THE DEVIL’S LEFT HAND, from James Francis on August 16th, 2022, follows a lone gunslinger whose deal with a demon keeps him trapped in a timeless town.
The Details
- Written by: James Francis
- Art by: James Francis
- Colors by: James Francis
- Letters by: James Francis
- Cover art by: James Francis
- Cover price: $9.99
- Release date: August 16, 2022
Is It Good?
THE DEVIL’S LEFT HAND is a unique Supernatural Western with gritty art, an eclectic mix of characters, a fully-realized world, and a surprising amount of emotional depth. I enjoyed this Original Graphic Novel (OGN) quite a bit.
James Francis’s fable centers on Will Corbett, a man who made a desperate deal with a demon to save himself and the woman he loves from an abusive rival. If you read enough fables about deals with demons, you can already guess the deal has a few strings attached, so Will finds himself trapped in a form of limbo in service to the demon’s insatiable appetites. The deal, however, isn’t the hook. What grabs your attention is the unique circumstances of Will’s servitude and the mystical journey he undertakes to escape.
Will’s journey, the metaphorical lessons he learns, and the eventual outcome gives otherworldly power to mundane objects, such as a name, giving the story a Stephen King novella feel. Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary as sources of inspiration or tools of death turns this Supernatural Western tale into a tale much greater than the sum of its parts.
Beyond the thematic success of this OGN, Francis holds up a steady pace with natural dialog, rich character development, and interesting scene transitions. The broad-brush execution of this OGN is impressive for a first-time writer.
However, this OGN isn’t perfect. The opening scenes are a little rocky as you’re thrown into the middle of a setting and cast of characters without much setup or introduction. Characters and events are referenced without context, so the beginning few pages feel disjointed and confusing. That disjointed feel smooths out as the OGN progresses, but it’s fair to say the OGN wobbles before it finds its footing.
Francis’s art is excellent and marries perfectly to the script. Panel compositions are cinematic, the contrast between light and shadow to emphasize mood is brilliant, and B&W was the right choice to enhance the antiquated feel of the Old West.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Will Corbet just after he guns down the latest challenger to arrive in the small town of Cidade de Incendio (“Fire City”). The victim is one in a long line of comers who’ve fallen before Will’s gun – The Left Hand of the Devil. More than a nickname, the gun was given to Will by a demon as part of a deal. Will regrets that deal today and every day for the last hundred years.
One day, the Aztec, the former wielder of the Devil’s Left Hand, helps Will escape the town that never ages and confront the demon who trapped him with a bad deal. The Aztec was sent by the woman Will loves, the woman for which he made the deal in the first place to protect – Marcella.
What follows is a long trek through the West and out of time to find the demon and break the deal. We conclude the issue with shapeshifters, railroads, hellfire, and demon fangs.
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Final Thoughts
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THE DEVIL’S LEFT HAND is an impressive OGN about a man trapped in time after a deal with a demon. Francis seamlessly mixes gritty gun-slinging with a supernatural undercurrent for a wholly unique fable with excellent pacing, dialog, and creative plot developments.
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