October isn’t just the start of fall, it also marks the start of Halloween, which sees an influx of horror-based stories in all mediums. Comics are no exception, as Mad Cave Studios recently published the first issue of its new horror series The Devil That Wears My Face. It starts off with perhaps one of the most intriguing concepts: the demon known as Legion has possessed a man, and has been killing all the priests that attempt to exorcise them. It falls to Father Franco Vieri to try where others have failed…but what he doesn’t know is that Legion has dark designs for the world.
This marks the first-ever horror series from David Pepose, and he knocks it out of the park. Pepose has been slowly carving out a name for himself in the comic book writing world, first with his creator-owned work (especially the Scout’s Honor limited series, which is definitely worth a read) and now at Marvel (Moon Knight: City of the Dead is the perfect book to introduce to fans of the Moon Knight series). His script for The Devil That Wears My Face #1 starts off very slow, then careens full-tilt into horror – he wastes no time in showcasing how terrifying of a force Legion can be.
Pepose is also interested in questioning the nature of faith and redemption, especially when it comes to Father Vieri and his past. What happens when a man of God has a crisis of faith, especially in the face of unspeakable evil? The answers start to slowly unfold, providing a gripping read that hooked me from the very first page.
Another hook? Alex Cormack’s art. Cormack delivers some truly gnarly artwork, never missing a chance to splatter the page in blood. The opening should give you an idea for what to expect: one priest gets too close to Legion and is literally ripped apart, with a series of panels featuring his blood splashing onto the cobblestones and his crucifix necklace following soon after. But it’s the page afterwards that will sear itself into readers’ memories: Legion standing over the eviscerated corpse of his victim, eyes burning an unholy red. That red comes from Cormack’s coloring, throwing shadows in every corner and lending a literally unholy tint to Legion’s threats.
The Devil That Wears My Face #1 delivers one of the most horrifying comic books on the stands, as its story tackles matters of faith while delivering some bloody thrills. If you’re a fan of films like The Exorcist or The Conjuring, this is the comic for you. Other readers may want to keep a crucifix and/or holy water on hand before turning the page…
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