REVIEW: 'The Devil That Wears My Face' #2 by David Pepose and Alex Cormack

THE DEVIL THAT WEARS MY FACE #2 

Writer: David Pepose

Artist: Alex Cormack

Letterer: Justin Birch

Publisher: Mad Cave Studios

Release Date: November 22, 2023

Cover Price: $4.99

Now trapped in Santiago's body, Father Vieri finds himself locked in the dungeon of the Castillo Lazarus - and at the sadistic mercies of the Inquisition. Yet as this exorcist now burns at the touch of the Cross, can Vieri escape before the demon Legion uses his body to paint the Vatican red? And when suspicion mounts over his new host's changed demeanor, to what terrifying lengths will Legion go to avoid being discovered? As the Devil lurks in the Church's most precious sanctum, no one will be prepared for what happens next - and in one bloody instant, the fate of Rome will be changed forever.

Equal parts Face/Off and The Exorcist, Ringo Award-winning writer David Pepose (Moon Knight: City of the Dead, Savage Avengers) and Bram Stoker Award-nominated artist Alex Cormack (Sea of Sorrows, The Crimson Cage) conjure a harrowing tale of terror, action, and body-swap intrigue that will leave comic readers at the edge of their seats.

Score:

8.5/10

The delightfully devilish 'The Devil That Wears My Face' by David Pepose and Alex Cormack is already hitting its groove in issue two. Poor Father Vieri is trapped in Satiago's body getting tortured as part of an Inquisition while the demon Legion is out and about in the priest's body causing havoc at the Vatican. After an explosive first issue, this body-swapping thriller delivers on its promise of 'Face/Off' meets 'The Exorcist,' with an intense sinister twist. 

Pepose succeeds in establishing the plight of both men. The brutal and painful attempts of fellow priests to exorcise the demon from who they think is Santiago, only to torture the unfortunate Father Vieri. Meanwhile, Legion is bored playing the part of a holy man and decides murder and chaos are much more entertaining. The duality of the two men, one onto whom pain is inflicted, and one who inflicts the pain, is the major consequence of their swap. The brutality and severity of both extremes are on full display in unflinching detail. 

Cormack's terrifying imagery and depictions of torture are unsettling but brilliantly illustrated. As haunting as some of the visuals are, there's also nuance to be found in the details. The smug look of Legion in Vieri's face, the dunking of man's head underwater, and the pillowy rise of fog in the streets are all captured with such precision and expertise it makes the chilling elements all the more real. Cormack can set a mood and deliver a nerve-wracking onslaught of fear. 

'The Devil That Wears My Face' is a fun thriller that takes its horror seriously. For all its machinations, there is a demon on the loose who's remorseless and capable of any and all evil deeds. It plays out in gruesome ways proving that the danger posed is real and all the more urgent to exorcise it once and for all. Any fan of horror should relish this series because it delivers the thrills readers crave.