Getting comfortable with that power.
Creative Staff:
Story: Cullen Bunn
Art: Fran Galan
Letterer: El Torres
What They Say:
After an exorcism gone wrong, down-on-his-luck schlub Stanley finds he’s retained all of the demon’s supernatural abilities and begins to use his new powers to build a cult. Meanwhile, he finds himself hunted down by the legions of Hell and demons wanting to reclaim Stanley’s newfound powers.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With so many Cullen Bunn works out in the last few years, it’s pretty much an embarrassment of riches – even if the series doesn’t work as well as you’d hope. There’s always something creative and some chance-taking that makes it interesting to watch and this one is no exception when you get down to it. I’m still choosy about what I get into with him because there are some levels of darkness I try to avoid, but seeing that he’s got this new original work with artist Fran Galan just meant it was a must-read book. Galan’s had some great style for as long as I can remember seeing their work and it really delivers here in the violence, the detail, and just the kind of raw emotion that it feeds at times.
With this installment, things are moving forward well as Stanley has really decided to embrace his power and to get things done with Dezzy in tow. We see a kind of small community meeting/class thing going on in the first half where he’s doing his spiel and getting his converts that he can really work over as time goes on. He’s getting better and better at the sell of it all and that’s only making him more dangerous but also more known. Which is why he has to deal with those that try to stop him, such as the kind of crazy guy that pulls a gun and threatens to kill him in order to stop this “fake” prophet. Stanley’s use of Zed’s abilities that are now his are impressive as he basically skins him alive, letting him stay alive and feel it, which only further cements who he is to those that have come to his session.
He definitely has bigger plans as we see him going house-hunting as well, going all-in on a really big and spacious mansion with a dark history of thirteen people that were killed/sacrificed by the previous owner as part of his own little cult thing. It’s the perfect place from which he can launch his own church basically and the party to celebrate it is definitely packed. But we also see through this that Dezzy is a little unsure, especially as he’s getting approached by other Satanic church/cults that are looking to merge their large membership with him, seeing potential for real expansion. But Stanley has to watch out for more than just them as Zed’s lurking around the background as well and making his move, while revealing to Stanley exactly what’s coming for him that will turn the surface world into a hellish battlefield.
In Summary:
I really liked the opening installment of this series and this one carries things forward well without it picking up exactly where we left off. Stanley isn’t the type to worry and confuse himself over what he should do but is instead the rare character with determination and intent, which is a dangerous combination even without demonic powers. Watching him grow here is definitely a lot of fun to watch because it reinforces just how dangerous he is and the way his plans are coming together – and the obstacles that are starting to appear. Bunn’s script is solid as always, economical where it needs to be, while Galan’s artwork is a delight in the variety to the character designs and the general visuals for all things demonic.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: September 1st, 2021
MSRP: $3.99
