Demons aren’t exactly a novel foe in modern fiction. I think our continued interest in these abominations is largely about tapping into certain worldly ideas and primal fears, and they continue to be a stand in for our collective existential uncertainty and this undefined inkling that our own humanity is tenuous at best. (Also, some of them totes breathe fire.)
Even still, it’s hard to get really jacked for the next demon-starring story, which inevitably features big, snarling creatures diminishing our foolish ideas of good/evil and rendering flesh from bone. The thing we need is a good twist, something to remind us of why we’ve feared these scourges in the first place.
And Malevolent generally summons just such a novel approach to demons and their ilk.
Minor SPOILERS AHEAD for Malevolent #1!
Courtesy of Image Comics.
The brainchild of writer Justin Jordan and artists Felipe Sobreiro and John Bivens, Malevolent sees demons cross over through some sustained tear in the ethereal barriers. (FYI: Part of the team is also behind the mostly rad Spread.) But these ain’t your daddy’s demonic entities: Through the invocation of creative enough pseudoscience, they’re able to “possess” people as well as “complex” machines. Our proper entry into this world, then, is through a rag-tag group of “cops” who handle these demonic “outbreaks.”
I’ll give Malevolent a few gold stars for its premise alone. There’s just enough focus on establishing the lore of this world without bashing us in the face — too much more and I’d think the creative team were trying to convince themselves about the story and its prospects. I also think the melding of a cop show (and I realize I’m being a touch reductionist there) and demonic horror flick works quite well. Maybe that’s been done before to an extent (see the far more ridiculous Wellington Paranormal), but having a well-balanced group of hardened cops (with just enough personality developed so far and some meaty interactions between one another) does a lot to make this feel refreshing in its primary goals and approach.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
There’s also a great balance between the magic and tech of this world infused into their gear and weaponry, and that sense of harmony is a solid visual reminder that this world seems decidedly developed (at least so far). It’s all quite important for the larger look and feel of Malevolent: The art clearly has its own charm and balance of grit and joyfulness, and while that is effective in our immersion into this specific world, the book’s visual identity wouldn’t feel as strong if it didn’t have this “device” to play around with aesthetically. The intriguing tech-magic interaction really is a massive linchpin so early on.
But this ain’t no regular demon-fighting procedural, folks, and the real draw of Malevolent is likely Morgan, who without revealing too much of her personal origins, is basically a demon-human hybrid that’ll end up joining this squad. And I’m mostly of a few different minds when it comes to Morgan.
She’s clearly meant to be in the mold of Leeloo, Tank Girl, and Bart Curlish — women who present as some combination of weird and endearing but who are ultimately capable badasses. And Morgan especially has a childlike mentality that could be endearing as much as it may be annoying. That very notion is furthered in regards to her visual design, where the mix of cutesy/playful and demonic is either going to make her a proper visual representation for this book’s effectiveness or just irk me across Malevolent’s entire run. On the upside, her demon-smashing is both the most fun across the issue and where the story’s specific mix of horror and action feels both resonant and stylized (and where the title’s visual identity seems to really hum).
Courtesy of Image Comics.
Still, there was a small part of me that felt irked upon Morgan’s actual debut. I think even seeing her on the cover didn’t fully, completely assure me of her coming presence in the story, and I found myself more readily clicking with the grittier, highly approachable squad members (whose dynamic reminded of, like, Aliens). I was sort of happy with just them pre-Morgan, and I loved the idea of these everyday folks just trying to survive a world far beyond their pay grade. That’s not to say that Morgan “ruins” this debut — she’s charming enough already, and also the right level of violent, to feel like she fits with the story’s premise and goals.
Rather, Morgan could, in the long run, almost make the team feel unnecessary. I very much got the sense that they’d maybe have been more effective (from a solely storytelling perspective) if they’d only shown up briefly, or died halfway through the issue. I get that it’s early for Malevolent, and that the tension will be a kind of “fish out of water” scenario, where these hardened cop types are going to have got try and understand this weird half-demon girl. Except, as she’s portrayed in Malevolent #1, Morgan is too easygoing and quirky to feel like she’ll generate her share of tension.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
The dynamic then becomes more like Perfect Strangers, and I’m not even sure I want that despite some clear upsides to that exciting premise. Again, it’s a little early to be too disappointed, but Malevolent already operates on some razor-thin margins (demons, cop/procedural, buddy show, etc.), and this whole thing could soar just as quickly as it stumbles.
Still, for a debut, Malevolent deserves your mostly eager enthusiasm. It seeks to repurpose some old ideas/tropes with a joyous sense of renovation; the art is singular (in ways both good and bad); the horror and action feel sharp; and if given ample time/energy, the cast’s dynamics could be compelling and inviting.
Let this one possess you for an hour or so, and maybe you’ll find something that moves you.
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