DIE: Loaded #6: April is the Cruelest Month

In this month’s issue, the party settles in for a much-needed long rest. However, as Violet —the only player familiar with Lord of the Rings—points out, stopping at a location called The Prancing Poney could turn out to be a deadly mistake. Meanwhile, Sophie ventures out into the Wasteland, a setting ripped straight from the Arthurian legends that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien. One also can’t help but be reminded of T.S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land, which, like LOTR, found inspiration not only in Arthuriana but in the trauma of the first World War. But the Wasteland setting has entrenched itself in roleplaying games, too (e.g. Warhammer 40K and the Wasteland CRPG series). 

The setting, as envisioned by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Hans, is an eerie fogscape recalling the mirage-filled “realm of art” from the series’ second issue. The Wasteland, however, is far more monochromatic and dreary. And as with everywhere in the world of Die, it is a location haunted by grief and escapist fantasies. Hans’ artwork is evocative and unsettling, especially as fantasy and reality blur into one. Her interpretations of visceral horrors and subtle emotional moments prove equally memorable. I will note for those with medical PTSD that a hospital setting features extensively. As for the new party member Sophie finds there, I’ll leave that for you to discover for yourself.

The issue’s symbolism is magpie-centric, as with Gillen’s Journey Into Mystery run (joined by Hans on JiM #645) and Once and Future, both of which also found inspiration in Arthurian legend. Unlike Journey Into Mystery and Once and Future, DIE: Loaded’s magpies don’t talk (thus far) but their presence alone says a great deal. The issue’s conclusion is one of DIE’s most shocking and sickening yet.