Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Alex Cormack
Mad Cave, January 2024
We reviewed the first issue of publisher Mad Cave’s historical thriller comic The Devil That Wears My Face last October 2023 and found it engaging enough to recommend, especially to people who enjoy well-written horror stories tackling demonic possessions. See https://worldcomicbookreview.com/2023/10/12/the-devil-that-wears-my-face-1-review/ for that review. The fourth issue might not be the best starting point for new readers, as the story does not devote effort in bringing readers up to speed, but it is all the better for it.
While it is best to read through the first three issues first (or read our previous review) if you haven’t yet, the events that led to the action-packed chase scene in The Devil That Wears My Face #4 is easy to summarize: protagonist Father Vieri had a plan to trap the powerful demon Legion within an artefact called The Escar Blade. It is a plan that sounded good, but went awry in the worst way possible – Legion is now in control of Father Vieri’s body, while Vieri’s soul is trapped in an unfamiliar one. And if that is not bad enough, Legion now has control of an army of possessed Inquisitors.
The Devil That Wears My Face #4’s writing remains solid and does not waste panels or dialogue on providing context as to how Vieri and his companion Maria got to where they are – on the run from demonic Inquisitors sicced on them by Legion. Writer David Pepose shows his talent for suspenseful story-crafting with a clever bait-and-switch that brings Vieri within striking distance of Legion, only to pull the rug from under the reader’s feet with a shocking cliffhanger.
Comparisons to the 1990s motion picture action thriller Face/Off persist in both the publisher’s promotional material and our previous review. This parallel, while oversimplified, holds merit, not solely due to the narrative’s core concept of identity exchange between adversaries, but also owing to Mr Pepose’s and artist Alex Cormack’s remarkable ability to portray adrenaline-pumping action scenes. With deft strokes and expert panel composition, Mr Cormack elevates the horse carriage chase scene to a pulse-pounding crescendo, as Vieri and Maria find themselves pursued by a relentless horde of demonic Inquisitors, all while Legion watches from his lofty perch.
The Devil That Wears My Face #4 continues to solidify the series’ status as a must-read for fans of horror-infused historical fiction. The series’ richly woven tapestry of intrigue and terror. It is thoroughly enjoyable.
