Review: The Dirt Beneath The Devil #1
From Mad Cave Studios
A new series with an ominous beginning from Mad Cave Studios with The Dirt Beneath The Devil #1.
In the dying days of the American frontier, a young woman journeys into the unknown to claim a legacy she never asked for and may not survive.
June Buckley’s father was a monster in life. In death, he may be something worse. Summoned alongside a group of treacherous heirs, June is forced to traverse the same brutal path that built her father’s empire. But the trail reveals more than hardship, it exposes the rot in every soul travelling beside her.
And at the centre of it all is Hendido… a creature bound to her father’s past and perhaps to something far older and much more wicked. As the tension simmers and night closes in, June begins to understand: Her inheritance comes at grisly price.
Author: Dan Panosian
Artists: Dan Panosian, and David Ferracci
This is a fascinating beginning to a western with an interesting hook to it all.
Kicking off, we get a well-paced introduction to all the characters, and that theme continues well throughout the issue. There are obviously some secrets we are yet to learn about, but we are only at the start of this journey. June is our lead character and the one where we, as the reader, are going to learn about the others and what is going on.
Also looming large over the story is June’s father, who seems to have made an impact on all of the characters in this story in different ways. As June never met him, she is learning as much as we are, and that is some clever storytelling. Even so, he has made a serious impact, and his instructions that this journey be undertaken, as well as the mode of transport, add to the mystery of the story.
Looking at the mode of transport, June’s father had insisted that she ride Hendido, a horse with a strong personality! The way this is crafted into the story is excellent, and June’s connection with Hendido is very interesting—as well as the horse’s reaction to others.
Is there something darker in this tale? Something supernatural? It is a little ambiguous at this point, but the story and the art do an excellent job in keeping that side of the mystery going - The close-ups look at Hendido, making this especially unnerving, and for good reason.
The rest of the cast is well-rounded, with some nasty people that you instantly dislike as well as a mother and son who also have a connection with June’s father.
The art style was perfect for this story, with a classic western feel, along with something darker brimming underneath it all. The introduction of Hendido was perfect, showing his power and stature, as well as a dark intelligence beneath it all.
This was an excellent beginning, with a lot going on and a well-rounded cast of characters. The build-up is excellent, and it continues to set us up for an interesting story with some expressive artwork and colours - I am looking forward to seeing where the trek takes us next.
