Pestilence: The Complete Series
Published by: Aftershock Comics
Written by: Frank Tieri
Illustrated by: Oleg Okunev
ISBN: 9781949028355
Ages: 18+
On occasion, when I sit down to write a review for something amazing I have read, I struggle with where to begin. Do I try to give my readers a taste of the world they’d read about? Do I focus on the characters and some of their attributes? Or… Do I call attention to the author and artist and perhaps some of the awards they’ve won? For this review… I’ve chosen to let others do some of my talking for me.
“PESTILENCE was first meant to be a video game – blood, guts, gore, gratuitous sex, an unstoppable virus, corruption and cover-up by the Church, elite soldiers whose moral compasses point North even when their souls are headed South – it all felt like something to be immersed in, first-person swordsman, eyes glued to a screen while yelling into an earpiece, sleep when you’re dead. Or undead.
Conceptually, I wanted a gritty, grounded Lord of the Rings, an unhealthy dose of The Walking Dead, and the world-sprawling mythology of Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
– Eric Bromberg, author of RELAY, a fellow Aftershock writer
“Satan, orgies, and fighting. What’s not to like…?”
– Adam Glass, fellow Aftershock author and writer for Marvel Comics
All that being said… This story was outstanding. The world was relatable and understandable. The artistry and visuals provided excellent clarity into exactly what was going on. All of the characters were very distinct and easily identifiable, both in their appearance and demeanor. I really appreciated being able to consume the main PESTILENCE series, as well as the sequel PESTILENCE: A STORY OF SATAN in one sitting. Due to the content, this series is definitely ADULTS ONLY, but don’t let that scare you into thinking there is excessive violence, gore, or sex. There is a lot of that, but I felt like all of it was necessary to really grasping the story.
Frank Tieri (PUNISHER, BATMAN, the MARVEL vs CAPCOM video games) has created a masterpiece here. You owe it to yourself to read this graphic novel… if you can survive it.
ADAM FISHER, Reference Associate
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