Deadman #3 — W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo Send the Possessed Ghost to the Bottom
Deadman hits a new low in this third chapter of W. Maxwell Prince’s run, as Martin Morazzo illustrates a descent into a visceral, country-sized hell. It is a masterclass in atmospheric horror and physical comedy.
There is something incredibly inviting about a comic that doesn’t take itself too seriously, even when the stakes involve eternal damnation. Deadman has always occupied that sweet spot between supernatural thriller and dark comedy, and this latest issue from writer W. Maxwell Prince and artist Martin Morazzo leans hard into the latter without losing the spine-tingling atmosphere of the former. If you’ve been following Boston Brand’s journey since he got himself killed and couldn’t stay that way, you know he’s a character who finds levity in the macabre. This issue takes that trait and drags it through the mud.
The premise here is delightfully absurd: an anonymous optician has sent our titular apparition on a 'dire and dangerous mission' into Perdition. But this isn’t the fiery pit of traditional religious iconography. Morazzo depicts hell as a living, breathing, country-sized convulsion of a landscape, packed with sick compositions of grotesque beauty. We’re talking about the abolition of reason, demonic gluttony involving gargoyles and ghouls in various states of decomposition, and an array of impossible physical positions that would make a physician question reality. It is a four-color exhibition of the attrition of the human condition, served with a side of puns.
What makes this issue such a strong pickup right now is Morazzo’s art. He manages to balance the horror of the setting with a chaotic energy that keeps the pages turning. The 'hissin’ Stygian conditions' are rendered with such texture and detail that you can almost hear the wet sounds of the environment. It is a visual treat that proves Morazzo isn't just an illustrator, but a world-builder who can make the underworld feel like a tangible, disgusting place. Trust me on this one — the visual gags land harder because the world around them is so convincingly terrible.
If you enjoy comics that treat the afterlife as a bizarre bureaucratic nightmare or a surreal landscape for adventure, this is the issue to grab. It stands as a testament to the legacy of Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino’s creation, refreshing a character who has been a staple of the Justice League Dark and various DC titles since 1967. There is a specific joy in watching Boston Brand navigate a place that has no rules, armed only with his erudition and his knack for getting himself into worse trouble.
Keep an eye on the variant cover by Morazzo as well. The artwork on the main cover gives a strong hint of the chaotic energy inside, and these often move quickly for series this fun. This is the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with indie-style horror-comics in the first place, just wrapped in a DC imprint. You’re going to want to see where this descent goes next.