The Golem Walks Among Us #2 Review

By Matthew PetersonOctober 5, 20213 Mins Read

It’s golem versus witch in the shadow of an ancient god… this doesn’t end well. Your Major Spoilers review of The Golem Walks Among Us #2 from Dark Horse Comics awaits!

THE GOLEM WALKS AMONG US #2

Writer: Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Artist: Peter Bergting
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Letterer: Clem Robins
Editor: Kath O’Brien
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 29, 2021

Previously in The Golem Walks Among Us: Brought to a small fishing village to fight a cult, Josef the Golem finds himself face-to-face with one of his oldest enemies from centuries of fighting witches. And when the fight comes to a head, the ultimate question will be whether fighting witches or saving humanity is really at the heart of the Golem’s purpose.

IN THE YEAR 1484

The Golem Walks Among Us #2 begins with a flashback to the 15th century, as the Golem and an unnamed witch-hunter fight the witch Kushim, and believing that they’ve killed her. In the “present” of 1938, though, the Golem and Kushim are once again face to face, with the life of a baby hanging in the balance. We get a flashback to her resurrection by the N*zis, then we find that her presence involves a group of worshippers of Mormos, a strange god of tentacles and blood. There’s a strange Innsmouth-style transformation, the golem is nearly shattered and an unexpected hand from a truly bizarre source, with the witch being finally consumed by a greater power. I’m not entirely sure, but I suspect strongly that the final page is the origin of someone in the BPRB universe, but it’s far too early to be Liz Sherman, even if there’s references to “burning brightly” in the text.

HE WOULD LIKE A WORD WITH YOU

Knowing that The Golem eventually becomes a man is both fun and exhausting throughout this story. On the one hand, it puts a new face on his life of obedience here, but on some level it does affect your belief in the danger level of the creatures attacking him. And even though I read the first issue, this story feels like I’ve missed important context that would bring the story home. That said, it’s still an interesting issue, and one that makes some important points about humanity and parenting, with art that evokes Mignola’s own work without feeling like a carbon copy. The use of color is also interesting, with lots of muted greens and browns punctuated by the blood red of the monster and the elder god, with balances against the heavy shadows and blacks really well.

BOTTOM LINE: MOODY AND EVOCATIVE

As with so many of the Hellboy-adjacent titles, it’s clear that this story takes place in a wild and vibrant universe, and The Golem Walks Among Us #2 makes its drama out of the baked-in supernatural conflicts of that world, with a touching ending to a story that provides important back story for Josef the Golem and ends well for 3 out of 5 stars overall. If you’re a fan of the work of Mignola and the Hellboy oeuvre, this one should be right up your alley.

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