If you’re going to have a comic book series that features a new villain every month, you might as well make the baddies memorable. Choosing personifications of the seven deadly sins seems like a great starting point.
Having successfully defeated Sloth in the premiere issue, the heroes in Exorcists Never Die continue their march through the Hellscraper – a massive building where thousands of souls are up for auction – and this time battle Lust. It’s an appropriate villain this time around, given that the two combat exorcist heroes, Ellen and Syd, couldn’t keep their hands off each other at the end of the last chapter.
It’s also apt since Sebastian Piriz’ artwork will likely have collectors lusting after his pages. When the exorcists use their powers to combat Lust and his minions, Piriz pulls out all the stops and creates literally breathtaking artwork. While the drawings themselves are amazing, it’s his work with colors – particularly reds, oranges and yellows – that will keep readers’ eyes glued to the page.
Piriz’ work on the other pages is strong as well, though the subject matter may leave readers a bit queasy. The exorcists are literally inside Lust, who appears as little more than a giant head. It’s like viewing your own colonoscopy pictures. And growing out of that massive colon are Lust’s minions who appear as demonic children.
Writer Steve Orlando is responsible for the unappetizing, yet certainly memorable, setting. He keeps the tense situation light with constant quips from the two heroes as well as the villain. When Syd invokes the power of an angel to fight Lust, the baddie laughs it off with: “Purity just gets me hot.” Still, some of the dialogue, particularly between the two exorcists, can come off as stilted at times.
Exorcists Never Die continues to be an interesting series with lots of potential and memorable artwork. Gluttony is up next issue, which should have readers asking for more.
Exorcists Never Die #2 will be available for purchase on May 24, 2023.
If you’re going to have a comic book series that features a new villain every month, you might as wellCOMICONRead More