Confession
Manga artist: Page Hender
Publisher: Silver Sprocket
Publication date: March 2025
Even if you consume all the vampire stories that can sink your teeth, a confession by Paige Hender makes you feel like the first. With its excellent setting, expressive characters and incredible layout, this is an outstanding pughet turner that will haunt you for a few days after reading.
Confession
The Confession was set in New Orleans in 1922, and the opening page brings essential historical context to the story. Two years after the ban, three years after the Western murders, and five years after Storyville, the city’s red light district, was closed by the US Navy.
All of these factors influence a confession centered around Cora Velázquez, who lives in La Tube Sourisa (“Bat”), a brothel run by vampires. In 1921, Kora was saved from death by Dolores Iglesias by consumption in Texas, and she transformed her into a vampire and took her to La Chauve-Souris.
However, Kora does not challenge the life of a vampire. Unable to confront the reality of what she has become, she resists the hunting commander and even reduces human blood. Instead, she tries to quell her hunger with the pigeon and suppress her increasingly overwhelming desires. And like many who tried to suppress their desires before her, she seeks successor to the Catholic Church, specifically the sacrament of reconciliation.
It is a trip to these confessions that brings Cora into close contact with Father Orville Thibodeaux. Soon, Orville learned the secrets of Kora’s true nature. However, when the duo forget their sacred alliance, the situation becomes rapidly complicated and quite bloody.
Blood and beauty
First of all, Hender’s art is very suitable for content. Her portrayal of New Orleans a century ago resonates with the atmosphere. Her character, on the other hand, is clear and attractive. I especially enjoyed the giant bat-like vampire shapes of Kora. This contrasts with the innocence of the big eye that was conveyed when she presents her as a human.
Confessions also make great use of a limited palette of colours. Aside from deep navy blue and white on paper pages, the book uses only red colours. Clearly, red is used to paint blood. But it has also been used in other interesting ways. For fantasy and flashback sequences and panels, specific word balloons, dialogue, sound effects, and in some memorable examples, for the eyes of the cola to allow the vampire to be in full control.
But while every page in this dark and fascinating story is a visual feast, the page depicting the exchange of Cora and Orville’s confessionals stand out. This part is in the format of the header. This cleverly adapts the panels to evoke two separate compartments of the box.
This is further enhanced by the repetitive motifs of the confession screen. The motifs are not only used in these scenes, but also adorned the end papers of graphic novels. If you have spent time at a confession booth, you are guaranteed to be profoundly and inspiring right away.
Available now
In addition to all these visual virtues, the examination of the confession of a lamentable man who pretends to be sacred moral authority resonates in America in 2025, just as in 1922. The clever combination of images of demons and religion is worth creating fascinating stories, even if you already feel that some life is worthy of. Confessions are special.
If you’re totally familiar with any of the titles published by Silver Sprocket, it goes without saying that the presentation of this hardcover graphic novel is top notch. This is Hender’s debut graphic novel, but it reads like a well-horned work by a manga artist with dozens of volumes under her belt. Confessions are an impressive tour power, and readers anticipate the work Hender will create in the future.
Confessions are currently available at local bookstores and public libraries nearby.
Read more amazing reviews of Beat!
Like this:
Like loading…
