Excommunicated #2 – Wakey, Wakey, Pain and Achey

Sister Josephine was cast out of the church for an exorcism gone wrong in Excommunicated. After getting the Father’s call for help, both the Priest and the Possessed die with zero proof that Sister Josephine was ever asked to be present. Now the main suspect in both deaths, and with nowhere to go, Josephine takes refuge in the Airbnb of a church parishioner to get back on her feet. What happens when what she thought she cast out comes back?

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Jeremy Robinson
Artist: Tiago Palma
Color Artist: Manuel J. Rodriguez
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Flaviano Armentaro

Writing

Jeremy Robinson just does not let up. How do you write something that is both horrifying and psychological while occasionally filled with laugh-out-loud bits of humor? This issue was packed full of adventure. I really like where this story is going. After being left on a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of issue #1, we get a good look at the relationship between Josephine and her ability to see demons.

Speaking of demons, Edimmu is absolutely terrifying. One, because as a demon, the character is just terrifying, but also because of how well the demon blends in. I love how Robinson is writing Josephine. She seems curious rather than scared. I do wonder if Josephine sharing a name with the great Josephine Baker will have any role in the story once it winds down, but so far, this story is an adrenaline rush from first page to last.

Art

Tiago Palma, Manuel Rodriguez, and Jim Campbell continue to do amazing work on this series. For Tiago Palma, this may be his best work yet. Palma’s line work is simply spectacular with an adept attention to detail. Palma uses lines and shading to show the world closing in around Josephine in perfect detail in the panel. Once we understand the nature of Josephine and Edimmu’s relationship, Palma gives us a full page panel that is not only beautifully drawn, but some of the best work he’s released into the world.

Manuel Rodriguez utilizes colors to truly capture this world. While the comic would still be amazing if Robinson and Palma were doing it in black and white, it’s Rodriguez’s colors that bring vibrancy and at times, darkness to the world. The full depth of Josephine as a character is built in part because of the sharp color contrasts we get in this issue. Jim Campbell does amazing work with lettering on this issue, crafting word bubbles to mimic the scene in natural and creative ways.

Final Thoughts

Everything about this issue is perfect. I want more issues released yesterday. Vault has found an amazing creative team. Robinson and Palma are perfect in this team-up with Rodriguez bringing the world to vibrant life. We’ve already gotten so much action and story in two issues, I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. How much more can my heart take?

Overall Grade: 10/10

Are you enjoying Excommunicated? Let me know in the comments