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The Confessional
AUG/2003
Publisher: Warpton Comics
Writer: Chris McCay
Artwork: Lee O'Connor
Price: N/A
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Warpton Comics [www.warpton.co.uk]
brings us a bit of ‘Spiritual Insight’ with this 40
page one-shot that takes a look at the devil from a new point of
view.
What if the devil had just had enough and wanted to end it all?
This is the reality for an unlucky priest who is confronted by a
man claiming to be the devil. As he sits in his confessional box
the cleric must listen as the devil tells him the ‘real truth’
of what really happened in his fateful past and why he is not the
true source of evil but rather that it is mankind itself that is
truly God’s biggest adversary.
All the time I was reading this comic I couldn’t get one of
my favorite sayings out of my head, ‘The biggest trick
the devil ever pulled was to make us think he doesn’t exist’.
Chris McCay tackles this theme head-on and creates
a highly enjoyable story with two clashing protagonists that we
can all relate to, namely the devil and mankind. The conversations
and questions of spiritual and existential value raised by this
narrative are both interesting and clever.
McCay explores some big questions here but yet he manages to keep
the story moving along at a good clip and avoids getting bogged
down in a heavy theological debate. His story is driven by the exchange
of ideas between the priest and the confessing evil spirit. Although
the story is solidly based around this conversation it never drags
or gets weighed down by it, but instead it manages to draw you in
page by page with interesting twists. The best part of the
book has to be the final few pages and the twist at the end is great
and makes this book a really enjoyable and very ‘spiritually
clever’ read.
Lee O’Connor brings the pages of The Confessional
to life with his detailed and visceral artwork. The ‘Special
Edition’ version of the comic book I was sent to review was
in black and white while the final release will be in full color,
so I can’t give a totally accurate viewpoint here of the finished
product but never the less I’ll give it my best attempt. Lee
manages to bring to mind such artists as Frank Quitely
[New X-Men] with his sweetly illustrated and grotesquely
detailed renditions of the human figure, and most noticeably his
faces and hands are very nicely done. He brings a slight
‘ugliness’ to his characterization that brings a much
needed sense of ‘reality’ to this supernaturally focused
comic. It’s interesting to note that this comic has
a variety of visual styles and techniques from straight pencils
to inked work and a washed-out painted feel that all add to a diverse
artistic experience.
O’Connor’s best work seems to be focused on the character
of the priest as he draws in great detail the expressions and poses
of this man of God. O’Connor also manages to show great promise
when it comes to scene setting and architecture. His vision of the
angel city and indeed that of the interior of the church are both
good examples of the hard work he puts in when drawing a characters
surroundings.
The Confessional explores some far-reaching spiritual questions
and answers them with a knockout punch of an ending. Chris
McCay has done a good job of storytelling and Lee O’Connor
is an artist to watch out for in the future.
Score
8/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
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Comic Reviews
