Advance Review: Confronting The Six(?) Deadly Sins In ‘Exorcists Never Die’ TPB

Greed is a dragon protecting its hoard of gold and riches. Gluttony is a massive mound of revolting flesh. Envy is beast with snakes for hair.

As disgusting as they are, the seven deadly sins have never looked so good. That is largely thanks to Exorcists Never Die artist Sebastian Piriz. Piriz lets his imagination, as well as his pencils and colors, go wild.

Not surprisingly, the sins are the story’s antagonists. They have taken up residence in the Hellscraper, a massive building where thousands of souls are up for auction. Combat exorcists Syd and Ellen must fight their way through the demons and deadly sins – and occasionally each other – to save the souls before they are consigned to Hell. The pair are former lovers who ended their relationship because of their competitiveness.

Writer Steve Orlando has the pair battling their own internal demons as much as the real things during the series, which publisher Mad Cave Studios has collected into a trade paperback. Orlando arms the exorcists with potestate (Latin for power) flows and the power of angels – along with some old-fashioned fisticuffs send demons back to Hell.

It’s a good concept and largely strong execution, though confining the good guys to just two characters makes for sometimes stilted dialogue and awkward exposition. What’s more troubling is that the book ends before the team can take on seventh sin. As a result, the conclusion, such as it is, feels rushed and incomplete.

But Piriz’ illustrations elevate the volume, even the unsatisfying ending. The flows, often depicted as full- or double-page spreads are colorful works of comic art. They tell a story in ways that a written script never could – which is precisely what comic book readers are looking for.

Exorcists Never Die is a fun read and an even better visual extravaganza. Some editor needs to give Piriz a regular gig – and fast.

Exorcists Never Die TPB will be available for purchase on November 22, 2023.