Robert Kirkman’s (“WALKING DEAD”, “MARVEL ZOMBIES”) newest installment into Top Cow’s “PILOT SEASON” has been plagued with release date issues, being pushed back twice in the span of one month alone. It was getting so bad that it left readers wondering if the story was even going to happen at all, and if it did then the next question became whether or not it was going to be the comic equivalent of the forthcoming “WOLFMAN” remake and get pushed from this month entirely. But thankfully all is well, and for whatever creative or political reasoning that kept “DEMONIC” from readers hands for the past couple weeks, allow me to be the one to
assure you that it was not to ill effect. Read on for the full review.

“DEMONIC” is at it’s heart the story of a man (Scott) who is fighting off his own inner demon. In this case a completely naked, hot pink, witch of a specter that wants just one thing: for Scott to kill his wife and daughter. It will not subside from his vision until it is fed souls, and that leaves Scott few options. And so is Scott’s plight as he is forced into vigilantism as the cloaked crusader the police call, Demonic.

Being that this is a potential one-and-done story, Kirkman does all he can to pack as much action, blood, gore, character introduction, and relationship development as he can into the 32 pages he has to work with. No easy task for any writer, and if it weren’t for the fact that he is such a seasoned vet to the genre now he might have failed. But there is a steady hand at work here, and after all is said and done you wouldn’t be able to tell you had read just one intro issue to a potentially dead story. We are introduced to all the major players in Scott’s world, his wife, his child, the demon haunting his mind, and the police that struggle with the irritation of not being able to stop the murderous crusader who has slaughtered many of their brothers in arms. There is a heavy emotional weight packed into these pages, that of a man that might potentially be dealing not with a supernatural entity, but that of his own psychosis as it begs the question: does the devil
want his family dead or is it himself?

There are no definitive answers in this issue, just the questions that are planted in the backs of our minds as we race headlong into the story, spiraling to the finale at break-neck speed with our anti-hero. The feel of raw, untapped, barely explored potential seeps from every line of the story that Kirkman and Silvestri have laid in our hands. One that begs to be explored further. The story itself borrows somewhat from its predecessors like “SPAWN”, but it does what it sets out to do with the stigma of “PILOT SEASON” hanging over its head, and it does so admirably. You buy into the story almost from the start, and thanks to Silvestri’s superior artwork you feel it as well. There isn’t much that doesn’t work in this one. The only real fault you could hand it is that it seems to rush through things a bit, only giving a taste of everything it shows you. But unfortunately that is all it can do.

When all is done and read “PILOT SEASON: DEMONIC” is a well written, well drawn, well executed piece that borders on potential greatness. There is so much going on that it even seems to trip on its own restraints at times, but at the end of the day the creative team that brought the equally good “MURDERER” into the world have once again created a near perfect read. And at just $2.99 this is one ride you most certainly need to buy a ticket for. I guarantee you’ll find something to like.

4 Out Of 5 Skulls