Publisher's Weekly Review
The journey is more important than the destination in this occult SF mind-bender from Morrison (Doom Patrol), a writer who knows his way around mind-benders. A man known only as Nameless is on the run through city streets, fleeing from lizard-like creatures with an item called the Dream Key in his possession. The story jumps from place to place with confusing intention, and disparate narratives-a space mission to stop an asteroid from colliding with Earth, a haunted house séance featuring the luminaries of the occult world-trade places in alarming succession, their scenes linked by the appearance of appropriately gross celestial monsters. This is one of those rare comics where the author's afterword is immensely helpful, providing some fascinating method to the muddle. Covering his thematic influences and analyzing Burnham's layouts as an effort to break away from the cinema's stranglehold on comics, Morrison provides an intriguing springboard to not only a second reading, but further investigations into the areas of his obsessions. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
As Xibalba hurtles toward Earth, a group of astronauts and a nameless occult expert launch an attempt to intercept the asteroid and steer it off course. The group soon realizes that the asteroid is something far more menacing a remnant of a life-hating alien race and that they must now fight this alien madness and each other to survive. Known for his ambiguous works, Morrison's Nameless is bit of a rabbit hole, void of normal reason and understanding. The narrative unforgivingly switches between reality and insane dreams, leaving the reader to decipher what's truly happening. Heavy mythology and alien language is spouted rapidly and without exposition, which may further frustrate readers. And in true Lovecraftian fashion, the ending gives only more questions than concrete answers. Burnham's twisted art is full of graphic violence and dripping gore. Dismemberments and disfigurements abound, seemingly more disgusting than truly terrifying. Certainly not a book for everyone and one definitely destined for the adult shelves but perfect for the sci-fi horror niche-audience.--Blenski, Peter Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Asteroid Xibalba, named after the Mayan underworld, is on a collision course with Earth. When a massive carved glyph is spotted on the rock, occult specialist Nameless is recruited for a daring space mission to intercept and deflect the object-saving the earth while exploring the last remnant of a mythical lost planet. But how is this asteroid connected to a séance Nameless conducted at a haunted house years before? And who is the veiled lady chasing him in his dreams? Morrison (Doom Patrol) crafts an intricate and disturbing story meshing standard horror tropes with Mayan and Polynesian mythology and occult scholarship resulting in a nested nightmare. Burnham (Batman Incorporated) fills the pages with grisly detail often using panels to fracture the page. Combined, they present a unique and complicated experience, ultimately, as with the reworked tarot presented within, open to the reader's interpretation. Verdict Nameless has enough grotesque imagery to please most horror fans but requires a serious reading (and rereading) to unravel all the mysteries within-a chapter guide in the back only begins to explain some of the ideas. Mature fans of the genre looking for something deeper will appreciate this most.-Terry Bosky, Madison, WI © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
