Pestilence: A Story of Satan issue #2 hit comic book store shelves this week and boy is it a doozy! In this latest issue, the corrupt Pope Price is inspecting some of the former infected and chooses a young girl to bring to a private chamber to have his way with. Unfortunately for him, Satan has already taken control of the young girl and the infected inside the Vatican and the Pope is being led into a trap. The tables take a violent turn to say the least as Satan has his way with Pope Price through the physical vessel of Sir Richard in a very brutal, graphic, and disturbing way. After he is done with the Pope he decides to discard Sir Richard’s putrid husk and possess the Pope instead, thus giving him a newer younger vessel of immense power and influence in the world.
Meanwhile Roderick Helma and his former Fiat Lux companions Geoffrey and James are ambushed and attacked by the newly infected hordes now under the direct control and influence of Satan himself. The dark lord speaks to Roderick through the infected, threatening to kill his entire family and telling him that he should probably go check on his young son Abel. Helms immediately takes off in search of his son who he had sent home earlier. They find the young boy just in the nick of time as he’s being overrun by the undead. After rescuing Abel, Satan speaks to Roderick once more through his infected undead minions. This time he threatens to go after Rodrick’s wife, who is already engaged in battle against the infected army back at their home. Roderick and his Fiat Lux brothers ride off as fast as they can to try and save her. Will they be successful and get there in time? Now that Satan has taken control of the Pope, is there any hope of salvation? Tune in next issue for what is sure to be a wild, sick, and twisted ride into hell on Earth.
The artwork on this issue is particularly disturbing and graphic in parts. Oleg Okunev continues to display mastery in blending the beautiful with the grotesque in a way that is so twisted and visceral. He pulls no punches when it comes to the vile subject matter of this particular issue, but he does it with such elegance and detailing that is as breathtaking as it is sickening to behold. Rob Schwager’s use of color here is very strategic and evokes and accelerates particular emotions and reactions to what is being presented on the page. It’s very organic and gritty, complementing the artwork perfectly.
Frank Tieri’s writing on this issue and on the series as a whole continues to amaze. Certain situations and themes on this issue push the boundaries of disturbing and revolting, but with a purpose and relevance to the story and the situations of the characters that are involved in it. He holds nothing back in writing about the sick and twisted ways of Satan and what vile lengths that he will go to to commit his sick and perverted abominations upon this world. We also get to see a glimpse of Roderick’s wife and how capable she is defending herself with a bow and arrow which is particularly badass and exciting. The way Tieri has taken the events and situations of the first volume and introduced Satan into the mix to amplify and accelerate the story is brilliant. The issue ends with the Pope being possessed by Satan himself opening the story even wider for the shitstorm that is sure to follow in the coming issues.
This is a pivotal issue in the story arc as well as one that takes this concept and situations in it to even more disturbing and sinister levels. The language as always with this series is not for young readers but the content and some events in this issue may be extremely disturbing and unsettling for even some adult readers, so buyer be warned. That being said, the writing continues to be top-notch and the artwork is as equally impressive, if not more so in this installment. This is a must-have for any horror comic fan but it is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Is it good?
Pestilence: A Story of Satan #2 is awesomely intense and incredibly grotesque! It takes a series that already pulls no punches with its language and subject matter to a whole new level of disturbing.
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