LET THIS ONE BE A DEVIL #1 / Script by JAMES TYNION IV, STEVE FOXE & RACHEL DEERING / Art by PIOTR KOWALSKI & JESSE LONERGAN / Color Art by BRAD SIMPSON / Letters by TOM NAPOLITANO & ADITYA BIDIKAR / Published by DARK HORSE COMICS
January 1909. Henry Naughton has returned home to his family’s farm within the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. A scholar by nature, he hopes to return to his studies and his translation work once his mother is through a rough patch. It is the only thing that Henry and his younger brother (who resents him for leaving to attend school) agree upon.
However, Henry soon has his world view shaken by something not accounted for in his textbooks. An encounter with a mysterious creature sets Henry to researching the history of his town after reading a newspaper account that sounds eerily similar to his own story. It is a history concerning the infamous Daniel Leeds, a mother’s curse, and the being that came to be known as The Jersey Devil!
Teamed with Steve Foxe, James Tynion IV reveals the true history of the Jersey Devil. At least, as true as it might be based on the newspaper accounts of the time. I’ll admit to not being as well-versed in the lore of this particular cryptid as I am others. However, from what I can tell this is extensively researched and the early 20th century setting well captured.
It is because of stories like this that James Tynion IV is recognized as American comics’ Master of the Macabre. While horror is not my preferred genre, I have yet to read a series by JT4 I didn’t enjoy. This is because he tells stories about people, first and foremost. They may be people who are abducted by aliens or facing unspeakable horror, but they are people just the same.
This story is well realized by Where Monsters Lie artist Piotr Kowalski. The artwork here is dark and detailed. The harshness of the pencils matches the harshness of the rural setting and the treatment Henry gets from his hometown quite well. The horror is further enhanced by the stark palette utilized by Brad Simpson. Most of the book is washed out, like a cruel winter, yet thrown into sharp release by the bloodshed of the beast.
The backup story, Shattered and Shook, is a different sort of delight. This story by Rachel Deering details a farm family besieged by a different sort of devil in 1968. The monochromatic artwork by Jesse Longergan is suitably spooky. However, there is less attempt to develop the family, with the story being presented in a strict “just the facts” format.
Let This One Be A Devil is sure to satisfy fans of the earlier True Weird and Blue Book horror series. With vivid artwork and grounded characters, this is far more engaging than most horror comics. This is partly due to the craft of the creators, but largely due to it provoking the thought that maybe, just maybe, this isn’t just a ghost story.
Let This One Be A Devil #1 arrives in comic shops on February 19, 2025.
