When I Lay My Vengeance upon Thee

Novelist Moreno (This Thing Between Us) and artist Rebelka (Cyborg 2077) summon fresh horror from the familiar premise of clergy teaming up to exorcise a possessed child. Father Manuel Barrera, a troubled Mexican priest, is dispatched to study under Father Stygian, who specializes in obscure esoteric rites. “To be an exorcist, you need to let go of your past,” Father Stygian warns. “Otherwise it can be used against you.” Sure enough, the duo’s efforts to free a possessed boy in a rural island community appear to be thwarted by the spirit of Father Varden, Stygian’s previous apprentice, who died by suicide. Meanwhile, monstrous animal births and sightings of the undead suggest there’s more than one rogue demon haunting the island. Rebelka’s roughly blocked, subtly distorted art, with hints of woodcut prints and Latin American folk art, evokes an unbalanced feeling to the setting, as the characters tour through foreboding dusty towns, stark ranches, rain-soaked forests, and gloomy cemeteries. The story takes a while to kick into gear and ends abruptly, but there are plenty of chills and some effective twists along the way. Supernatural horror fans will enjoy the ride. (Jan.)