This is a masterpiece of esoteric, cosmic horror. Especially in the way the seeming nonsense coalesces slowly, and in the way the pages are designed to strike at an emotion, despite the reader probably being unaware of the real-world inspiration the many thematic, symbolic embedded text and images come from. What is explicit is enough to grasp the intention of what’s happening, and the concrete isn’t something this is overly concerned with.

Basically, an occultist is recruited into going to an asteroid on a collision course with earth, because on said asteroid is an occult symbol. Think Armageddon, but cosmic horror—at least, at first. It becomes increasingly clear that all is not as it appears, as seeming memories or alternate timelines, or something, keeps intruding on that narrative, supplanting it for a time with a different, but similar set of circumstances, where the protagonist is needed to combat occult forces.

But together, finally, around three quarters of the way in, things start to click, in so far as what Morrison is trying to tell the reader, regarding the horror of a particular idea that is impossible to eradicate entirely, paralleling it with a cosmic horror liberalized, colonizing. It’s really impactful.

Much of it is coached, I read in the essay at the end, in real occultism, which I’m simply completely unfamiliar with - as am I similarly uneducated in cosmic horror, and horror, in general. But that is merely icing on the cake. The essay explains in great detail every step along the track, which should just elucidate the elusive elements. Just phenomenal stuff, I think. Certainly not for everyone. Heck, I don’t even like horror, and this still blew my mind.