PURGATORI MUST DIE #1, from Dynamite Comics on January 4th, 2023, brings the fury of the gods down on Purgatori’s head when the gods realize Purgatori’s power is growing too dangerous to keep in check.
The Details
- Written by: Ray Fawkes
- Art by: Alvaro Sarraseca
- Colors by: Salvatore Aiala
- Letters by: Tom Napolitano
- Cover art by: Collette Turner (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: January 4th, 2023
Is It Good?
PURGATORI MUST DIE #1 brings the snark, the violence, and energy for a surprisingly entertaining start in this new series by Ray Fawkes. Long on backstory exposition and short on plot, this issue spends most pages recapping and setting up the players, but every introduction elevates the stakes for a killer first issue.
PURGATORI MUST DIE #1 picks up where last year’s Purgatori series left off. The demi-god vampire and her human “partner,” Dervish, spend their days lounging while the gods grow uneasy over Purgatori’s growing power. Fawkes perfectly lays out the motivations of the gods, the motivations of the cast of killers the gods employ, and Purgatori’s “bring it on” attitude about the situation. In wrestling terms, this issue is the “carny talk” before the big match, and it’s amusing as Hell.
That said, the issue is largely backstory exposition, so if you were hoping to hit the ground running, Purgatori fans aren’t going to find much new about the character in this issue. There is some action, and you get a reminder about the extent of Purgatori’s powers, but this is effectively a prelude issue.
Sarraseca and Aiala deliver a mixed bag of visuals in the art department. The line work and character anatomies look great, but the characters aren’t integrated into the scenery of each panel, except for a few spots. The lack of shadow and consistent highlights due to ambient lighting makes the characters look pasted onto the panel rather than a part of the scene, and it gives the impression of flatness.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a parley between a council of gods from around the world. Collectively, they agree that Purgatori’s growing power makes her a threat to their existence. Rather than wait for Purgatori to launch an attack, the gods decide to make the first move.
Elsewhere, Purgatori lounges in the penthouse of her latest victims while Dervish warns her about the gods. Suddenly, a group of assassins crashes through the skylight and attacks with brutal, explosive force. Through the attack, we hear an explanation of Purgatori’s history and see demonstrations of the power she’s collected over the years.
We conclude the issue with a roll call and trash talk.
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Final Thoughts
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PURGATORI MUST DIE #1 does a bang-up job re-establishing Purgatori’s status quo, aligning all the players about to come after her, and tossing amusing “carny talk” to get readers hyped for the coming conflict. That said, the issue is mostly setup and backstory, and the art is a mixed bag.
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