Review – We Have Demons #1 (Dark Horse)

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Scott Snyder
Pencils: Greg Capullo
Inks: Jonathan Glapion
Colours: Dave McCaig
Lettering: Tom Napolitano
Release Date: 23rd March 2022

Originally debuting on ComXology Originals by way of Best Jacket Press – Scott Snyder’s freshly established creative studio – We Have Demons pairs Snyder with frequent collaborator Greg Capullo to tell the tale of Lam, a young woman who discovers that her father has been keeping secrets from her for her entire life, and who finds herself hurled headlong into an epic battle between god and evil that has been waging since the dawn of mankind.

While some of the tropes on display here may perhaps be a little worn around the edges, Snyder’s narrative manages to breathe fresh life into the ‘secret war against malevolent demons that live among us’ genre, mostly by virtue of his likeable and thoroughly intriguing leading lady. For me, Snyder can occasionally get a tad excessive with the sheer scope of his world building, with everything seeming to have to play into some massive cosmic conspiracy – an approach which makes the characters themselves feel small and, at times, almost inconsequential. There are flashes of that here for sure, but thankfully the bulk of the story remains focused on Lam and the landslide of revelations that turn her world upside down, resulting in a fairly gripping read throughout.

On the visual side of things, Capullo turns in a typically strong showing here, with the always impressive inks of Jonathan Glappion helping to breathe life into his pencils without drowning out their trademark delicate nature. The layouts flow smoothly, and while Lam herself looks a little doll-eyed at times, the character design of the supporting cast – not to mention demons themselves – keeps things feeling suitably dynamic. An added tip of the hat should go to Dave McCaig’s colour work, which ebbs and flows as the story dictates before erupting into life at the issue’s conclusion.

Speaking of which, the final pages see Lam encountering her first Demons in fairly visceral fashion, along with her father’s hulking ex-partner, and leaves us on a grin-raising sting by way of a cliffhanger. While I’ll admit that I’m not entirely sold on the ancient cosmic hoo-ha playing out in the background, I will say that I’m absolutely hooked on Lam and her story arc, and it’s going to be fascinating to see her growing into this new role (or not) as she tries to follow into the blood-soaked footsteps of her father.

This is a creatively structured opening issue that does a fantastic job of setting the table for what should be a cracking new series. The prospect of Snyder’s boundless creativity running completely unchecked was always going to be a bit of a risky proposition, but watching him absolutely nail the bulk of this story is a real treat. Plus, the tone both he and the rest of the creative team set throughout this opening issue – that of a foul-mouthed, bombastic action adventure with an immensely likeable protagonist – makes this a new series that I’d definitely recommend seeking out.

Rating: 4/5.

[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]