Two warring immortal races rule a scarred world where time has no meaning.
Death (Azrael) sits impotent, quietly planning his restoration. He summons Monocyte, a forgotten immortal necromancer who long ago chose sleep in his failed quest to die. With a fatal pact sealed, Monoctye strikes out as Azrael's vicious proxy.
The Olignostics
A race of immortals who came together through the convergence of politics and technology. Their seminal moment was their development of absolute zero by a MIT scientist. They used their knowledge of technology to create an 'immortality conduit'. Once the conduit was brought online, the Olignistic race was born.
Once able to flaunt their true nature publicly, they soon established a hyper controlled and harmonic social system for the remaining humans that subjugated them to feed the conduit.
Not satisfied with this control they soon ravaged and destroyed social, political, financial, natural and other ecosystems, driving the world into a barren wasteland. Towards the end of their global pillage, the Antedeluvians resurfaced... and the great war began.
Antedeluvians
Have walked the earth since its beginnings. They are a secretive collective if individuals, bound together for a thirst of knowledge with an ancient code governing their activities.
Al Khidr, the Green Man, was the first immortal and the originator of their species. Legend speaks of him turning barren land into lush habitat, in having those deemed worthy transmitted to divine secrets so as to be filled by their own capacity towards confronting their divines.
For centuries, the Antedeluvians subsisted on withdrawing psychic energy from their unknowing prey. Through time individuals would leave the shadows and perform extraordinary achievements for no reason but play.
The near overnight formation and ascendancy of the Olignostics for the Green Man to reemerge ordering the Council to bring all Antedeluvians together, with a collection of humans to feed on.
I can appreciate that is an intense introduction to a review, however the comic itself is very demanding and requires commitment from the reader, both in story and visually.
The two warring races have destroyed the earth though their eternal battles, and mankind are nothing more than food to both. Death releases the Monocyte to destroy both races and restore the land. A demon who is able to remove the immortal souls, tear the skin from bone and use as weapons as if they become part of him.
Grod is introduced as a dispossessed nobleman from the Olignostic city, forever bearing the mark of shame on his face. After losing two of his human slaves, he demands the 'Shepherd' provides two more, once humiliated by her denial he receives the same shame by the high council.
Meanwhile, Grods brother Ryal is sent to battle the oncoming Monocyte, and in doing so becomes the first immortal to perish. Beatrice is sent to gather the humans before they flee and stands opposite the Monocyte. Both recognise each other and acknowledge so, although nothing more is mentioned at this time. The comic concludes with Monocyte standing tall new to fallen victims 'Meet Me By Nature, Then Fall By The Same, Death Will Know Your Name'.
The detail in the bi-monthly 4 part series is outstanding, and is enhanced further by the two small additional stories included at the back of the comic. 'Chronicles of the Shepherd' is also written by Ghanbari and illustrated by Riley Rossmo and illustrates how the humans are farmed. 'Chronicles of the Messenger' is written and illustrated by David Stoupakis', and tells of a young girl Beatrice taken to see a Doctor due to her 'imagination'. Beatrice can see the immortals and understands the human role in their society. Although kept over night the final panel shows he in the described barren land alongside the adult Beatrice discussed in the main story.
