Comics Review: SYMPATHY FOR NO DEVILS Volume One

SYMPATHY FOR NO DEVILS: VOLUME 1 by Brandon Thomas, writer and Lee Ferguson, artist (AfterShock Comics, June 2021) Trade paperback, 125 pages. 

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Winston Wallis is the last human living in a world populated by demons, monsters and enormous creatures known as Colossals who all picked up where humanity left off – lying, stealing, cheating and killing.

Which is good for Win – he’s a private investigator looking into petty secrets of the monsters who employ him. Years ago he was more: a detective who solved real crimes…until he was fired from the force.

Now, his ex-partner needs help with solving a new murder…that of the world’s largest Colossal. Win is hesitant to get involved, but his partner has an ace up his sleeve – he knows Win’s secret, the magical curse that gives Win uncanny good luck and an ability to survive dangerous situations.

Can Win’s impossible luck last? Or will this new case finally be his death? Win certainly hopes so…  

My Three-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

      Beyond the basic story, there are many other plot threads running through this series. So many that by mid-point I began to wonder what was the point the author was trying to make, or at least what was the primary focus. 

     I read this in the regular monthly issues as they were released, and some of my comics friends were wondering the same thing. The difference was they gave up on the series and didn't continue, but I did. What kept me going was the stylish art by Lee Ferguson which reminded me of some of Steve Ditko's best fantastic works. The main character, Winston Wallis, especially looks like a different version of Ditko's rendition of Doctor Strange for Marvel Comics. 

     The afterwords by author Brandon Thomas in Issue #5 clearly states what he was going for: a buddy cop story, a homage to the Bad Boys film. That kind of relationship is at the heart of Sympathy For No Devils. I realize Thomas wouldn't want to give that info away any earlier and perhaps spoil the story. But, I almost wish it had been included in the first issue. It could have helped some unsatisfied readers navigate through the mixture of several genres and tropes through the series. 

     I'd give this a 3.5 star rating if Goodreads made that possible. I felt the art elevated the story and deserves a bit more credit.