Damn Them All #7 – Boom! Studios

Creative Team: Simon Spurrier, Charlie Adlard, Sofie Dodgson, Daniel Silva De Carvalho, and Jim Campbell

Welcome to another New Comic Book Day review from the NI Bullpen!

This is an intense story. In preparation for this review I went back and re-read the first 6 issues of this comic series. Dealing heavily with the criminal underworld and the occult in the UK, this is a must read for fans of the supernatural.

Before we get into my review for Damn Them All #7, I’d like to try and give you all a quick recap of where the story has been so far. 

Let’s get right to it and talk about Damn Them All from Boom! Studios.

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***
**GRAPHIC/GOREY CONTENT WARNING**

Damn Them All Beginnings

Our story follows a young woman named Ellie Hawthorne, who is neck deep in the occult underworld of Britain. Obtaining magical knowledge and powers from her late uncle Alfie, she finds work as muscle for a local crime lord and occult novice named Frankie Wax.

At the funeral reception of her uncle Alfie, who was also a well respected figure in the underworld, a group of masked gunmen burst into the reception. Just as they are about to be thwarted, one of them manages what’s called a “Summoning” calling forth an entity known as an Andromalius. This demon wreaks its havoc, then apologizes to Ellie before departing.

By the end of the first issue, we learn that something has gone wrong in the underworld and these ‘Andromalius‘ have been cast out. They have become servants of evil men, they are in pain, and they wish to be exorcized back home. 

Along with a “disgraced” former New Orleans police officer named Dora Lafon, and the Andromalius which is now pledged to Ellie, they seek to uncover what has changed to force these Andromalius’ out of the underworld. As well as punishing the “Author” responsible.

The Ground Shakes

Issue 7 kicks off with ground tremors, greenhouse shattering and Angels appearing in West London. Ellie is fast asleep with her canine/ Andromalius companion named Glas by her side, and he knows something big is happening across town.  

After waking Ellie out of her slumber, we see that the pair are outside the cemetery containing the grave of her uncle Alfie. It was Alfie who broke the human world and the underworld. He is the cause of the Andromalius’ being kept prisoner in the mortal realm, and it is apparently his SKIN that is needed to set things right. So Glas begins to dig.

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Where Is Alfie?

The grave is dug up, and they discover something they were not expecting. Instead of her uncle’s casket and corpse, they discover nothing but magical candles in an empty grave.

We are told that even if Glas knew which demon did this, he is magically prevented from revealing the identity or exact location. That being said, Ellie is not your average occultist. She has a loophole in mind. 

Being that Glas is in the form of a dog, she wants him to get the scent off one of the candles. Thinking that if he leads her to the culprit by smell alone, he is not breaking any of the demonic rules by which he must follow. As they are discussing this, her companion can sense the “Unfallen” (Angels) are not only in London, “but they are having fun.” Which, from the panel we are shown here, is only fun for the Angels.

Getting A Sigil Back

Ellie and Glas are next shown attempting to retrieve one of the Sigils controlling the demons from an underworld occultist. This man informs Ellie that the Angels have been released upon the mortal world. 

When Ellie then still demands the coin from the old man, he attempts to flee outside. After making it outside, Ellie is about to send Glas to give the old man a “Rendering-In-Twain” when the man is suddenly shot and killed. 

The killer then appears to split into multiple versions of themselves and take the Sigil that Ellie and Glas had come for. Unfortunately, some kind of magic is throwing off Glas‘ senses and he doesn’t know which killer to pursue. And Ellie is left thinking she saw someone from her recent past, but did she?

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Story Review

Simon’s writing for this series is top notch all the way through so far. Crafting an outstanding supernatural detective story full of magic, intrigue and drama. 

The revelation that Alfie’s remains have been stolen was a big surprise. I wasn’t exactly expecting things to go smoothly for Ellie, but the body being gone all together I did not see coming. And you can feel her frustration leap off the page as she is devising her work around Glas’ demonic restrictions. 

On top of the main plot going on throughout the series, this issue shows us that Ellie has burned a bridge with Dora over Cillian. She won’t return Ellie’s calls and her whereabouts are unknown. We see Ellie struggle with trying to heal the mortal world and underworld, while also trying to mend fences with those she holds dear. She says she needs Dora to help her fix things, but will Dora come to her aid?

Artwork Overview

Adlard and Dodgson come out swinging for this issue. The level of detail in each panel is nothing short of impressive, leaving readers completely immersed into the world they have created. 

The two panels we are treated with showing the Angels, are intense to say the least. The almost blinding white glow combined with the level of havoc being wrought, makes the Angels seem like an immense threat. Those panels feel important and impactful, even though these are the only looks we get of the Angels for now.  

Glas’ movements feel swift and vicious on the page. When he is in full blown demon mode it seems utterly terrifying. Harsh lines and deep heavy inks and colors give him a formidable presence that you would want in an all powerful demon.

Overall Score: 9 OUT OF 10 – “Must Pull”

If you are looking for something new and intense to read this week on New Comic Book Day, you would be hard pressed to find a better option this week than Damn Them All #7 from Boom! Studios. This is another leap forward for this creative team and this series as a whole.

Make sure to check this out on New Comic Book Day this week at your local comic book shop!

As always everyone, Be Safe, Be Kind, and Take It Easy!

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