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When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee
Tarantino meets The Exorcist in this thrilling descent into Hell itself from rising star author Gus Moreno, whose debut novel was awarded “Best Book of 2021” by NPR.
Father Barrera is a disgraced priest, haunted by his part in the tragic death of a child. As penance, he is exiled to the remote South American island town of Puerto Cristina to apprentice under the enigmatic Father Stygian, controversial exorcist.
Exorcists are normally trained in the Vatican, but Stygian has his own way of handling demons... methods that predate even the Church. As Barrera seeks to unlock the mysteries of Stygian's strange practices, he uncovers an island rife with evil and supernatural phenomena.
What do these possessions mean, and how are they connected to a mysterious hospital patient, one who's been in a coma for nearly half a century without aging a single day?
Rising star author Gus Moreno, whose debut novel This Thing Between Us was awarded a "Best Book of 2021" recognition by NPR, joins forces with visionary artist Jakub Rebelka (Cyberpunk) for a mesmerizing and thrilling descent into Hell itself.
Collects When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee #1-5.
Father Barrera is a disgraced priest, haunted by his part in the tragic death of a child. As penance, he is exiled to the remote South American island town of Puerto Cristina to apprentice under the enigmatic Father Stygian, controversial exorcist.
Exorcists are normally trained in the Vatican, but Stygian has his own way of handling demons... methods that predate even the Church. As Barrera seeks to unlock the mysteries of Stygian's strange practices, he uncovers an island rife with evil and supernatural phenomena.
What do these possessions mean, and how are they connected to a mysterious hospital patient, one who's been in a coma for nearly half a century without aging a single day?
Rising star author Gus Moreno, whose debut novel This Thing Between Us was awarded a "Best Book of 2021" recognition by NPR, joins forces with visionary artist Jakub Rebelka (Cyberpunk) for a mesmerizing and thrilling descent into Hell itself.
Collects When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee #1-5.
Kindle Edition
Published January 13, 2022
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Gus Moreno
13 books831 followersGus Moreno is the author of This Thing Between Us (MCD Books). His stories have appeared in Aurealis, Pseudopod, Bluestem Magazine, LitroNy, and the Burnt Tongues anthology. Some of his favorite books are American Psycho, Battle Royale, and Under the Skin. Some of his favorite writers are Margaret Atwood, Lucia Berlin, and Amy Hempel. He likes denim jackets, professional wrestling, neighborhood pizza, and anything by The xx. He lives in the suburbs with his wife and dogs, but never think that he's not from Chicago for one second.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 7, 2025
Absolutely spectacular art, wondrous premise, and incredibly well-done execution! Palpable horror oozes from the page, the colors bleeding into the reader's mind, filling it with gloom and dread. The story itself has great twists (it is a Gus Moreno story, after all!), and the third chapter especially felt really scary! Never a dull moment in this tome: the characters hover between redemption and damnation, the secrets feel pregnant with what's left said, and the ending - WOW, I just want more!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I was looking for the next thing to review, I saw this and started reading the description. I already was excited after seeing that one of the protagonists of this book, Father Barrera had a child killed tragically (which isn't a good thing obviously) in the description of the book but reading this made me want more of this story.
Essentially, in my eyes, it's a dynamic duo story where Father Stygian works with Father Barrera to exorcise demons and while doing so, uncover a string of possessions throughout each issue which are like chapters. Seeing as this is a new book for reviews, I will not put in spoilers that haven't already been published in the back of the book out of respect for the new viewers.
That being said, I will tell you, the reviewer reader, what I saw as if I'm one of the homies telling you about the hit movie Pluto Nash in 3D before you decide to watch it.
First off, let's talk about the story. The dynamic duo story starts off with intrigue. We just open the book and we start off just learning about these two with hints about what happened to both of them and cirumstances that lead to Father Barrera meeting Father Stygian. Also with what limited time we have with them, we are also exposed to good food. I need to try some fine wine and some empanada's when I have the chance.
We also see Father Stygian's method of dealing with possessions with the key step revealed in the end which makes sense but it was something that I and not many other people would expect but understand by the end of the story. And throughout the entire 5 issue run, we get twists and turns that draw you in to read the next issue until you find out how this run ends. Gus Moreno cooked. Is it perfect? No but it's really close. For the story, I give it a 2 out of 2.5
Let's go to the art now. So while Gus Moreno made the story, Jakub Rebelka made the art and Becca Carey did the lettering. Becca Carey's lettering works and does the job. She came in and got her bag. Moving on, Jakub Rebelka art's is good only if he's unrestricted and is free to do as he pleases. I'm not saying he's hard to work with as I've neither worked with him nor met the man himself. But when you compare his work to his personal artwork (at https://shzrebelka.com/projects) it's very lackluster and dull. While one can argue that the coloring is to represent the horror of the book's setting I say it convey's the message without going beyond. Take a look at Jakub Rebelka's work Y (https://shzrebelka.com/projects/gzkwP) and you see Rebelka's work unrestrained. The man draws a wonderfully illustrated woman in the forest with a wide range of color each used to detail each section of the woman's outfit. Now when you compare this to his comic work, he's really limited in the story.
The character's are drawn in a way that is grounded but also stylized where each one can be distinguished from another but where Jakub Rebelka's work really shine is not only in the environment art he can create but also the horror. I've never expected a horse shown like that nor a chimera that looked like the one from Capcom's Red Earth but honestly, it's really drawn well and it's horrifying when Jakub is behind the wheel illustrating it. I would say that Jakub just need's more space for him to draw and to work on his expressions. A lot of them feel the same if you ask me. I would give the art 1.75 out of 2.5. The art works but has a burst of flavor when allowed. And I wished that Jakub Rebelka was able to do so more often.
God I would love to go into more detail but again no spoilers for the most part. Total score 3.75 out of 5 for me but honestly I would not mind rounding it to 4. I think people should give this a try and that Gus Moreno needs to cook up a second season of this. Please. This is good.
Essentially, in my eyes, it's a dynamic duo story where Father Stygian works with Father Barrera to exorcise demons and while doing so, uncover a string of possessions throughout each issue which are like chapters. Seeing as this is a new book for reviews, I will not put in spoilers that haven't already been published in the back of the book out of respect for the new viewers.
That being said, I will tell you, the reviewer reader, what I saw as if I'm one of the homies telling you about the hit movie Pluto Nash in 3D before you decide to watch it.
First off, let's talk about the story. The dynamic duo story starts off with intrigue. We just open the book and we start off just learning about these two with hints about what happened to both of them and cirumstances that lead to Father Barrera meeting Father Stygian. Also with what limited time we have with them, we are also exposed to good food. I need to try some fine wine and some empanada's when I have the chance.
We also see Father Stygian's method of dealing with possessions with the key step revealed in the end which makes sense but it was something that I and not many other people would expect but understand by the end of the story. And throughout the entire 5 issue run, we get twists and turns that draw you in to read the next issue until you find out how this run ends. Gus Moreno cooked. Is it perfect? No but it's really close. For the story, I give it a 2 out of 2.5
Let's go to the art now. So while Gus Moreno made the story, Jakub Rebelka made the art and Becca Carey did the lettering. Becca Carey's lettering works and does the job. She came in and got her bag. Moving on, Jakub Rebelka art's is good only if he's unrestricted and is free to do as he pleases. I'm not saying he's hard to work with as I've neither worked with him nor met the man himself. But when you compare his work to his personal artwork (at https://shzrebelka.com/projects) it's very lackluster and dull. While one can argue that the coloring is to represent the horror of the book's setting I say it convey's the message without going beyond. Take a look at Jakub Rebelka's work Y (https://shzrebelka.com/projects/gzkwP) and you see Rebelka's work unrestrained. The man draws a wonderfully illustrated woman in the forest with a wide range of color each used to detail each section of the woman's outfit. Now when you compare this to his comic work, he's really limited in the story.
The character's are drawn in a way that is grounded but also stylized where each one can be distinguished from another but where Jakub Rebelka's work really shine is not only in the environment art he can create but also the horror. I've never expected a horse shown like that nor a chimera that looked like the one from Capcom's Red Earth but honestly, it's really drawn well and it's horrifying when Jakub is behind the wheel illustrating it. I would say that Jakub just need's more space for him to draw and to work on his expressions. A lot of them feel the same if you ask me. I would give the art 1.75 out of 2.5. The art works but has a burst of flavor when allowed. And I wished that Jakub Rebelka was able to do so more often.
God I would love to go into more detail but again no spoilers for the most part. Total score 3.75 out of 5 for me but honestly I would not mind rounding it to 4. I think people should give this a try and that Gus Moreno needs to cook up a second season of this. Please. This is good.
December 6, 2025
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee, by Gus Moreno
★★★★☆
Themes: priest, demons, grave digging, possession, exorcism, penance
This was a super interesting story, which was both creepy and intriguing. I'm not always good with horror stories, but I find that horror graphic novels are much easier for me to cope with, and this was definitely one of those. It was well paced, with characters I was curious to learn more about, and the art was good while suitably scary.
I don't know is there's more to this story or not, as in more episodes/volumes. In one way, I could see how easy it would be to add more in this world, even with these characters, even if that meant exploring their pasts. I can also appreciate how incredible an ending this would make as a standalone story, which is both creepy and clever. But, if there is more, I'll definitely read it.
For me, the only reason this isn't a 5* is because of the art. It's not really a style that I like much, though it did suit the story. I'm more drawn to the realistic type, such as the Issue One cover art, at the back, by Inhyuk Lee. That's probably because I read a lot of manga, yaoi and such, so I'm more drawn to that style.
Copy received through Netgalley
~
When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee, by Gus Moreno
★★★★☆
Themes: priest, demons, grave digging, possession, exorcism, penance
This was a super interesting story, which was both creepy and intriguing. I'm not always good with horror stories, but I find that horror graphic novels are much easier for me to cope with, and this was definitely one of those. It was well paced, with characters I was curious to learn more about, and the art was good while suitably scary.
I don't know is there's more to this story or not, as in more episodes/volumes. In one way, I could see how easy it would be to add more in this world, even with these characters, even if that meant exploring their pasts. I can also appreciate how incredible an ending this would make as a standalone story, which is both creepy and clever. But, if there is more, I'll definitely read it.
For me, the only reason this isn't a 5* is because of the art. It's not really a style that I like much, though it did suit the story. I'm more drawn to the realistic type, such as the Issue One cover art, at the back, by Inhyuk Lee. That's probably because I read a lot of manga, yaoi and such, so I'm more drawn to that style.
December 10, 2025
Gus Moreno brings UNHOLY TERROR!
When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee is a slow-burn descent into pure, unholy terror. It is a simple enough story for starters, focusing on the exorcism genre and then it devolves into a bold and unsettling plot that readers will never see coming. Gus Moreno drops us into Puerto Cristina, a remote South American town crawling with evil, where disgraced priest Father Barrera is apprenticed to Father Stygian, a grizzled exorcist whose methods predate the Church and feel more like witchcraft than holy rite. Father Stygian has more secrets than he does answers and their quiet conversations brought me to my knees with suspense and fear. Jakub Rebelka’s art amplifies the tension with moody, textured visuals that feel ripped from a fever dream. It’s haunting, layered, and deeply human, asking big questions about redemption while dragging you through Hell one page at a time. If you love horror that simmers before it scorches, this is your next obsession.
When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee is a slow-burn descent into pure, unholy terror. It is a simple enough story for starters, focusing on the exorcism genre and then it devolves into a bold and unsettling plot that readers will never see coming. Gus Moreno drops us into Puerto Cristina, a remote South American town crawling with evil, where disgraced priest Father Barrera is apprenticed to Father Stygian, a grizzled exorcist whose methods predate the Church and feel more like witchcraft than holy rite. Father Stygian has more secrets than he does answers and their quiet conversations brought me to my knees with suspense and fear. Jakub Rebelka’s art amplifies the tension with moody, textured visuals that feel ripped from a fever dream. It’s haunting, layered, and deeply human, asking big questions about redemption while dragging you through Hell one page at a time. If you love horror that simmers before it scorches, this is your next obsession.
December 10, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Boom studios for an eARC in exchange for my review!
This was a very moody graphic novel centering around an old exorcist with a secret. Overall, the art wasn't quite to my taste, I wish it was a little cleaner, but I can understand that it was likely intentional to fit the vibe of the piece. I found the story for most of it quite predictable, exorcist works alone, being forced to take an apprentice. I thought that the ending was a bit of a surprise but that I feel like I did not really grasp what was happening. I would have appreciated a little more lore on who the demons were and how they operate to understand.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it wasn't everything I was wanting.
This was a very moody graphic novel centering around an old exorcist with a secret. Overall, the art wasn't quite to my taste, I wish it was a little cleaner, but I can understand that it was likely intentional to fit the vibe of the piece. I found the story for most of it quite predictable, exorcist works alone, being forced to take an apprentice. I thought that the ending was a bit of a surprise but that I feel like I did not really grasp what was happening. I would have appreciated a little more lore on who the demons were and how they operate to understand.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it wasn't everything I was wanting.
December 7, 2025
This was great! I wasn't 100% into the art style, but it did work in certain instances very well. Like, the human designs were a little hit or miss, but the demons and more supernatural elements worked well. The story was super fun, though. Just really solid possession horror. It feels like it would translate really well to a movie. I'm pretty sure there will be more volumes because it ended on a cliffhanger, so I'll definitely be on the lookout for those. Thanks for the ARC!
December 10, 2025
This is an amazing read!!! I enjoy the plot so much!! I didn't expect the ending at all. I keep on wondering what secret the Priest is hiding but never thought of that. I want more of the story! It was such an amazing read!!!
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Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for giving me this chance to read this book in advanced!!
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Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for giving me this chance to read this book in advanced!!
December 3, 2025
I read the singles that made up this trade.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed the art style of this comic. The story was interesting and entertaining, if a bit predictable.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews