Let This One Be a Devil #1

Let This One Be a Devil #1

by James Tynion IV, Piotr Kowalski (artist), Steve Foxe

In the early 1900s, Henry Naughton returns home to the family farm in the swampy Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. One night, he encounters a strange predator stalking the woods. This sends the young scholar on a research project that uncovers the legend of Mother Leeds and the terrible birth of the JERSEY DEVIL in 1735. James Tynion IV (BLUE BOOK, Something is Killing the Children) and Steve Foxe (Dark X-Men, All Eight Eyes along with Piotr Kowalski (Bloodborne, Where Monsters Lie) bring the Jersey Devil to life in a supernatural tale of horror that peels back unknown layers of history and reveals local monsters and universal terrors. • The first in a new series of TRUE WEIRD tales of cryptids from James Tynion IV and Tiny Onion! • Four issue series.

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2025

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Catalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun and creepy start to this series! I remember learning about the Jersey Devil when I was a kid. And always remember the eeriness of the Pine Barrens. Creepy Jersey tale. The back end story was a nice horror touch!

[Chris Loan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the old timey style of this book. The art was really good, and that ending scene was brutal! Thirteen is definitely an unlucky number 😈 I wish we got a little more story with the family in 1909, but I’m sure we will. Definitely want to pick up the next issue!

[Leslie Carnahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting start to a series! I look forward to seeing where this goes. :)

[Edward Covington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visceral and creepy.

[Louu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, dark, and beautiful start to the series. I loved reading the setting and the art style and can’t wait to read more!

[Miss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like more teaser than first issue.

Single issues of comics are always on the short side of 40 pages, but the first issues usually make sure to devote all their focus on setting up a story to get readers hooked. I don't feel like this really did that. There's almost 3 parts to this short read. Pages 4-17 focus on Henry, his mother and younger brother, Roy. Henry and his mother are disturbed by noises outside in the chicken coop on a dark, snowy night in January 1909. When Henry goes to investigate he has a brief encounter with the Jersey Devil, also known as the Leeds Devil. Pages 18-25 take us back to the 1735 birth of the legend, ending in a To Be Continued...signifying the end of the actual issue. Then Pages 26-35 switch to a TrueWeird story, Shattered and Shook. It's interesting, but not what I bought the issue for. The last page is just advertising the next issue.

I enjoyed the art. The potential for a good, creepy tale was definitely there. It just didn't do enough for me. Unless I absolutely hated the first, I typically give a new series 2 issues before deciding whether I'll read on and this one will definitely need a very good next issue to keep my interest.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Tynion IV no deja de derivar sus propuestas de terror. Esta como la de The Closet bien podrían pertenecer al mundo de Hay Algo Matando Niños. Aunque entiendo el interés de mantener la contextualización geográfica e histórica de esta leyenda y críptido lo más "pura" posible en un conjunto que la verdad es que tiene una estética muy lograda "a lo Robert Eggers":

[ComicBookCult Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting first issue, a creepy monster devouring chickens on a farmstead, this first issues lay a brilliant groundwork for what’s to come. The art is fantastic, the writing is very well done. This is Tynion at his best!

[alejandro galvez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was decent.

Might read more. Still on the fence but it is an interesting story so far. The second part was kind of weak but I will give it time to develop. So far, so good.

[Wm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not been as charmed by an illustrator since Mazzucchelli's Asterios Polyp, and before that, Sienkiewicz's New Mutants.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this was cool. Atmospheric and addictive. I'm looking forward to the next issue.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spooky and snowy and possibly the Jersey Devil!

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting way to start a series. likes the art work and story lines. will be interesting to see where it goes after .

[amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

excited to keep reading!! not usually a comic girlie but this is really fun

[Theodora · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️