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Devlin Waugh #3
Devlin Waugh : Chasing Herod
Papal envoy, supernatural troubleshooter and bon viveur Devlin Waugh was a bone-fide celebrity in his home of Brit-Cit, his many fans enjoying the tales of his adventures battling paranormal entities. But, when the truth of his vampirism emerged, he withdrew from the limelight retiring to a retreat on the Côte d'Azur. However, a terror from his past is about to rear its ugly head, for someone is seeking to resurrect the genocidal creature known as The Herod and only Devlin can save mankind from extinction...
200 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2015
36 people want to read
About the author
John Smith
74 books2 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Smith (1967- ) is a British comics writer best known for his work on 2000 AD and Crisis. He has a host of creative credits to his name, including A Love Like Blood, Devlin Waugh, Firekind, Holocaust 12, Indigo Prime, Pussyfoot 5, Revere, Slaughterbowl, Tyranny Rex, Leatherjack, Dead Eyes and Cradlegrave. Smith has also written Future Shocks, Judge Dredd, Judge Karyn, Pulp Sci-Fi, Robo-Hunter, Rogue Trooper, Tales from Beyond Science, Vector 13 and Tales from the Black Museum. Smith's work beyond the Galaxy's Greatest Comic includes the long-running New Statesmen series in Crisis, DC/Vertigo's Hellblazer and Scarab, and Harris Comics' Vampirella.
John Smith (1967- ) is a British comics writer best known for his work on 2000 AD and Crisis. He has a host of creative credits to his name, including A Love Like Blood, Devlin Waugh, Firekind, Holocaust 12, Indigo Prime, Pussyfoot 5, Revere, Slaughterbowl, Tyranny Rex, Leatherjack, Dead Eyes and Cradlegrave. Smith has also written Future Shocks, Judge Dredd, Judge Karyn, Pulp Sci-Fi, Robo-Hunter, Rogue Trooper, Tales from Beyond Science, Vector 13 and Tales from the Black Museum. Smith's work beyond the Galaxy's Greatest Comic includes the long-running New Statesmen series in Crisis, DC/Vertigo's Hellblazer and Scarab, and Harris Comics' Vampirella.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 4, 2020
And so on to the next Devlin Waugh instalment - and this was is a tricky one to comment on. You see the story is most certainly based around Waugh and builds on the events of the previous book - so I will try not to give away too many (if any spoilers) so you really do need to read the Swimming in Blood story there - however they have written it as such that it does not detract from this book - more if you want his back story there is a huge chunk of it laid out there.
So this book - its really a solo adventure for Waugh although you have a very large cast of extras who travel along the way to greater or less degrees. However apart from clearly stages references and a few shots you could easily see this story set anywhere and anywhere, not necessarily in the world of Judge Dredd. Now I am not sure if this is intentional since along with 200AD there were a number of spin off stories and even publications.
However there were times when it read more like an Alan Moore story than a Dredd one. This is not a bad thing - I am slowly working through Alan Moores work but the fact that the story spent so long creating its own fictional mythology which is never really explore - more a plot device is very reminiscent.
On a side note - some of the references in that mythos are very clever and very subtle so full credit where it is due.
The question is where do we go from here?
So this book - its really a solo adventure for Waugh although you have a very large cast of extras who travel along the way to greater or less degrees. However apart from clearly stages references and a few shots you could easily see this story set anywhere and anywhere, not necessarily in the world of Judge Dredd. Now I am not sure if this is intentional since along with 200AD there were a number of spin off stories and even publications.
However there were times when it read more like an Alan Moore story than a Dredd one. This is not a bad thing - I am slowly working through Alan Moores work but the fact that the story spent so long creating its own fictional mythology which is never really explore - more a plot device is very reminiscent.
On a side note - some of the references in that mythos are very clever and very subtle so full credit where it is due.
The question is where do we go from here?
December 10, 2015
I loved the previous Devlin Waugh stories (Swimming in Blood & Red Tide) but this one was pale by comparison. Half of the book was characters discussing complete bollocks about the supernatural, as if the reader is supposed to know what they are on about. Devlin himself is nowhere near as outrageous or flamboyant, and is instead a withered, worried superstar who spends most of his time avoiding the bad guys, rather than taking them on (as he did with gusto in previous works). He does recall some of his previous character and spunk by the end of the story, but to be honest, by then I was already too disappointed to care. If you like random psychobabble writing, this is definitely for you. If you like your stories to be grounded in some kind of reality, this volume will likely make you claw your eyes out.
February 9, 2019
Something strange came over me. I have to admit when I read this line I did laugh. The Fiftieth book in the Judge Dredd Mega Collection is about the Vatican’s top exorcist and world-wide celebrity, Devlin Waugh.
The previous story I read with Devlin in, Swimming in Blood I wasn’t to keen on, I found Devlin a bit too much over the top, with Devlin coming over as bit of an outdated caricature of a British upper-class gay. I think this added with a story I didn’t really click for me, I wasn’t really looking forward to reading another Devlin Waugh story.
However, I did enjoy this one. I can’t say why this was different from the first when it had much of the same issues, but I felt this was stronger. Perhaps as it wasn’t wrapped around a Judge Dredd story, so it come be more of its own story, the plot appealed more to me…I’m not sure why.
The book begins with Devlin at the Cannes Film Festival, now retired from being the Pope’s top assassin to attend a film based on his life. However, an Occult terrorist group breaks into the Vatican’s vault to loot the powerful Supernatural artefacts inside, to sell to the highest evil bidder. Among their stolen prizes, is the most powerful supernatural artefact, the Skull of Herod gets activated and it’s up to Devlin to find a way to prevent the Herod; a giant indestructible demon from bringing about the apocalypse.
The story throws in a ton of characters, many I feel were introduced in this book, but written as if you should already know them, and many seem like compelling and fun characters; like Jenny the paraplegic astral projector, the villains Jack of Mice, Kolkiss, etc. The book also feels at times like a seventies throwback with elements in the art like psychedelic demons with lots of green shades. The story itself is reminiscence of some Hammer horror story that despite a little bit of a lag in the middle, has a compelling edge with some good action set-pieces. It ends crazy, but as the rest of the story was bat-s**t crazy as well it all kinda worked.
The book ends with a final story not linked with the Herod plot, where Devlin is talking about his childhood and his introduction to the dark arts while a black ops team is infiltrating his estate. This has more humour than the other story (it has that line in it, I won’t spoil it), but its more of a black humour and the story is not really a comedic one.
Overall, while being a Judge Dredd book with no Judge Dredd in it, about a character I never took to, I enjoyed this one. While the over the top campiness of Devlin can grate, and I’m not sure if some of it could be classed as a bit dated and questionable, but having Devlin as an unashamedly gay man that doesn’t effect his tough brashness (even if he won gold in Olympic flower arranging), which I suppose should be commended in a series as hard ass as Judge Dredd. The book managed to weave an interesting mix of supernatural, occult and a bit of sci-fi that somehow held together and won me over (for now at least) to Devlin Waugh.
The previous story I read with Devlin in, Swimming in Blood I wasn’t to keen on, I found Devlin a bit too much over the top, with Devlin coming over as bit of an outdated caricature of a British upper-class gay. I think this added with a story I didn’t really click for me, I wasn’t really looking forward to reading another Devlin Waugh story.
However, I did enjoy this one. I can’t say why this was different from the first when it had much of the same issues, but I felt this was stronger. Perhaps as it wasn’t wrapped around a Judge Dredd story, so it come be more of its own story, the plot appealed more to me…I’m not sure why.
The book begins with Devlin at the Cannes Film Festival, now retired from being the Pope’s top assassin to attend a film based on his life. However, an Occult terrorist group breaks into the Vatican’s vault to loot the powerful Supernatural artefacts inside, to sell to the highest evil bidder. Among their stolen prizes, is the most powerful supernatural artefact, the Skull of Herod gets activated and it’s up to Devlin to find a way to prevent the Herod; a giant indestructible demon from bringing about the apocalypse.
The story throws in a ton of characters, many I feel were introduced in this book, but written as if you should already know them, and many seem like compelling and fun characters; like Jenny the paraplegic astral projector, the villains Jack of Mice, Kolkiss, etc. The book also feels at times like a seventies throwback with elements in the art like psychedelic demons with lots of green shades. The story itself is reminiscence of some Hammer horror story that despite a little bit of a lag in the middle, has a compelling edge with some good action set-pieces. It ends crazy, but as the rest of the story was bat-s**t crazy as well it all kinda worked.
The book ends with a final story not linked with the Herod plot, where Devlin is talking about his childhood and his introduction to the dark arts while a black ops team is infiltrating his estate. This has more humour than the other story (it has that line in it, I won’t spoil it), but its more of a black humour and the story is not really a comedic one.
Overall, while being a Judge Dredd book with no Judge Dredd in it, about a character I never took to, I enjoyed this one. While the over the top campiness of Devlin can grate, and I’m not sure if some of it could be classed as a bit dated and questionable, but having Devlin as an unashamedly gay man that doesn’t effect his tough brashness (even if he won gold in Olympic flower arranging), which I suppose should be commended in a series as hard ass as Judge Dredd. The book managed to weave an interesting mix of supernatural, occult and a bit of sci-fi that somehow held together and won me over (for now at least) to Devlin Waugh.
May 22, 2025
Goodreads has this down as #23. If only it meant something. Simply super art from Steve Yeowell and Peter Doherty.
December 4, 2016
Devlin Waugh possibly 2000ADs best character after Judge Dredd returns for a second adventure - And while it's not quite as brilliant as Swimming in Blood it's still bloody good!
Our larger than life vampire Vatican Exorcist is called out of retirement when The Herod is resurrected and starts killing everyone born on July 23rd - And of course this is just the tip of a far larger plot involving aliens from the planet Sirius taking over the world....
this throws everything at you - aliens, mutants, esoterica and draws from everything from lovecraft to James Bond. This is one that merits multiple readings - it's just so rich and there's so many almost throw away references that could easily be graphic novels in their own right. You are either going to love that or hate it - all the snap-shots into Waugh's colourful career are as far as I'm aware largely untold which is seriously going to annoy some people for their irrelevance but I personally adore this approach.
I love the character of Waugh and particularly like the concluding Innocence and Experience which gives us more of his back story.
This story is a little fragmented and all over the place and I didn't think enough was made of Waugh's vampirism but otherwise I adored this from start to finish. It's super weird, lightening paced, satirical, funny, exciting, with great artwork and awesome characters - It's also a welcome contrast to Dredd - this in tone is more like Hellboy and you'd be pardoned for being surprised that it's actually set in the Mega City universe at all - it's in it's own little bubble which just shows the versatility of the universe.
I love stuff that mixes ancient, occult and monsters - this does that in spades and with great style. More Devlin Waugh please!
Our larger than life vampire Vatican Exorcist is called out of retirement when The Herod is resurrected and starts killing everyone born on July 23rd - And of course this is just the tip of a far larger plot involving aliens from the planet Sirius taking over the world....
this throws everything at you - aliens, mutants, esoterica and draws from everything from lovecraft to James Bond. This is one that merits multiple readings - it's just so rich and there's so many almost throw away references that could easily be graphic novels in their own right. You are either going to love that or hate it - all the snap-shots into Waugh's colourful career are as far as I'm aware largely untold which is seriously going to annoy some people for their irrelevance but I personally adore this approach.
I love the character of Waugh and particularly like the concluding Innocence and Experience which gives us more of his back story.
This story is a little fragmented and all over the place and I didn't think enough was made of Waugh's vampirism but otherwise I adored this from start to finish. It's super weird, lightening paced, satirical, funny, exciting, with great artwork and awesome characters - It's also a welcome contrast to Dredd - this in tone is more like Hellboy and you'd be pardoned for being surprised that it's actually set in the Mega City universe at all - it's in it's own little bubble which just shows the versatility of the universe.
I love stuff that mixes ancient, occult and monsters - this does that in spades and with great style. More Devlin Waugh please!
February 4, 2016
Bit baffling, this one: it's... quite fun? But completely in a "this is an Indigo Prime adventure" kind of way, rather than because fits into the Dreddverse in any way whatsoever. You can't just have a Brit-Cit Judge appear in the background of a couple of panels somewhere and expect that to do, can you? And it's a worry to me that I spent the whole volume thinking, this world that I'm reading about is quite clearly not the same world as every other Judge Dredd adventure and spin-off ever.
Still, that's not John Smith's problem, he managed to get paid regardless. I actually liked this better than the first Devlin Waugh volume: Waugh's character irked me a lot in that by being unbelievably camp and flippant in the face of any amount of horrific danger, but here that's been completely inverted and he's now almost paralyzed with dread at the prospect of facing the Herod (perhaps strangely, given that it never seems THAT scary). Not sure that qualifies as consistent characterisation, but it does make for a more relatable, less one-note character. The art is all quite nice and the whacked-out sub-Moore-and-Morrison-but-only just ideas come thick and fast. Three stars I guess?
Still, that's not John Smith's problem, he managed to get paid regardless. I actually liked this better than the first Devlin Waugh volume: Waugh's character irked me a lot in that by being unbelievably camp and flippant in the face of any amount of horrific danger, but here that's been completely inverted and he's now almost paralyzed with dread at the prospect of facing the Herod (perhaps strangely, given that it never seems THAT scary). Not sure that qualifies as consistent characterisation, but it does make for a more relatable, less one-note character. The art is all quite nice and the whacked-out sub-Moore-and-Morrison-but-only just ideas come thick and fast. Three stars I guess?
February 23, 2016
Tiresome
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