Ernie has been endowed with the powers of a demon, what will he do now?

Here is the Dynamite summary:

ORIGIN OF EVIL PART 2! “Evil Ernie” is BACK FROM THE DEAD (SPOILER) & out to kill his would-be 666th victim, his wicked foster father, Buford! But will Ernie be able to keep up his bargain with Satan and murder Buford before his new powers run out?! He will if “Smiley” has anything to say about it!

This issue starts right where the last one left off, with Ernie surviving his execution and becoming consumed with demonic power. He even gains a small yet foul-mouthed companion in the form of Smiley, a small smiley face pin attached to his shirt that gains a mind of its own. Ernie proceeds to then cut a swath of destruction through the prison in order to find and kill his step-father and receive the full extent of his new powers.

Jesse Blaze Snider continue to bring the terror, suspense, and dark comedy to this horror tale. We get a little a bit of the abuse Ernie suffered at the hands of his step-father, like burning him with a curling iron because he said he was cold, we can see why Ernie wants him dead. (Can’t say I blame the kid). Smiley is also a welcome addition with his delightful potty mouth, but also giving exposition into why and how Ernie got these abilities.

Jason Craig also brings in the blood and gore in this issue as well. The issue is illustrated well, and also we see how Ernie views the world in his new “reborn” state. He doesn’t see people per se, but rather their sins as they are literally written on their faces, some people even having horns or other added features that make them look demonic depending on the offense. The pencils at time seeming erratic (sometimes a bit too erratic) which fits with the pace of the action, everything is happening so fast and the people are having trouble reacting to it.

This series continues to pick up speed, exploring our protagonist’s new powers as well as his past and why he is doing what he is doing. Just as the title of the issue says, this series is “Just warming up”.

3.5/5