Halloween is just around the corner, so I felt I ought to post about something that tied in to that spooky, kooky holiday. I was at a loss, at least until the first issue of the comic book series Exorsisters came out earlier this month. A horror comedy written by Ian Boothby and illustrated by Gisele Lagace, Exorsisters is published by Image Comics.
The protagonists of Exorsisters are Cate and Kate Harrow, apparent twin sisters who are polar opposites. Cate is serious, intellectual and focused, while Kate is silly, wild, and flighty. Despite their differences, the siblings work together as paranormal investigators.
By the way, I say “apparent twin sisters” because this issue strongly implies that there is actually something much more complicated, and sinister, involved in the relationship between Cate and Kate.
The first issue opens on a wedding ceremony held outside on a beautiful day; Glenn and Gloria are ready to exchange their vows. However, before the ceremony can be completed, a horrified Gloria witnesses demons manifesting themselves to drag her fiancé off to Hell wrapped in flaming chains. At least, that’s what Gloria sees; the rest of the wedding party is under the impression that nothing supernatural has taken place, and that Glenn has merely left poor Gloria at the altar.
Fortunately for Gloria, the priest who was conducting the ceremony has worked with Cate and Kate in the past, and the Harrow sisters are quickly called in. At first, even to their eyes it appears that nothing unusual has taken place, although Cate soon detects “a mix of sulfur and tragedy,” indications that a demon has indeed been present.
Realizing that there’s only on way to be certain of what occurred, Cate and Kate open a portal to Hell itself and descend into the underworld, to learn if Glenn is truly being held prisoner there.
I am not familiar with Ian Boothby, although it seems he’s written a fair amount in the past. He certainly does good work with Exorsisters #1, penning a story that is very humorous, but at the same time possesses some genuinely dark and unsettling moments.
As for Gisele Lagace, I recall seeing her work in the past for Archie Comics, although I never really followed any books she worked on. She is definite a very talented artist. Her style is cartoony, but possessed of enough realism. It’s a good fit for Boothby’s script, with its dual emphasis on comedy and horror.
Lagace does a fine job of bringing Cate and Kate to life. It’s clear from her artwork that they are identical twins (or at least that we are supposed to believe they are) yet she also gives each of them a very distinct & expressive personalities, adeptly rendering the reserved Cate and irreverent Kate. She also illustrates this well on her cover for the first issue.
Looking at Lagace’s artwork, it reminds me somewhat of both Cliff Chiang and Darwyn Cooke’s styles. I love both artists, so I’m certainly happy to find another comic book creator working within what I’d have to describe as a “noir animated” style.
The coloring by Pete Pantazis is a fine match for Lagace’s line work, and certainly amplifies the mood and atmosphere of the story. The scenes set in Hell especially seemed to benefit from his color work.
Exorsisters does feel like a very female-centered book. Cate and Kate, the main characters, are, in spite of their personality quirks, depicted as competent individuals. There is also their client Gloria. Without giving too much away, the Harrow sisters discover that Gloria has basically been the victim of supernatural gaslighting. Definitely unwilling to be a victim, once the truth is revealed Gloria quickly asserts herself.
The only criticism I had of Exorsisters #1 was that it was such a short read. I guess, as with other current comic books, at $3.99 a pop I keep hoping to find issues that are more than a 15 minute read. Nevertheless, despite the quick pace of the story, I did enjoy it, and it offered enough hooks that I am interested in picking up the next one.
Also noteworthy is the variant cover for Exorsisters #1 by Pia Guerra. It’s a striking piece showing Cate and Kate Harrow in Hell surrounded by demons. Guerra renders it in her own style, but at the same time effectively captures the tone present in Lagace’s work for this series. Guerra has done great work on various comic book series, as well as in her political cartoons for The New Yorker and The Nib, which are very effective and powerful. According to Wikipedia, Guerra is married to Boothby. I’m glad he asked her to contribute a cover for this series.
In My Not So Humble Opinion 