Comic Book Extras - Volume 2 - Cthulhu Death May Die - Touch of Providence

At the top of the Turk’s Head Building in Providence, the stars are almost right. Cultists bent on summoning the Great Old One, Yog-Sothoth need one final ritual item—a 17-year-old kid named Seamus. Seamus hasn’t had a normal life. As a boy, he read the diary of one Wilbur Whatley and its strange tale imprinted on his subconscious. The dead man’s thoughts haunt him daily. Meanwhile, unknown to Seamus, Jack Muñoz, one of his oldest friends, also hunts for him. Can he still trust his old friend or is time running out for Seamus? Is his death already written in the alien stars above? Seamus just needs a little providence to come his way. 

Much like its predecessor Flight or Flight, A Touch of Providence, the 2nd volume of Cthulhu: Death May Die comics, counts with a team of amazingly talented and well established writers and artists, including Luca Enoch (script), Alfio Buscaglia (art), Paolo Francescutto (coloring), Antonio Esposito (lettering), Stefan Kopinski (cover art), Stefano Vietti (editing), Francesco Nepitello and Umberto Pignatelli (story), and Matteo Brembilla (graphic design).

This 112-page hardcover graphic novel takes place 5 years after the events of volume 1 and follows a familiar character, Jack Muñoz, in his search of his friend Seamus, a brilliant and gifted boy who disappeared under mysterious circumstances, at the request of the boy's stepmother.   

Ezra's difficult childhood turned him into a resilient fighter for justice and a proficient investigator. Focused and dedicated to his work, he is able to fully heal if discarding a condition that would be claimed while investigating through his impervious skill. As the skill is upgraded, Ezra can investigate instead of healing, or even perform both actions when resting. As a policeman, he is also quite stealth and prone to brawling. 

Forever changed by the events of Fight or Flight (vol. 1), Muñoz now counts with a new skill, acquired through the mystical Insect in his brain. The insect, represented by a double-sided token that is flipped at the beginning of his turn, helps him to temporarily upgrade either his toughness or brawling, depending on the side that is faceup. As the skill is upgraded, he is also able to heal stress or wounds.

Olmstead is a devoted officer. Not letting his emotions get in the way of his job, he can claim companions and items without suffering stress when investigating, and eventually attack, dealing full damage, and reroll while doing so. This level of emotional control is very well complemented by his marksman and swiftness.

Seamus is a talented boy, gifted with arcane mystery and swiftness, who learned how to use hypnosis in his studies of the occult. He can apply a mind over body technique and take stress to prevent wounds, eventually dealing all wounds prevented back to the agressor. 

Veronique is more than just a marksman and a loyal employee. She's also quite familiar with the occult. Veronique possess arcane mystery and creates a magical seal when resting, which is represented by a token that is placed in her location, that protects and aids her fellow investigators. Investigators sharing a space with the seal gain bonus dice and free rerolls while enemies get wounded.

Virginia fought things much worse than the occult in her life, hardening her and making her ruthless. When attacked by a cultist she can deal back wounds. As the skill progresses, she can even kill them without rolling dice while keeping her cool and investigating for free after it. Combined with her toughness and stealth, she'll easily bring the deserved revenge upon the cults that cross her path.

A Touch of Providence also brings a new exclusive Enemy. Not much can be said safely regarding this Enemy in particular as it spoils the comic story, but we can say that this is surely no ordinary monster. His presence can change the gameplay in way that hasn't yet been explored in Death May Die. We also can and need to state that Season 4 is required to play with him. Perhaps these clues could help shedding some light upon who or what he might be, for those who want to solve the mystery, or perhaps just make it more intriguing to those who want to find out only as the comic arrives....