Sandy King | Musings of the Monster Librarian

Graphic Novel Review: The God List by Steve Niles and Scott Hampton, art by Scott Lange, letters by Janice Chiang, edited by Sandy King

The God List by Steve Niles and Scott Hampton, art by Scott Lange, letters by Janice Chiang, edited by Sandy King

Storm King Comics, 2024

ISBN-13: 9798988728528

Available: paperback

Buy: Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

William Clark owns a used bookstore called Olden Daze Books in Greenwich Village that pays more out than it takes in. He doesn’t mind, though, as he enjoys being surrounded by the dusty old tomes. One night after he has closed shop and is settling in for the night, a woman disturbs him when she pounds on the door of the store begging for help. She pushes a parcel into his hands, cries for him to protect it, and turns into ash when she hits the ground. Following her is a group of robed cultists, and a mysterious blonde woman named Lydia who saves him from them. As they make their getaway, she tells him he must discover the secrets of the book in his hands. As he unlocks the secrets of the God List, a legendary inventory of unknown creative works, he finds that his dreams show him the way. Lydia and William’s search takes them from Greenwich Village in New York, to the Vatican archives, and finally to an old cathedral in Cologne, Germany. Unfortunately, the cult leader has summoned the giant of a man named Ravyn to do whatever it takes to retrieve the God List.

Niles delivers a great story with The God List. The plot moves quickly and delivers a good bit of religious and artistic history. The characters feel real, despite the reader knowing them for a short time. I especially love the formidable librarian, Lucinda, who they have to make their way past in the Vatican archives. Hampton’s artwork is phenomenal, from character designs to intricate backgrounds.

This would be a solid addition to libraries looking to expand their horror graphic novels collection, as well as support an independent publisher specializing in such resources. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Graphic Novel Review: George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park by Jeff Whitehead, art by Ryan Carr

George A. Romero's the Amusement Park bookcover

George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park by Jeff Whitehead, introduction by Greg Nicotero, art by Ryan Carr, lettering by Marshall Dillon, edited by Sandy King

Storm King Comics, 2025

ISBN-13: 9798988728573

Available: Paperback

Buy: Bookshop.org

This graphic novel adaptation of George A. Romero’s previously lost 1973 film The Amusement Park comes from a collaboration between Storm King Comics, jointly owned by John Carpenter and Sandy King, and the George A. Romero Foundation.

Businessman William Lincoln returns to Pennsylvania and has a chance encounter with an elderly man in a small coffee shop. The impatient young man is drawn into a conversation about the history of the amusement park that used to stand in that very spot. The more William learns from the old man, the more uneasy he becomes.

Rather than a lighthearted tale of a typical amusement park atmosphere, the old man relates a story full of pain, sorrow, and loneliness. He simply wanted to visit the grand park one more time, to revisit childhood memories and surround himself with youthful joy and excitement. Instead, every interaction with younger people in the crowds shows the impatience and hostility directed at the elders in the park. Rides and other attractions place the aged in embarrassing and hostile situations. Everything is a reminder of how the mind and body deteriorate with age. As he makes his way through the park, he remains unaware of the looming figure that follows him on his journey.

The horror lies in the struggles the old man witnesses or is subject to himself. We all know someone aging, or who is well into their golden years. Some of us may be there ourselves or quickly facing what is to come. Both the film and this graphic novel sit with you, make you take in some uncomfortable facts about our flawed political system and how it affects healthcare; social reform; housing; and many other issues essential to us all, not just the elderly. That is simply where the systems, and our lives, end.

Whitehead’s adaptation differs from the film, but not in any way that detracts from the message. Carr’s artwork is incredibly effective, especially regarding the pain, emotional and physical, the old man experiences as he makes his way through the amusement park.

This graphic novel could fit in multiple places in a library collection, but the first one that comes to mind is Graphic Medicine. While that is not the sole focus, there are significant panels that address the current United States healthcare system and its failings.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker