survives an attack by her slasher and is assigned to stay in the city for her own safety.
In parts, the graphic novel feels reminiscent of 80s horror movies, even the illustrations resemble the classic, grimy style of old comic books.
I felt like the story opened up very dynamic and thrilling, but when the supernatural elements were introduced, it pretty much lost me completely.
Not something I would usually pick up, but I wouldn't say I regret reading it.
Thank you Netgalley, TKO Studios and the author Tim Seeley for the opportunity to read this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sacred Lamb is a pretty gory thriller/horror about a secret town with the same name in the middle of nowhere for slasher survivors. Some victims have been in the facility for decades, but we learn of Sacrad Lamb's existence along with Kellyn West, the famous unboxing influencer. After she survives an attack by her slasher and is assigned to stay in the city for her own safety.
In parts, the graphic novel feels reminiscent of 80s horror movies, even the illustrations resemble the classic, grimy style of old comic books.
I felt like the story opened up very dynamic and thrilling, but when the supernatural elements were introduced, it pretty much lost me completely.
Not something I would usually pick up, but I wouldn't say I regret reading it.
Thank you Netgalley, TKO Studios and the author Tim Seeley for the opportunity to read this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and TKO Studios for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I was delighted with this campy, gory, meta novel about a bunch of tough "final girls" who all move to a (prison-like) town to stay safe from their otherworldly attackers. This would be a place where, for example, Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie Strode might hide out to avoid repeated attacks from Michael Myers. It's an intriguing premise, carried out perfectly. It's silly at times, over-the-top, and quite scary. The main character, a social media influencer famous for opening packages, is the most recent arrival to Sacred Lamb, the protected town. But after she arrives, things begin to go downhill.
I only wish I had known the premise of the novel before I started it, because it took me a little while to catch on. I've enjoyed just about every horror franchise, so the tropes and characters were wonderfully familiar. I especially liked how strong the women of the town were, particularly MC Kellyn. There were some nods to feminism as well, when Kellyn refuses to take the blame, or to make herself small, to fit the needs of the various men (and killers) in the novel. I only wish I had gotten to know some of the characters a little better. Sacred Lamb has a large group of women, and I would have enjoyed more time with each of them, especially Kellyn.
This book is highly recommended for fans of horror, especially those who have seen ALL the movies. It kept me guessing right up to the very end. I give it 8/10 stars.
I only wish I had known the premise of the novel before I started it, because it took me a little while to catch on. I've enjoyed just about every horror franchise, so the tropes and characters were wonderfully familiar. I especially liked how strong the women of the town were, particularly MC Kellyn. There were some nods to feminism as well, when Kellyn refuses to take the blame, or to make herself small, to fit the needs of the various men (and killers) in the novel. I only wish I had gotten to know some of the characters a little better. Sacred Lamb has a large group of women, and I would have enjoyed more time with each of them, especially Kellyn.
This book is highly recommended for fans of horror, especially those who have seen ALL the movies. It kept me guessing right up to the very end. I give it 8/10 stars.
September 11, 2022
Sacred Lamb is a secret town, the refuge of survivors of endemic slasher killers. It’s a sort of witness protection to save the victims from being murdered in the inevitable slasher sequels when the killer returns from the dead.
Kellyn West is a social media star, who recently dispatched her own slasher killer on a live stream. She’s the new resident in the town and when an army of slashers turn up to kill these survivors, she must team up with the O.G E.V’s (endemic victims) to survive once more.
The plot of this meta-horror graphic novel sounded so good so I had to read it. I’m a huge fan of slasher horrors (I’ve my step/dad to blame for this as he introduced me to the slasher greats like Mike Meyers and Jason Voorhees!) and I really wanted to like this! None of the E.V’s were likeable and I didn’t connect with any of them.
The story definitely made me think of Grady Hendrix’s Final Girls Support Group. The art work is good, but the story itself just seemed to be lacking in terms of real wow factor. Kellyn is portrayed as a sex object and I know that is seen in a lot of the slasher movies but as a story set in the present day, its just outdated and falls flat.
I did enjoy the back stories for each of the E.V’s but couldn’t get past the cheesy language and weird elements that jarred with the rest of the story.
3 stars. If you want a graphic novel that is an homage to the slasher movies of the past, this might be for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the arc.
Kellyn West is a social media star, who recently dispatched her own slasher killer on a live stream. She’s the new resident in the town and when an army of slashers turn up to kill these survivors, she must team up with the O.G E.V’s (endemic victims) to survive once more.
The plot of this meta-horror graphic novel sounded so good so I had to read it. I’m a huge fan of slasher horrors (I’ve my step/dad to blame for this as he introduced me to the slasher greats like Mike Meyers and Jason Voorhees!) and I really wanted to like this! None of the E.V’s were likeable and I didn’t connect with any of them.
The story definitely made me think of Grady Hendrix’s Final Girls Support Group. The art work is good, but the story itself just seemed to be lacking in terms of real wow factor. Kellyn is portrayed as a sex object and I know that is seen in a lot of the slasher movies but as a story set in the present day, its just outdated and falls flat.
I did enjoy the back stories for each of the E.V’s but couldn’t get past the cheesy language and weird elements that jarred with the rest of the story.
3 stars. If you want a graphic novel that is an homage to the slasher movies of the past, this might be for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the arc.
September 3, 2022
I will begin by saying while I occasionally read horror books and watch horror films, it's not my favorite genre by any means. That being said, I know enough to be able to identify a lot of conventions within horror stories. What Tim Seeley has done with Sacred Lamb is turn said horror conventions on their head. With each chapter in the story, every time I thought I knew where the story was going and had figured something things out, Seeley surprised me and took it a different way. The art was the weakest part of the graphic novel, but it was more of a personal preference to how the artist rendered the characters faces. The storytelling was great and some it comes down to a cosmetic issue for me. I'd love to see more stories from the world. TKO Studios is making a habit of putting out great stories, as I've enjoyed everything, I have read from them so far.
Special thanks to TKO Studios and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
Special thanks to TKO Studios and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
September 9, 2022
My first impressions, the cover is okay. Not very spooky or horror-like, but do not let this prevent you from giving this book a try. I absolutely loved it, I devoured it in two days!
Starring Kellyn West, a social media influencer. She is being hunted by a serial killer. An officer of the law saves her and helps her get to Sacred Lamb, a secret town where the survivors of killers live in safety and comfort.
Kellyn makes some friends and enemies in this town, as she struggles to settle into her new life. We follow along as the stories of the victims become known to us. And wouldn’t you know it, Sacred Lamb isn’t what it is meant to be.
Thank you #NetGalley and TKO Presents for sending me a copy of #SacredLamb to read and review.
Starring Kellyn West, a social media influencer. She is being hunted by a serial killer. An officer of the law saves her and helps her get to Sacred Lamb, a secret town where the survivors of killers live in safety and comfort.
Kellyn makes some friends and enemies in this town, as she struggles to settle into her new life. We follow along as the stories of the victims become known to us. And wouldn’t you know it, Sacred Lamb isn’t what it is meant to be.
Thank you #NetGalley and TKO Presents for sending me a copy of #SacredLamb to read and review.
December 12, 2022
Social Media has affected our lives in so many ways that now it is impossible to think life without it. It has its advantages but more disadvantages. The book focuses on the same thing. The plot picks up from the start with some interesting scenes, but it would not let you sit down for a second. With every page , the heat and mystery intensifies and ends with a buzzing climax. Graphics are exceptionally good.
Definitely a 5 star rated book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Definitely a 5 star rated book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
April 1, 2023
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the DRC!
I was so looking forward to this before I opened it and I was shocked when I saw the rating it had on here. After reading it, I can't help but disagree. The plot points were either ridiculous or nonsensical and the art didn't really add anything to it. I found myself by the end of the book still not knowing people's name or what they had done. This should have been a memorable story but the other was too focused on his influencer hero that he didn't do much with the rest of the book.
I was so looking forward to this before I opened it and I was shocked when I saw the rating it had on here. After reading it, I can't help but disagree. The plot points were either ridiculous or nonsensical and the art didn't really add anything to it. I found myself by the end of the book still not knowing people's name or what they had done. This should have been a memorable story but the other was too focused on his influencer hero that he didn't do much with the rest of the book.
September 15, 2022
Thankyou to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Sacred Lamb by Tim Seeley. This is a horror graphic novel about a town where serial-killer survivors go to seek refuge and go into hiding. It was super entertaining from start to finish and I’d definitely reccomend!
June 2, 2023
DNF
This was not it. I've enjoyed some of Tim Seeley's work in the past, and was excited to read this. The premise sounds like something right up my alley as well, but it just didn't work for me.
The main character was portrayed as the stereotypical unlikeable and vapid influencer, and the art was just not great to look at.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the DRC.
This was not it. I've enjoyed some of Tim Seeley's work in the past, and was excited to read this. The premise sounds like something right up my alley as well, but it just didn't work for me.
The main character was portrayed as the stereotypical unlikeable and vapid influencer, and the art was just not great to look at.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the DRC.
May 4, 2024
Cool premise, poorly executed. Like with any slasher film, there were some cool surprise moments, but overall not well done.
May 15, 2023
I enjoyed this book less than I hoped I would when I requested it, but more than I thought I was going to after the first 30 pages or so. I enjoyed the clarity of the art style (I never had trouble telling the characters apart) and the concept was phenomenal. That said, occasional beats rang awkwardly for me, and the message was a bit muddy in places. That said, if this is ever adapted for screen I'd love to see it (except, and this is very subjective, I'd skip the last page or so).
November 14, 2022
Sacred Lamb is set in a secret town where the survivors of slashers can be protected. It is a witness protection type of program that is meant to prevent sequels. The art style works really well with this style of story. I found myself unable to walk away from the story. I am super excited to get my hands on this trade and kicking myself for missing the single issue release.
4 stars
4 stars
February 20, 2024
I thought the concept was super interesting, but with the art style and the cringey dialogue I wasn’t too wowed by it.
March 2, 2023
This was an interesting take on the final girls' trope. I got walking dead meets final girl support group vibes from it. I just wish is was a bit longer. I felt like the story was rushed and the influencer stereotype was a bit tongue-in-cheek.
November 2, 2022
This is an adult horror graphic novel centring murder survivors and a government conspiracy with a revenge sub plot.
*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*
Loved the opening scene, it immediately pulled me into the story and intrigued me. It made me think about where the story could go next. I didn’t like the way the security guards sexualised the MC but I get that was to show they were shitty men. I thought the group meeting was a good way to introduce all of the characters and I enjoyed learning about each of their backgrounds.
I liked how quickly the women formed relationships with eachother and the community they built and the whole “girl power” thing they had going on. I liked that the women finally got payback for being victimised by their killers. I also really liked the surprise revenge subplot towards the end of the book, I was really not expecting that and I thought that was fun and it tied in well. The ending kind of confused me though.
But, let’s get down to the issues I have with this book. I didn’t like that in Victoria’s backstory, the killer was made out to be a deformed child that had been abandoned by its mother because of its disability. I thought it was a very ableist plot line that just didn’t need to be there. Considering she was a nun, the author could have written the killer as a demon rather than writing them as a deformed child.
The language that Gennaro used when he was talking to the male security guards about the women was super uncomfortable. Using the phrase “imprinting on” instead of “touching/having sex with” was just…. weird. Also, when Gennaro was confessing to Ethan that he was in love with Diana, the use of the word “spooky” in his description of her really should not have been included. When you think about the connotations of that word, it definitely should not have been used as a descriptive word for a black character.
All of the issues I mentioned could have definitely been avoided and I would’ve rated this book a lot higher if they weren’t included.
TWs/CWs - Ableism; Acid attack; Blood; Body Horror; Cussing; Death of a loved one; Drug use (weed); Fire/Fire Injury; Gore; Misogyny; Murder; Nudity; Self harm; Stalking; Suicide ideation
*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*
Loved the opening scene, it immediately pulled me into the story and intrigued me. It made me think about where the story could go next. I didn’t like the way the security guards sexualised the MC but I get that was to show they were shitty men. I thought the group meeting was a good way to introduce all of the characters and I enjoyed learning about each of their backgrounds.
I liked how quickly the women formed relationships with eachother and the community they built and the whole “girl power” thing they had going on. I liked that the women finally got payback for being victimised by their killers. I also really liked the surprise revenge subplot towards the end of the book, I was really not expecting that and I thought that was fun and it tied in well. The ending kind of confused me though.
But, let’s get down to the issues I have with this book. I didn’t like that in Victoria’s backstory, the killer was made out to be a deformed child that had been abandoned by its mother because of its disability. I thought it was a very ableist plot line that just didn’t need to be there. Considering she was a nun, the author could have written the killer as a demon rather than writing them as a deformed child.
The language that Gennaro used when he was talking to the male security guards about the women was super uncomfortable. Using the phrase “imprinting on” instead of “touching/having sex with” was just…. weird. Also, when Gennaro was confessing to Ethan that he was in love with Diana, the use of the word “spooky” in his description of her really should not have been included. When you think about the connotations of that word, it definitely should not have been used as a descriptive word for a black character.
All of the issues I mentioned could have definitely been avoided and I would’ve rated this book a lot higher if they weren’t included.
TWs/CWs - Ableism; Acid attack; Blood; Body Horror; Cussing; Death of a loved one; Drug use (weed); Fire/Fire Injury; Gore; Misogyny; Murder; Nudity; Self harm; Stalking; Suicide ideation
November 6, 2022
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Trigger warning for misogyny, violence against women, and self-harm.)
-- 3.5 stars --
"They put us together so we weren't dangerous. They fucked up."
When YouTube influencer Kellyn West is attacked by one of her 9.2 million fans, she prevails - kind of. After smashing her would-be slasher Clay Coogan to bloody bits with a backhoe, a "secret judge" declares Kellyn an "Eve" - short for "endemic victim" - and sends her to Sacred Lamb, a sort of witness protection compound for similar survivors. Based on the theory that such savage and widespread violence is like a bug, Eves are sentenced to Sacred Lamb as much for society's protection as their own, to prevent the collateral damage that copycats and versions of the slashers "previously unknown to science" (whatever that means) might wreak.
While there, Kellyn meets the very first Eve - Diana Grell, the infamous babysitter who survived the Soulsaver massacre, and inspired the Soulsaver Act of 1979. She's as creepy as you'd think, pushing a baby doll around in a squeaky stroller and popping into other survivors' houses uninvited. But when everyone's victimizers are resurrected within Sacred Lamb's walls - even those declared legally dead - Diana might be the Eves' best shot at survival. Well, that and their own audacity.
SACRED LAMB is a bit of a mixed bag. You can tell that the story wants to make a Larger Point about society: whether it's the folly and cruelty inherent in victim blaming, or the dangers of misinformation, "fake news," and conspiracy theories, all of which seem to spread like a contagion. And it does succeed, to a degree - but ultimately I felt like some of the more supernatural elements of SACRED LAMB distracted from the social critique.
I do so love seeing a bunch of incel, would-be slashers getting their asses handed to them by a group of women who were deemed to be damaged goods, and then locked away for their own good (echoes of institutionalization, anyone?) - despite having survived the first round.
-- 3.5 stars --
"They put us together so we weren't dangerous. They fucked up."
When YouTube influencer Kellyn West is attacked by one of her 9.2 million fans, she prevails - kind of. After smashing her would-be slasher Clay Coogan to bloody bits with a backhoe, a "secret judge" declares Kellyn an "Eve" - short for "endemic victim" - and sends her to Sacred Lamb, a sort of witness protection compound for similar survivors. Based on the theory that such savage and widespread violence is like a bug, Eves are sentenced to Sacred Lamb as much for society's protection as their own, to prevent the collateral damage that copycats and versions of the slashers "previously unknown to science" (whatever that means) might wreak.
While there, Kellyn meets the very first Eve - Diana Grell, the infamous babysitter who survived the Soulsaver massacre, and inspired the Soulsaver Act of 1979. She's as creepy as you'd think, pushing a baby doll around in a squeaky stroller and popping into other survivors' houses uninvited. But when everyone's victimizers are resurrected within Sacred Lamb's walls - even those declared legally dead - Diana might be the Eves' best shot at survival. Well, that and their own audacity.
SACRED LAMB is a bit of a mixed bag. You can tell that the story wants to make a Larger Point about society: whether it's the folly and cruelty inherent in victim blaming, or the dangers of misinformation, "fake news," and conspiracy theories, all of which seem to spread like a contagion. And it does succeed, to a degree - but ultimately I felt like some of the more supernatural elements of SACRED LAMB distracted from the social critique.
I do so love seeing a bunch of incel, would-be slashers getting their asses handed to them by a group of women who were deemed to be damaged goods, and then locked away for their own good (echoes of institutionalization, anyone?) - despite having survived the first round.
October 2, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC to review!
1 star!
Oh boy. I was so excited to read this. A story of survivors of serial killers live together but the killers return from the dead?! AND A GRAPHIC NOVEL?! Sign me up!
I found myself laughing through most of this. Just some of the situations that would happen would just happen and you’re sat there like, “well how did she know how to do that? How did that happen?” But then the next thing it would be explained and that is that.
Also some of the story just didn’t seem to make much sense to me. But it was the previous reason that I couldn’t just enjoy this as much as I wanted.
For example of my first reason that stuff was just explained to make the choices or things the characters did to make sense.
Spoilers
Kellyn has just beaten the shit out of Clay with a tractor/digger thing, I ain’t gonna pretend I know the proper name so bare with me lol, the officer, that came to her rescue before that happened and also shot Clay in the arm, is then stabbed IN THE NECK by the bone coming out of his arm. Okay, she’s down.
Then after Kellyn has literally pounded the crap out of Clay, the officer, who is named Olivia I believe, is all ok just standing there holding her neck like it’s nothing. Even Kellyn is like WTF HOW-
And this is when I started manically laughing, Olivia explains, “Duct tape. Found it with the tarps.” I think it’s because everything that seemed wild had a simple explanation after it and that really tickled me, and that wasn’t really needed I was confused already but then the reasons would send me over the edge. Also along with Kellyn explaining to Clay as she’s going at him with the digger that she knows how to work one because she grew up knowing how as a kid, just stop explaining and take his ass down.
1 star!
Oh boy. I was so excited to read this. A story of survivors of serial killers live together but the killers return from the dead?! AND A GRAPHIC NOVEL?! Sign me up!
I found myself laughing through most of this. Just some of the situations that would happen would just happen and you’re sat there like, “well how did she know how to do that? How did that happen?” But then the next thing it would be explained and that is that.
Also some of the story just didn’t seem to make much sense to me. But it was the previous reason that I couldn’t just enjoy this as much as I wanted.
For example of my first reason that stuff was just explained to make the choices or things the characters did to make sense.
Spoilers
Kellyn has just beaten the shit out of Clay with a tractor/digger thing, I ain’t gonna pretend I know the proper name so bare with me lol, the officer, that came to her rescue before that happened and also shot Clay in the arm, is then stabbed IN THE NECK by the bone coming out of his arm. Okay, she’s down.
Then after Kellyn has literally pounded the crap out of Clay, the officer, who is named Olivia I believe, is all ok just standing there holding her neck like it’s nothing. Even Kellyn is like WTF HOW-
And this is when I started manically laughing, Olivia explains, “Duct tape. Found it with the tarps.” I think it’s because everything that seemed wild had a simple explanation after it and that really tickled me, and that wasn’t really needed I was confused already but then the reasons would send me over the edge. Also along with Kellyn explaining to Clay as she’s going at him with the digger that she knows how to work one because she grew up knowing how as a kid, just stop explaining and take his ass down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
When I saw this was written by the co-creator of Hack\Slash it was a no-brainer that I would want to read it. I have been an avid collector of the aforementioned comic series since its inception, and though I have not enjoyed any of Seeley’s other works as much as Hack\Slash, the description of Sacred Lamb was similar enough that it immediately drew my attention.
Sacred Lamb fits in the same rough world as Hack\Slash, in that it is a world where costumed slashers are a common thing. It’s a world where all those slashers from the movies would feel right at home, and the world has adjusted to their existence.
In order to protect those “final girls” who have survived, as well as those associated with them, a closed community called “Sacred Lamb” has been created. It is hidden, high security, and no one knows of its existence.
But when it receives a new Final Girl, a social media influencer, it spells the beginning of the end of the town, and the safety it provides.
Though the idea behind Sacred Lamb is a fascinating one, and though the story contains many good ideas I was ultimately disappointed with the resulting book. I found the art to be unappealing, and the story to be increasingly uninteresting. It moved through too commonly used ideas when it came to the killers and survivors themselves. It did not have any of the wit I associated with Tim Seeleys previous work, where the killers were sometimes obvious parodies, while at others were sly twists on our expectations. Often when an interesting idea was introduced it was not used and just hung in the air as if for a side story or a sequel, but ultimately the lead character was just not interesting enough to carry my interest beyond the book’s conclusion.
I do note, however, that I seem to be in a minority here, as most seem to enjoy this book a great deal, so perhaps I missed something.
Sacred Lamb fits in the same rough world as Hack\Slash, in that it is a world where costumed slashers are a common thing. It’s a world where all those slashers from the movies would feel right at home, and the world has adjusted to their existence.
In order to protect those “final girls” who have survived, as well as those associated with them, a closed community called “Sacred Lamb” has been created. It is hidden, high security, and no one knows of its existence.
But when it receives a new Final Girl, a social media influencer, it spells the beginning of the end of the town, and the safety it provides.
Though the idea behind Sacred Lamb is a fascinating one, and though the story contains many good ideas I was ultimately disappointed with the resulting book. I found the art to be unappealing, and the story to be increasingly uninteresting. It moved through too commonly used ideas when it came to the killers and survivors themselves. It did not have any of the wit I associated with Tim Seeleys previous work, where the killers were sometimes obvious parodies, while at others were sly twists on our expectations. Often when an interesting idea was introduced it was not used and just hung in the air as if for a side story or a sequel, but ultimately the lead character was just not interesting enough to carry my interest beyond the book’s conclusion.
I do note, however, that I seem to be in a minority here, as most seem to enjoy this book a great deal, so perhaps I missed something.
February 12, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Umm I really didn't love this. The art was... fine but not really my taste. The story was also kinda confusing in parts and I guess I just really didn't like the point that the author was trying to make. Overall this was sadly a bit of a mess :(
Umm I really didn't love this. The art was... fine but not really my taste. The story was also kinda confusing in parts and I guess I just really didn't like the point that the author was trying to make. Overall this was sadly a bit of a mess :(
October 6, 2022
I think you should probably stick to "The Final Girl Support Group."
A homage to the 1980s and 1990s slasher flicks, which really does reek of the same sexploitation of the originals. Tim Seeley TRIES to reinvent the "killer won't stay dead" trope, but the thing is, in doing so, he blames the victim-survivors. He designates them as "EVes," which is, of course, meant to be a reference to Eve of Eden and the Fall of Man. These EVes are not INTENTIONAL temptresses, but there's something about them that drives men mad. Even the SINGLE gay man and supposed EVe, who is quickly brought under our protagonist's "spell," and is killed within the first arc.
Further blame is taken from the male slashers heaped upon women as we find that the killers are not actually rogue incels or the like, but are all possessed by the spirit of a young teen girl. And, like...no? You're given not just one, but TWO ways women are essentially at fault, here?
Also, the one Black character sacrifices her life to save everyone else. And all the women guards are also killed, like, INSTANTLY
Is it bloody? Yes. But it doesn't do any improving, only adding convolutions that are worse. Hell, you want to see a good way to re-examine multiple serial killers and how women fight them, check out the Netflix "Fear Street" trilogy. But this comic? Just a skip.
A homage to the 1980s and 1990s slasher flicks, which really does reek of the same sexploitation of the originals. Tim Seeley TRIES to reinvent the "killer won't stay dead" trope, but the thing is, in doing so, he blames the victim-survivors. He designates them as "EVes," which is, of course, meant to be a reference to Eve of Eden and the Fall of Man. These EVes are not INTENTIONAL temptresses, but there's something about them that drives men mad. Even the SINGLE gay man and supposed EVe, who is quickly brought under our protagonist's "spell," and is killed within the first arc.
Further blame is taken from the male slashers heaped upon women as we find that the killers are not actually rogue incels or the like, but are all possessed by the spirit of a young teen girl. And, like...no? You're given not just one, but TWO ways women are essentially at fault, here?
Also, the one Black character sacrifices her life to save everyone else. And all the women guards are also killed, like, INSTANTLY
Is it bloody? Yes. But it doesn't do any improving, only adding convolutions that are worse. Hell, you want to see a good way to re-examine multiple serial killers and how women fight them, check out the Netflix "Fear Street" trilogy. But this comic? Just a skip.
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