In some cases, more is better. Author Jordan Thomas and illustrator Chris Matthews seem to agree with this sentiment, and their new comicology series, Exorcism Island, finds the church rounding up the most difficult active possession cases on an island for a no-holds-barred exorcism session. This is an interesting concept that finds traces of Lost, The Expendables, and good old possession movies in its formulation.
The story follows Father Gigi Amato, who is sent to a Caribbean island to join a group of exorcists against the most resistant demons in recorded history. Amato is still processing an earlier encounter that seems to have left more of an imprint on his psyche. Upon arrival, he gets a crash course in what difficult possession looks like. The constant insults, escape attempts, and violent outbursts prove that this job is not for the faint of heart or the lost.
Thomas’ script recognizes the fact that there is little need to educate readers about what an exorcist is or how exorcism works. So Exorcism Island kicks into gear with Father Amato being brought to the island and the horror elements surrounding the place and its cursed inhabitants eager to set the tone. This is where the influence of Lost comes into play a little bit. Characters are introduced fairly quickly and rudely, but with a clear intent to build up the story in future issues. This comic aims to reveal its secrets methodically and at your own pace.
Matthews’ art complements this approach well, favoring a kind of clear line style that emphasizes body language and parts of the scenery that directly impact the story. This makes each priest clearly distinguishable and easier to tell apart. There are noticeable shades of The Expendables in this regard, with the priests all looking like war-weary veterans and displaying the gruffness necessary for the job.
Matthews also does the coloring for this book, and it’s very impressive how much weight he packs into each panel using no more than two colors at a time. The first issue of this series is dominated by a solid orange color, hinting at some kind of putrid heat enveloping the island. Purple (aside from being a color associated with Catholicism) signals a more intimate type of fear and anxiety, bringing the fear closer to the individual characters, while the morbid green feels like a strategic nod to the iconic color palette of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist.
It is important to note that this story does not glorify any religious group or its representatives. The unfairness behind the idea of putting people in impossible situations and then expecting great outcomes is getting even more buy-in. Although all the priests clearly understand the difficulty and weight of their task, a heavy sense of responsibility still hangs over them.
The book asks readers to consider how realistic it is to hope that these holy people will succeed in exorcising the demons that have already proven so stubborn in their position. Questions about expectations, obligations, and failure are raised through these characters and go a long way in establishing a fragile sense of purpose regarding the island and its subjects.
Exorcism Island is a welcome change to the possession formula. It doesn’t rely on The Exorcist to tell the story, as many stories of its kind do, and other influences get a chance to add to the subgenre. The fact that Matthews and Thomas have fun with this is reason enough to give the comic a chance. Add to this a true cast of exorcist villains and a fresh new setting for the possessed to play in, and you have the makings of a truly great new horror comic.
Something like this:
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