Review: Damnation Crusade

Damnation Crusade by Dan Abnett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rating 5 out of 5 |Grade: A; For the Emperuh, Hell Yeah!

After reading a slew of sub-par 40K graphic novels, with at best, passable art style and story, Damnation Crusade was a much needed breath of fresh air. Then again, what else can you expect from the mind that penned, Horus Rising & Eisenhorn.

Damnation Crusade, follows the centuries old journey of a Black templar Space marine Raclaw, from the time he was first recruited from his war torn home world (which world isn't in 40K), to being a prospective aspirant, to a rookie neophyte, a war hardened battle brother, to the highest honor in the chapter, being entombed in an Imperial dreadnaught christened Tankred, called to serve in times of dire need.

Now here's the thing you need to know about Imperial Dreadnought. They are perhaps the single most important, valuable and venerated war resource for their respective chapters. Not only for the immense badassery they're able to display in the battlefield. But also because, the marines who've been entombed inside a dreadnought, are some of the best of the best that the chapter had to offer. Those who were so grievously injured over course of their service, only the Dreadnought armor is able to sustain life for them.



Even so, they're part machine, having melded with the inherent machine spirit of the dreadnought, and for the better part of decades will be in a state of medically induced sleep, their body submerged in amniotic fluid, their minds dreaming of past glorious battles.

This forms the crux of the narrative of the Damnation crusade, as, through the memories of Raclaw, we see the countless battlefields where he had proven his mettle, the foes whom he vanquished, and the victories he scored in the name of the Emperor. The collective weight of centuries of warfare, weighs down on Tankred, and us as viewers.



The whole vibe of the story, clearly way, way before the Primaris & the ret cons, has gritty, true 'grimdark' quality about it. And no one better to embody the spirit of the Eternal crusade in name of the Holy Emperor, than his most zealous adherents (bar the Sororitas).



For the Space marines of the Black Templar chapter, in addition to being one of the most lethal fighting machines being engineered by the Imperium, also have the distinction of being philosopher monks, or warrior priests in battle. Venerating the divinity of the God Emperor, not only through blade & bolter, but hymns and incantations as well. There is no foe, even from the darkest underbelly of chaos, who can make these stalwarts falter. For even in face of certain annihilation, they sing out in jubilation, for the chance given to them to praise the Emperor's name, even in death.



There is no better device to show their eternal worship of the God Emperor, than be given the honor, of being enshrined in a dreadnought. It shows how, against overwhelming odds, and against grievous wound, too lethal even for a space marine, you held the line, and fought against the enemies of the Imperium. And now, you are given the chance to do so again, and put the ever living fear of the Golden throne of Terra into the mutant, the heretic & the xenos.



The art style of the book is drop dead gorgeous, in a manly sort of way. It's inventive in the way it showcases the never-ending conflicts as well as the multitudinous legions of enemies that the Imperium has to face on a regular basis.



Each faction and enemy is given a unique theme, and color palette, which immediately helps to distinguish them. Which is amazing considering how most of the panels are bathed in dark, DARK shadowy contrast. That is in addition to the already dark armor of the Dark templars.



The whole affair has a clearly old school, 80s era Rogue trader vibe to it. You got to love the return to basics, which allows them to tap just the right amount of nostalgia without the grimdark being too grimderp.







Plus, the panels are stock filled with all manner of badass one liners, many of which the fans would've seen circulating around as memes or screenshots. Well, now you know where it all came from. Some of my favorites include:





In the being of almost all Warhammer 40k media, you see the tag line

"In the Grim darkness of the far future, there is only war"

Damnation Crusade is the first graphic novel of the genre which I've read, which is able to properly convey the soul crushing gravitas of that statement. As we see the Black Templar, battling the Eldar, the Orks, Chaos Legions, Tau, and the other innumerable foes across a thousand battlefields, across centuries of warfare, making the title of the story all the more meaningful.

So, for any hardcore warhammer 40k fans out there, this is a must read. Go on now!



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