Review of Purgatori #4 by Brian Torney as seen at www.x-mencomics.com/xfan.

"The title Purgatori connotes of suffering, expiation, remorse, penance, and incarceration. Therein lies the achievement of Devil’s Due and Chaos! Comics’ reinvigoration of the crimson-skinned 1990s demoness, what makes great tales of fantasy and science fiction successful above others: humanity, and the universal acquaintance with presented emotional themes."

"Is there one of us who has not suffered, who has not felt remorse, who has not been incarcerated be it emotionally or physically or both? Is there a single person alive who has not made a mistake, sought to expiate, atone, give penance?"

"There are inherent factors in our lives, as if a text exists detailing consistencies between individual human beings, an almanac of living, a rulebook with alphabetical listings."

"Robert Rodi (Loki, Elektra, Rogue) and Cliff Richards’ ( Wonder Woman, Buffy) present a mature themed masterpiece of emotional interest, both distanced from today’s readers by time, place, and fantasy, but linked to today by the strong tethers of humanity. Purgatori #4, shipped this week, while not quite what this reader expected, continues the series’ dramatic and thematic ascension."

"Purgatori #4 acerbates events from last issue, when Purgatori concluded her telling of the events that led her from enslavement to the queen’s side, from murderer to disfiguring, mystical transformation. The audience for her story was the stranger Rath, tall, dark, and vampiric. Purgatori #3 concluded as Rath took the distraught Purgatori in hand; “Are you my redemption?” she asked. “Why, no,” said Rath, fangs flung wide, “quite the opposite.”"

"As the current issue begins, Purgatori rests quietly, listening to Rath’s brief relation of his own ancient tragedy. Rath’s tale adds yet another instance of mistake, reparation, and redemption, but also propels Purgatori forward, adding to her physical transformation with bloodlust and vampirism, solidifying the character’s metaphor so succinctly that this reader barely recognized Purgatori as the same old amalgamation Chaos! Comics crumpled together in the 90s using Elmer’s Glue, Lady Death’s busty character model, a red magic marker, and enough disparate, contradictory elements to make a reader’s head spin."

"Rodi’s story is first class. To me, the storytelling favorably compares to that of comic master Neil Gaiman, author of the award-winning Sandman, and I’ve been told that Rodi envisions Purgatori as his Sandman. As a stand-alone work, Purgatori #4, an intermediary chapter designed to propel plot, fares much better than expected. The issue features a rise and fall in action, great characterization, and a thousand year-spanning scope as epic as the characters deserve. Rath, who struck me last issue as impossibly uninteresting beside Purgatori herself, fills out as a character. His unending anger, his treacherousness, his aspirations to godhood make him Purgatori’s opposite –it is not tragic when Rath receives punishment similar to Purgatori’s."

"Strangely, the problem with Purgatori’s storytelling is in the overall arc. Issue #1 began with an unexpected story about a young Egyptian girl who comes into contact with Purgatori through her lustfulness; Issue #2 told Purgatori’s origins, when her name was Sakkara; and Issue #3 concluded the origin, returning the story to present day. The “story-within-a-story” technique is an inspired choice, but our sudden leap back again for another such flashback proves more of an annoyance than an essential ingredient. Flashbacks work when both the past and present connect cohesively, and Purgatori has yet to linger long in the present day since Issue #1. Gaiman’s arcs on Sandman each had a similar “cutaway” chapter as Rodi’s current Purgatori arc has. Gaiman utilized one issue within each arc to bring attention away from the overall story as it progressed, to tell a self-contained piece and allow readers a gulp of air before the plunge. Unfortunately for Purgatori, Rodi’s cutaway issue doesn’t work nearly so well."

"Cliff Richards has done the best work of his career in Purgatori. Issues #1 through #3 were immaculate, epic, sexy, sweeping, evocative, and fun. With Issue #4, Richards takes a bit of a break. Sure, the work here is excellent –the three-page sequence of a temple’s destruction at the hands of three horrifically powerful gods is breathtaking and awe striking- but very little here measures to the majesty that came previous. The art isn’t far off, but it isn’t so perfect. Perhaps one of the problems here is the presence of an inker, which I originally thought might help Richards’ pages look even better. Though the credits give no mention of an inker, the “sketched” nature of the earlier artwork seemed to jump more, and seemed to fit more perfectly with the script… seeming at once scratched, fantastical, and aged. The other problem here might be that the story for Issue #4 just doesn’t provide the same visually stunning backdrops and erotic snapshots that the previous three issues did. I miss the gorgeous, sand-swept establishing shots of Egypt in its prime. And I miss the beautiful depictions of Purgatori that the previous issues, which centered more firmly upon her, made possible. Still, I feel bad complaining. Purgatori #4 is a very pretty comic book."

"Paging back over this issue, I have to remark that Purgatori is one series that has given me little reason to complain over the brief period of its print run. Current solicitation claims Purgatori is an ongoing series, but I’ve seen press releases and solicitation in the past that label it a limited series. I hope readers are smart enough to give this book some support… before it flaps away in the moonlight."

"Purgatori tells mature themed stories for mature readers, but it isn’t porn; Purgatori really is an example of what makes the greatest pieces of horror, science fiction, and fantasy work as well as they do: humanity. There isn’t a single person alive who has not made a mistake, sought to expiate, atone, give penance. It’s part of what it means to be alive, a heading in the pages of the text of human life…"

"P is for Purgatori."

Review of Evil Ernie in Santa Fe #3 by thecomicfanatic.com.

"Imagine Freddy Krueger with the near-innocent mind of a teenager, believing all that he does is good and taking the advice of an evil, talking button on his leather jacket! Imagine a being like that, and you’ve got an inkling of what to expect from Evil Ernie."

"Writer Alan Grant continues to lay out the latest adventure of everyone’s favorite, zombie-raising serial killer as Ernie rolls into Santa Fe and a whole new world of trouble...for Santa Fe AND Ernie!"

"Grant could’ve gone the easy route and just given us a tale of Ernie mindlessly slaughtering dozens of people, and it would have been a hit. However, Grant actually manages to make the reader care for Ernie, and gives what would normally be mindless slaughter a true direction and meaning."

"Before this issue is over, Grant reminds the reader that Ernie is first and foremost a horror-based character. Check out the next to last page! Grant and artist Tommy Castillo deliver a gruesome scene that screams big screen shockfest, right up there with any “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” or Rob Zombie horror flick!"

"Suggested for mature readers due to language, violence and gore."

"Overall grade = B+"

Review of Purgatori #2 by thecomicfanatic.com.

"Two issues in and Purgatori has been one of the more surprising books of 2005. While I never cared about nor read any of the previous Chaos! Purgatori comic books, this resurrection has been very addictive and highly entertaining."

"Writer Robert Rodi has given this assumed eye candy read tons of substance, and in this issue we are treated to the origin of the sexy vampire known as Purgatori. Rodi’s story reads like a grand historical big screen epic, steeped in sensuality and betrayal…all culminating with a hefty dash of horror."

"Think you know Purgatori? Think again! Rodi takes this should-be villainess and actually makes the reader feel true sympathy for her. Factor in the amazing art of Cliff Richards and cover artist Alex Horley, and it’s easy to see that this is another issue that Chaos! can feel confident that their money back guarantee won’t be used on!"

"Suggested for mature readers due to nudity, sensuality and language."

"Overall grade = B"

Review of Purgatori #2 by Eric Lindberg from BrokenFrontier.com

Eric Lindberg says, "An Egyptian slave rises to unexpected power as the origin of one of comics’ classic bad girls continues. Huddling among ancient ruins, the crimson-skinned demoness Purgatori relates the sad tale of her origins to a mysterious man. Once she was merely an Egyptian named Sakkara, chafing under the yoke of slavery and abuse. All that changed the day she locked eyes with the beautiful Queen Nefertiti. Soon Sakkara found herself both handmaiden and lover to the queen, discovering pleasures she did not know existed. As the king sank into zealous obsession with the sun-god Aten, Sakkara saw the means to ensure Nefertiti would be hers forever…."

"Though taken with the ambiance of Purgatori #1, I was concerned that the lead character, a scantily clad bad girl, would not sustain my interest. That concern has been set aside after reading issue 2. Thus far, Purgatori has been a surprisingly good read, more so than I would have expected from a comic about a sexy vampire in a bikini. The story draws freely from both history and myth, spinning a tale of oppression, sex, and courtly intrigue that held my attention from page one. Sakkara’s rise from servitude and her growing possessiveness of the queen are well-handled and take the character down a dangerous road. The dialogue and narration are rich and exotic, particularly the king’s devoted prayer to Aten and the startling epiphany that results from this. I can’t reveal what that epiphany is but I will say that Egyptian history might have taken a vastly different path without the twist at the end of this issue."

"Cliff Richards draws the comic witha solid style of illustration and captures the look and feel of ancient Egypt competently. Many of Richards’ backgrounds are not as detailed as his primary characters, relying on looser lines and cross-hatched shadows, though this is probably an intentional technique to convey distance. As mentioned above, Purgatori’s skimpy outfit somewhat biased me against the character at first, giving her the look of the vapid eye candy characters often prominent in comics. And while this time around she’s dressed in even less(!) for most of the issue, it makes sense for the setting and Richards renders her fairly tastefully. Colorist Blond permeates the issue with the soft light of Aten’s rays, contributing to the look of the story."

"If you’re looking for sexy vampires and girl-on-girl action, Purgatori #2 obliges. If, however, you’re like me and require an interesting story, rest assured that the series engages the mind as well as the eyes."

Review of Purgatori #1 by Eric Lindberg from BrokenFrontier.com

Eric Lindberg says, "Chaos! Comics’ sexy vampiress returns in a series that promises to reveal new chapters of her history."

"In ancient Egypt, a rebellious girl flouts her parents’ warnings and repeatedly sneaks out after dark. Flirting shamelessly with boys and blaspheming the gods, the young teen is driving her family to distraction. In an attempt to change her ways, the girl’s mother tells her terrible stories of what can happen to willful children, stories about the wrath of the gods, the danger of nighttime mist, and a blood-hungry demoness known only as the Crimson One."

"Having never read a Chaos! Comic, I was unfamiliar with the Purgatori character and unsure what to expect from this issue. To my pleasant surprise, I found this to be an interesting and atmospheric tale. The ancient Egyptian setting provided an element of history and myth to a story that might otherwise have been a fairly by-the-numbers vampire comic. Robert Rodi’s script emphasizes the exotic and legendary qualities of both the title character and the world in which this takes place, giving us a snapshot of what life might have been like for people of this era. The scenes of teenage rebellion and overbearing parents serve to humanize the characters and make sure that the accessibility is not lost amid the high-minded mythical moments."

"However, I am slightly concerned that the lead character is still largely a cipher (at least to new readers like me). Though many legends surround her, we are given little in this issue to indicate if she is a compelling enough character to keep the reader around. Next issue promises to reveal her origin so perhaps my fears will be allayed by that."

"Cliff Richards does an admirable job illustrating this permutation of Purgatori. Like the script, Richards’ art strikes a balance between a tone of magic and mystery and an easily relatable human story. The facial expressions of the girl and her family lend much to the storytelling and the scene of dancing shadows on the wall is rendered with just the right degree of eerie drama and majesty. The dark and rich colors of Blond also help to maintain this mood throughout the issue. And of course, the lady vampire herself is given a healthy dose of both sex appeal and deadliness. Her barely-there outfit is of the skimpy and fanboy-pandering sort that I’ve never particularly liked but I suppose ancient demons wouldn’t have the same inhibitions as humans. Still, it's a distracting aspect that at times hindered my interest in the character."

"While my ignorance of Purgatori herself kept me from fully enjoying this issue, the solid and moody story did achieve one of its goals—it got me intrigued."

Review of Purgatori #1 by thecomicfanatic.com.

TheComicFanatic.com says, "I have to admit right up front that I missed out on Purgatori's first run. When Purgatori first appeared on the scene, I had just given up on the "bad girl" craze in comics. Translation: my soon-to-be-wife discovered my stash of Lady Death comics!"

"For those of you assuming that this is just one of those T&A books, think again. Purgatori #1 is a pleasant surprise - a story with true substance, unlimited potential and some gorgeous art by Cliff Richards."

"Robert Rodi, long one of my favorite writers, brings us an introductory issue set in Egypt in the year 1242 B.C. The story is centered around a young girl named Hetmet, who - much to her mother's dismay - is working on becoming the village 'ho. In the hopes of putting an end to her daughter's promiscuous ways, Hetmet's mom tells her the legend of the blood-drinking Crimson One. An old wives tale, right? Wrong!"

"If you are buying this book anticipating to see Purgatori, be aware that she doesn't appear until the end of this issue. Rodi spends a lot of this issue building up the mysticism of Purgatori, setting the stage almost in a horror movie style, making her a truly terrifying creature. And this buildup pays off well when the Crimson One does appear, leaving the reader wanting to come back for more.especially when the next issue promises to reveal Purgatori's origin."

"Oh, and have you heard that Chaos! Comics is offering a money back guarantee if you don't like their books? Well, I don't see any true Comic Fanatics taking Chaos! Comics up on that offer here!"

"Suggested for mature readers due to some girl-on-demoness action, partial nudity and violence."

Review of Purgatori #1 from Newsarama.com.

Newsarama says, "Purgatori #1 (Devil’s Due/Chaos! Comics; by Troy Brownfield): I never read Purgatori in her original Chaos! run, so the character is a blank slate for me. Writer Robert Rodi does a nice job of keeping the main character off-screen for a while, letting the milieu of ancient Egypt and well-done tales of dark horrors do the heavy lifting. When Purgatori does appear, it’s done with sense of foreboding and strong atmosphere. It’s interesting that a little bit of that old slasher film morality creeps in (“girls who do it, die”), but this is an unconventional take on vampires that is sure to interest segments of horror fandom."