In 1909 a farmer encounters a mythical cryptid on his farm. Of course no one believes what he has seen, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t real. The only thing more terrifying than the devil itself, is its origin.

Let This One Be A Devil #1

Written By James Tynion IV & Steve Foxe – Art By Piotr Kowalski

Colors By Brad Simpson – Letters By Tom Napolitano

Edited By Greg Lockard & Daniel Chabon – Published By Dark Horse Comics

***Minor Spoilers Possible***

The Jersey Devil is Real

It’s the winter of 1909 and Henry’s mom tells him that there is commotion out in the chicken coop. As Henery investigates the coop, he discovers that his chickens have been slaughtered. Walking around the corner of the coop he discovers the culprit, the legendary Jersey Devil. As he tells his family what he saw, his brother Roy questions him in disbelief. The family dynamic is rough for Henry, who his brother accuses of leaving the family to become a city boy. In town, the people aren’t much nicer to him.

We then get a flashback to 1735 on a stormy night at the Leeds homestead. Mrs. Leeds is in labor and its not going well. This is shocking because she has given birth to 12 other children and never had these problems. The amount of blood she has lost is troubling the midwives and her husband. Worse than that though is what she gives birth to.

It Came from the Leeds Homestead

Let This One Be A Devil #1 does a great job of covering the mythical cryptid the Jersey Devil, while giving the myth a new twist. James Tynion IV and Steve Foxe do a great job of building on a legend, while at the same time developing an incredible human element. They really do an amazing job of making us care about the characters in this book through awesome character development.

The art in this issue is next level and brings this world to life. Piotr Kowalski makes the art feel dated, which transports us back to 1909 and 1735 respectively. The character design, specifically the creature, is incredible. At the same time Brad Simpson’s color pallet really compliments and makes the art stand out.

Check Out My Review of Those Not Afraid #2

Final Thoughts

Let This One Be A Devil #1 is a fantastic first issue that brings the reader into the lives of the characters, while teasing the looming threat ahead. If this first issue is any indication, we are in for an awesome ride. Make sure you pick up a copy of this book at the LCS and reserve all the issues to come.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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