THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1, from Mad Cave Studios on 10/4/23, enters a realm of possession horror when Father Vieri is called to perform an exorcism by request of the Pope.
The Details
- Written by: David Pepose
- Art by: Alex Cormack
- Colors by: Alex Cormack
- Letters by: Justin Birch
- Cover art by: Alex Cormack (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: October 4, 2023
Is THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1 Good?
David Pepose guides readers back to 18th-century Spain for a tale of religious politics, demonic possession, and murder in THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1. Laden with a brooding atmosphere and bloody violence, this premier may be just the ticket for horror-lovers who want to kick off the Halloween season with an unsettling tale.
Pepose’s script centers on Father Vieri, a gifted priest with a talent for exorcism who receives a mission from the Pop to cure the son of a wealthy Lord. If the mission is successful, Vieri will have saved an innocent soul, and the Pope will have gained a powerful ally. But when Vieri performs the exorcism, he may have done more harm than good.
Exorcism tales are nothing new. On the contrary, exorcism tales may be one of the most overused horror tropes in decades, but Pepose manages to find a unique angle with a devil who may have counted on the exorcism as part of a larger plan. We’ll see if Pepose can capitalize on the twist, but THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1 is off to a good start.
What’s great about THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1? The highlight, besides the art (more than that in a minute), is Pepose’s central idea – what if the devil wanted to be exorcised as part of an evil scheme? It’s a cool premise that uses humans as avatars for demonic actions on Earth, rather than making the human the final stop. In addition, Pepose constructs a grim world where demon possession is a dark reality, which puts all the characters on edge by their acceptance of the danger at hand.
What’s not so great about THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1? The only downside, which is a minor nitpick, is the lack of clarity surrounding the rules of possession in Pepose’s version of the world. How does one become possessed? Is there no way to prevent possession, or is everyone susceptible as if demons travel like viruses? The way the story is presented, anyone could be possessed at any time without warning, which neuters the power Father Vieri uses for exorcism. How can the power of God force a demon out but not protect anyone from letting a demon in?
How’s the art? Alec Cormack’s dark, brooding, and sometimes bloody art is the second area where this issue shines. The possessed don’t perform bone-crunching contortions or spew green vomit. The possessed become ravenous beasts that paint the walls with your entrails if given the chance. Also, Cormack’s ethereal depiction of the devil as a cloud of malignant eyes is super creepy and super effective.
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What’s THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Hugo Izan, a wealthy aristocrat in 1740 Spain, sending a priest into a barricaded room of Izan’s castle to perform an exorcism on Izan’s son, Santiago. The exorcism fails, and the priest is brutally mutilated for his trouble.
Soon after, Father Vieri, a priest with a talent for exorcism and a distaste for papal politics, receives a personal request from the Pope to aid Izan’s son. Vieri agrees, knowing the Pope is only making the request to secure Izan as a wealthy ally.
The exorcism fails, but Vieri escapes harm. We conclude the issue with interventions, secret reports, and painful corrections.
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Final Thoughts
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THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #1 is a new exorcism tale just in time for the Halloween season. However, this tale has a twist where the exorsim is part of the Devil’s plan all along. Pepose’s script brims with atmosphere and violence, and Cormack’s art presents one bloody death after another for your gory enjoyment.
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