REVIEW: ‘The Devil That Wears My Face’ Issue #4

The Devil That Wears My Face #4 is published by Mad Cave Studios, written by David Pepose, art and colors by Alex Cormack and letters by Justin Birch. Legion’s demonic nature is almost impossible to hide now, especially in the wake of a brutal murder.

Taking place seconds after the last issue ended, The Devil That Wears My Face #4 takes the pre-existing pace and scale of the comic and ramps it up. The characters aren’t able to dwell on their predicament for long as the whole of The Vatican might be on their heels. Unpredictably, he series turns into an action book. The action is riveting and yet still ties in with the biblical rules that Pepose is developing. Those rules are explored further, which is a welcome expansion of the world. This is found not just in terms of the locations, but also through  recognition of other religions within the book.

The plot turns into all-out chaos, with secrecy and slinking around in the shadows completely disappearing out the window. This is not a comic working with subtlety. Instead it thrives on excess both in the brutality and the biblical, a medieval version of a car chase. The ending robs any semblance of hope away from the book, just as it has for every other previous chapter.

The characters and the dialogue remain excellent. Legion, the demon residing within the body of Father Vieri, is the one absolute in the book, just the embodiment of evil. He revels in depravity and destruction. His fury isn’t being hidden any more. Legion has shed any and all disguises and will just murder anyone who finds out. His power also spreads, with a terrifying display of what he can do. It may be surprising, but his name finally makes more sense.

As for Vieri, the priest is forced into being even more of an action star. He is a priest and therefore meant to uphold good and holiness. But his soul is inside a man who was possessed by a demon, and that has consequences. When fighting demons, those tactics could damage him as well.

The art is tremendous. The increase in pace and action is visually brilliant. The characters literally leap out of the building and are off. The movement looks terrific, and the carnage makes the chase scene instantly infectious. And yet, with the book moving locations and showing much more of Rome, the detail is unbelievable. The patterns on clothes, fabrics, and absolutely everything else provide the book with substance and grit. Artists notoriously hate drawing horses, and yet they look fantastic here. The same can be said for the human transformation. When a human is a victim of demonic energy, their faces contort and twist into something other. The injuries are brutal and repulsive, with many more examples of excessive gore than in other issues due to Legion showing even less restraint.

The colors maintain their variety after stepping away from the party in the previous issue, but they are still outstanding. The red that stems from both the blood and Legion’s power is overpowering, splattering and pouring everywhere. But then outside, in the wider cities of Rome and the Vatican, there’s a sinister and sickly palette utilized that adds a blending of yellow and green. It makes even the chance of escape and freedom look unnerving. The lettering really captures the sudden escalation, going from small to huge, and panicked within a panel.

The Devil That Wears My Face #4 removes all restraint. This series has used extreme violence as its set pieces, but now something else has been added. Adrenaline-fueled action bumps blood and demons around the city. Any concept of keeping the conflict under wraps had vanished, with the brash and bloodthirsty battles becoming impossible to hide. The increase in speed appears at precisely the right time within the series, giving it an onslaught of energy.

The Devil That Wears My Face #4 is available now wherever comics are sold.