The series draws to a violent but satisfying end.
Creative Staff:
Story: David Pepose
Art: Alex Cormack
Letterer: Justin Birch
What They Say:
The Curia is broken, as Legion’s corruption floods the streets of Rome. While the Vatican burns, Father Vieri must make his final stand against the demon that wears his face. Yet with his greatest weapon proven powerless against the Devil, can Vieri and Maria find another way to reclaim his body? Or will the horrifying secrets of Vieri’s past turn out to be his undoing? All that is certain is that Legion’s depravity has finally been unleashed… and it will take more than a priest to banish this terrifying demon back to Hell.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
David Pepose has been a writer I’ve quite enjoyed for a while now with the variety of his projects but especially his original works. This series started with an opening installment that was laid out in a way that with partner Alex Cormack’s artwork feels positively epic yet intimately dark. There’s a theatricality about it that makes it easy to view it as something you’d want to see on the screen but it delivers the kind of style and design that works oh so much better on the printed or digital page. Pepose paces this well with a lot of the foundation set up here so you can see how dark it will go while Cormack provides some thoroughly grounded designs so that when the surreal moments hit they go above and beyond in the look and layout so it has maximum impact.
With this final installment, things go about as big as it needs to when it comes to the forces at play here. Legion has largely won in his view at this point as not only has it taken out so many servants of God but it has defiled the most holy of houses and turned it into a bloodbath. His intention to spread across the continent and beyond to enjoy remaking the world as it sees fit is certainly an appropriate point of view for this demon. Thinking that it’s unopposed at this point, we also see alongside this how Vieri has learned much and is putting things together by reconnecting with Maria in order to deal with Legion. It’s unfortunate that the two have to separate for a bit but Maria gets some good stuff here as she hunts up the Iscariot sword and a little bit more for Vieri in order to accomplish their goals of stopping Legion. She gets to face some legitimate dangers along the way and the execution of it works really well with the tension and fears she has to cross.
It all comes down to a fight between the two main players in this, however, and setting it within the Vatican as it is and with Vieri going all out as the stained glass shatters around them is just so visually perfect. The intensity of the fight from both sides delivers as Legion feels unstoppable and doesn’t try to find any way to finish things out fast while Vieri has orchestrated the right moves in order to bring Santiago to the forefront and create the separation needed in order for Vieri to strike the ending blow. Getting Vieri’s past revealed in full with his true origin story works well with the religious aspects here and why it can unfold as it does, though I’m sure that those who are more religiously knowledgeable than I might get more out of it. But it’s satisfying to see Vieri’s plan come to fruition and for him to figure out a strong post-Legion life for all involved. There’s a good sense of closure here but easily the opportunity to explore more after such a hard-fought victory.
In Summary:
David Pepose has put together a thoroughly enjoyable series here that delivered well when it came to the individual releases and I imagine is going to be even more enjoyable when you can get a collection and just read it all at once. It’s extremely theatrical in its design which Alex Cormack puts to page beautifully from pretty much the first page. It’s a series that works its time period well, has interesting characters facing incredibly difficult and crazy situations, and doesn’t hold back from the violence that would hit from it. I really appreciate that it feels complete here even as it does leave a door open for more, which I’d certainly be down for. But if you want a strongly written and beautifully illustrated contained series, this one will deliver in spades.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Mad Cave Studios
Release Date: January 31st, 2024
MSRP: $4.99
