Sons Of The Devil #5 - A Review

Things between Travis and his girlfriend Melissa have never been worse. She's laid into him for not discussing his therapy with her or mentioning a woman named Jenny who claimed to be Travis' half-sister. But Travis hasn't been alone in keeping secrets and the bombshell Melissa has been hiding may be the straw that breaks the camel's back and ends their relationship forever.


There's no small irony that Travis finally seems to be moving forward in his life just in time for Brian Buccellato to declare a six-month hiatus before the next issue comes out. Still, it is gratifying that the reason for the hiatus is to ensure Toni Infante is available to work on the book, in order to maintain the series' visual continuity. I'm optimistic it will prove worth the wait.


If you haven't been reading Sons of The Devil before now, you've been missing out on a slow-boiling drama with a likable protagonist, a number of intriguing mysteries and some damn fine artwork. If you can't track down the back-issues, check out the upcoming trade. This series reads even better in one go than it does month-to-month and the TP will include a bonus story starring the mysterious Jenny.

Sons Of The Devil #4 - A Review

There's never a good time to find out that your biological father was the leader of a cult and that you're one of a couple of half-siblings sired by said lunatic with his harem of sister-wives. But this information is something Travis would be ill-equipped to handle even if he weren't in the middle of trying to make amends to his girlfriend or coping with having been accused of murder. And unbeknownst to Travis, his dad is still out there, trying to find his lost children...


Brian Buccellato has been letting this story boil slowly and I must admit some frustration with that. While the flashback sequences centering upon two mothers seeking to escape the cult have been riveting, the scenes centering on Travis - which take up most of the issue - seem to have been treading water as we are reminded that Travis is an orphan, he has anger problems, the only good things in his life are his girlfriend and his dog and that he really doesn't care about his past.  Thankfully, Travis learning about his past - albeit in vague terms - seems to suggest some forward momentum and the argument with his girlfriend near issue's end reveals a wrinkle that promises some fresh drama next time.


The art by Toni Infante continues to impress, however.  Infante's sketchy style perfectly suits the neo-noir aesthetic of Buccellato's story. The coloring is particularly impressive, with a dominant tint on each page enhancing every panel.

Sons Of The Devil #3 - A Review

Travis Crowe faces a jail sentence if he doesn't continue his court-ordered therapy-sessions. Unfortunately, the support group for orphans that he signed up for isn't doing much to help him control his anger-management issues. Worse yet,Travis' attempts to keep the therapy a secret is starting to drive a wedge between him and his girlfriend. And there's a woman in his group who seems to have an unusual interest in him...


The best bits of Sons of The Devil #3 are those that don't focus on our main character. A flashback at the start does far more to advance the plot than the sections focused on Travis. Most of the book does little more than reaffirm what we already know - that Travis has issues with his temper and trusting others. Still, one scene near the end offers some suggestion as to just where this story is going.


Thankfully, the artwork by Toni Infante continues to impress. Infante has a rough, angular style that is a good match for Brian Buccellato's scripts. The book's final pages promise a major game-changing moment next month, making this book well worth picking up though it does seem like the issue is treading water at times. Still, the pay-off at the end is worth it.

Sons Of The Devil #2 - A Review

Travis Crowe isn't the sort of man to worry about the past. His thoughts are mostly about the future - moving in with his girlfriend and building a life and a family with her. But Travis' past keeps coming back to haunt him, making his future look increasingly bleak.

An orphan bounced around the foster-care system, Travis had little interest in finding his birth family and even less interest in getting help from his former foster-brother Klay, whom Travis blames (quite rightly) for Travis never getting adopted. Now, Klay is dead and Travis is the lone witness to the murder as well as the prime suspect. Because the police don't completely buy Travis' story about struggling with a strange man who called Travis "The Chosen One".

Where did Travis Crowe come from? What did Klay uncover that might be worth his life? And what connection does it have to a mysterious cult from Northern California in the late 1980s?



As I noted in my review of the first issue on KabOOOOOm.com, the best part about this series is the character of Travis. Despite having a violent temper and rough edges you could sand a deck with, Travis is a likable protagonist who demands attention. This is fortunate as the actual plot of Sons of The Devil is still being revealed at a leisurely pace. This is not to say that this issue is not full of action but that there's been very little explanation of the events we've seen so far and how they connect. Thankfully, the script by Brian Buccellato makes this slow boil thrilling rather than tedious.


The artwork by newcomer Toni Infante is equally gripping.  Infante avoids the heavy inks favored by most artists working in horror comics, using subtle changes in the coloring to denote shadows. This gives the artwork a unique look as well as a greater sense of visual clarity.