BROKEN SOULS BALLAD #2 – Review

In BROKEN SOULS BALLAD #2, available from Scout Comics on August 25th, 2021, a handful of teens find their worst fears made flesh when the experiments that manipulated their genes cause their bodies to violently manifest dangerous mutations.

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The Details

• Written By: Massimo Rosi
• Art By: Ludovica Ceregatti
• Colors By: Ludovica Ceregatti
• Letters By: Ludovica Ceregatti
• Cover Art By: Ludovica Ceregatti
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: August 25, 2021

Was It Good?

It’s creepy and gross. Therefore, I love it.

We’re new to this title, but honestly, #2 reads like a first issue, so new readers will find this entry very accessible. Unlike the more mainstream properties involving teens suddenly manifesting some type of mutant ability, these teens’ powers fit more in line with body horror.

Their abilities involve manifestations of appendages and (in some cases) whole beings born of a representation of each character’s fear or anxiety disorder. Imagine having a self-image problem about your body and suddenly your skin starts bubbling out tentacles or sensory organs in the most grotesque manner possible. Yeah, it’s like that. I love this horror concept for the sheer uncomfortableness of it all.

Rosi does a fine job of capturing the anxiety of these characters as their worst fears and anxieties are made flesh. You can almost feel your own skin crawl as each teen is forced to suffer watching themselves distort into something hideous.

As for the art, Ceregatti does an excellent job capturing the shock and panic in the teens’ eyes as they experience their individual changes. There are real-life scenes and a few nightmares, and it’s tough to tell if there’s much of a difference between the two. Ceregatti’s design work on the characters and the off-kilter panels successfully make you feel intentionally uncomfortable.

The one down point is the near-excessive use of purple and pastel filtering on nearly every page. At some points, the coloring sets a proper mood, but on others, it glares to the point of hurting your eyes.

In all, this is a gross, creepy entry with excellent emotional impact and strong art.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

During the Summer of 1986, four teens find their bodies are suddenly manifesting unusual mutations. Carl has large pores opening on his body that secrete small, black slugs. Another teen has a large, purple demon dog that emerges from the side of his body to whisper evil thoughts in his ear and guide his hand. Another teen has burning, bubbling blisters that move and extend like blood-filled tentacles from his skin.

With each passing hour, their mutations rapidly grow worse, making it impossible to hide them from their families for much longer. Not only are the mutations grotesque, but they speak as if they were the innermost parts of their own Id, their subconscious.

Cut to a seaside Asylum where the madam of the institute receives a call from the Black Ops team she hired to retrieve the teenagers and bring them back to her. One of the teen’s abilities ripped most of the team to shreds, which pleases her and convinces her to use stronger measures.

We conclude the issue with the Asylum matriarch soliciting the help of another person with unusual abilities — the Sandman.

Final Thoughts

BROKEN SOULS BALLAD #2 is a creepy, gross, unsettling entry in the body horror arena taking a bolder step than the X-Men would ever dare to tread. The writing perfectly captures uncomfortable feelings of anxiety and panic, and the art does an excellent job of carrying the emotion of each scene.

Score: 8.5/10