Exorcists Never Die TPB Advance Review: Angelic Combat

Exorcists Never Die combines martial arts, religious mythology, and relationship tension in a creative and fast paced action series. Main characters Syd and El are combat exorcists. After learning about an impending soul auction, the duo journeys down into the underworld to stop it. But before they can reach the deepest level of the underworld, they have to defeat a series of demons that personify the seven deadly sins.

Orlando’s story delivers a lot of supernatural action, but he’s not inventing it out of whole cloth. What sometimes seems inventive and surprising is actually rooted in religious mythology. For instance, Gluttony’s depiction may not line up with the modern interpretation but it’s actually consistent with the historical definitions. And when Syd and El invoke the properties of angels to defeat the demons, the angels referenced are likewise pulled from established mythology. In short, Orlando did his homework.

Even more compelling than the religious trappings in Exorcists Never Die’s plot is the complicated interaction between Syd and El. They have a fraught history. Orlando uses each demon encounter, and their corresponding abilities, to explore Syd and El’s relationship. The character development is fully intertwined with the plot, and it adds a lot of depth to the story.

Píriz’s art is excellent throughout. The action is easy to follow, and he very effectively captures the martial arts feel of Syd and El’s combat styles. The demons and their settings are imaginative and surprising. The visual creativity adds weirdness to the situation even as Orlando’s script hews closely to established mythology. And on top of the creative art, Píriz’s coloring creates some absolutely captivating sequences–especially during the fight sequences.