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Salem’s Daughter: The Haunting #1
Publisher: Zenescope
Writers: Ralph Tedesco & Joe Brusha
Artist: Allan Otero (cover by Artgerm)
When you’re a beautiful woman that has powers beyond imagination, you kind of have trouble keeping a low profile. This is the case for Anna Williams, and also for her compatriot Braden Cole. Both don’t fit in pretty much wherever they go, but it doesn’t stop them from using Anna’s precognitive powers to help others fight against evil. This is the case when they investigate a town where a boy has been possessed by a demon. Once they convince the parents to let them see the boy, they realize they may be in over their heads. They go into town to see what the locals know, but that doesn’t yield much. There is one woman, though, that catches Anna’s attention. This young woman tells Anna that the house is the problem, not the people in it. The young woman’s mother quickly scolds her and tells her to come back inside. Later, the parents of the boy agree to let the church try an exorcism, and Anna and Braden come for spiritual support along with two neighbors. Believe me, they’re going to need it, because the boy now resembles a demon more than a child.
Salem’s Daughter: The Haunting #2
Publisher: Zenescope
Writers: Ralph Tedesco & Joe Brusha
Artist: Allan Otero (cover by Marat Mychaels & Sanju Nivangune)
After last issue’s events, we now join our regularly scheduled exorcism already in progress. The two priests are valiantly trying to exorcise the demon, but it doesn’t seem to be going well. Braden takes a closer look, though, and it seems the priests might be making some headway. The next thing you know, one of the priests is now possessed, and he summons a plague of locusts to attack everyone in the house.  He then jumps out of the window backwards, killing himself. Everyone thinks its over, except Anna. At this point, we see a shadowy figure carving a voodoo doll of sorts in the likeness of Anna. A few days later, all of the townspeople have gathered in the church for the funeral of the priest. Braden and one of the locals almost get into a fight, but one of the family members breaks it up. As they all sit listening to the priest delivering the eulogy, Anna grabs Braden’s hand to tell him she feels like something terrible is about to happen, and oh how right she is. Believe me when I say that nobody in the town was ready for this hellish demon!
OK, the first issue was slightly slow moving, but picked up nicely towards the end. I love the relationship between Anna and Braden, because it’s a perfect example of opposites attracting. The demon possessed boy is pretty creepy, but he doesn’t hold a candle to what we see in issue #2. Speaking of issue #2, it picked up nicely as far as pace is concerned compared to issue #1. The local guy that’s been giving Braden a hard time seems to be more than what he seems. The scene at the end of issue #2 is absolutely crazy, and gave me the heeby-jeebies. The artwork in both issues is very good. The portrayal of Anna and Braden is really good. One rugged and tough, the other soft and delicate. The cover for issue #1 is one of my favorite covers from any new book I’ve seen lately. Rating 3.5/5
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net