GoKawiilThis new miniseries by Simon Birks and Willi Roberts for Image Comics adapts the H.P. Lovecraft short story of the same name, following the unusual events that led a man to seemingly murder his life-long best friend. It's Lovecraft, so there's black magic, hints of creepy fish people and a gnawing sense of dread that builds with each chapter.
If you're already familiar with the story, go in knowing it's not a 1:1 adaptation. Whereas the original is told from the first-person perspective of Daniel Upton, who is recounting the events that led up to him killing his best friend, Edward Derby, the comic series zooms out to the third person and adds some scenes to illustrate the story of their lives. It does not open with the absolute banger of a first line from the short story — "It is true that I have sent six bullets through the head of my best friend…" — but it instead shows you that moment, then goes back to the start to trace the full history of Daniel and Edward's friendship, and Edward's macabre unravelling.
The comic series gets off to a lighter start (aside from, you know, the grisly murder), but the Lovecraftian dread starts picking up in the second issue. Here we get some really great unsettling visuals thanks to the introduction of Asenath, Edward's love interest who has a "something's not quite right about her" aura. I love this story and Willi Roberts' art really does it justice, especially when it comes to Edward's gradual deterioration and flashes of embodied evil that hint at what's really going on beneath the surface. There are two issues out so far, with three more to come over the next few months.