Mark Chiarello Cover C Variant
The Dirt Beneath the Devil #1
Writer: Dan Panosian
Artist: David Ferraci
Cover Artists: Becky Cloonan, Dan Panosian, Jacob Phillips, Mark Chiarello, Travis Charest
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
With compelling, dastardly characters and a richly realized American frontier setting, The Dirt Beneath the Devil #1 is a bonafide home run for Mad Cave Studios.
All Roads Lead West
After losing her mother to pneumonia and her father to an unknown cause, June Buckley travels from the bright lights of New York City to the dusty trails of Kansas City for the reading of her father's will, a man with whom she never formed a relationship due to her mother's wishes. Described by June's mother as a dirty, rotten scoundrel, William Buckley leaves behind countless unanswered questions.
Upon arriving at the Benjamin Hotel, she meets Temple Houston, a charming, handsome young man entrusted by Mr. Buckley to serve as the will's executor. Temple introduces June to the rest of the beneficiaries and informs everyone that, per William's request, they must travel on horseback from Kansas City to Wichita before he can read the will and testament in full.
Over a hearty Southern feast, the group wonders what lies ahead. Why did William Buckley want these complete strangers to travel to Wichita together? And why did he name June, a daughter he never knew, as one of his beneficiaries?
Ride With Caution
I'll admit, Western comics aren't usually the first books I gravitate toward, but The Dirt Beneath the Devil #1 immediately pulled me in. The combination of mystery, unforgettable characters, and a beautifully realized frontier setting made it nearly impossible to put down.
On a long, lonesome dirt road east of Wichita, June prepares to saddle up with the rest of the group as she meets the horse her late father gifted her: an unruly black stallion named Hendido. Already horrified by the thought of riding a horse, June's situation only gets worse when Hendido violently rejects the rancher's attempts to tame him, thrashing wildly and bucking him off before locking eyes with her and... suddenly... calming down? I suppose Hendido has a thing for redheads. I can't say I blame him.
I have always been a sucker for animals, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Hendido quickly became one of my favorite parts of the issue. There is something satisfying about seeing a character everyone else has written off as uncontrollable immediately recognize something in June. It's a small moment, but it perfectly captures one of the comic's greatest strengths: finding humanity in unexpected places. More importantly, it immediately raises an intriguing question: if everyone else struggled to handle Hendido's temperament, what was it about June that allowed her to calm him with nothing more than a single glance
With Hendido finally under control, William Buckley's band of misfits begins the long ride toward his estate.
An uneasy tension hangs over this issue whenever the story unfolds through June's perspective. June is immediately treated like an outsider, the city girl who never knew her father or connected with the rest of his family. Everyone, except the gentlemanly Temple, side-eyes her and whispers behind her back. Despite her kind-hearted nature, they simply can't bring themselves to trust her.
That distrust begins to surface during the ride to Wichita when her stepbrother, August, frustrated by his father's insistence that everyone travel together, attempts to take over as executor from Temple. June quickly reminds him that, if anyone should take charge, it would be her, as she's William's oldest descendant. Temple eventually restores order, but August reminds everyone that it's a long ride to Wichita, and on the frontier, things can change in the blink of an eye.
Wanted: Dead, Alive, or Just Misunderstood
One of the issue's greatest strengths is how effortlessly Dan Panosian gives each member of the party a distinct voice, allowing their personalities to naturally bounce off June's perspective. As the miles pass, the suspense steadily builds, making every conversation feel like it could erupt into violence without warning. What surprised me most was how invested I became in this unlikely group of travelers, who initially seem like complete strangers brought together by circumstance. By the time I reached the final page, I wasn't just curious about William Buckley's mysterious will, I genuinely cared about what would happen to these characters next.
The characters I find myself most eager to learn more about are Kima and Billy. Kima is a Native American woman who, according to August, was William Buckley's mistress, while Billy is her son, the child she had with William. When the group stops to make camp and gathers around the fire, August directs cruel racial epithets toward both of them as they sit silently, enduring his insults while he continues drinking from a bottle of whiskey.
What makes Kima and Billy so fascinating is that they are the only characters in the entire issue who never speak a single word. Instead of making them feel like background characters, their silence immediately made me more curious about their place in William's story. The rest of the group, aside from June and Temple, quickly makes assumptions about their race, their relationship with William, and whether they truly belong among the beneficiaries. Rather than giving us answers, Panosian leaves us with questions. Was August telling the truth? Was Kima truly just William's mistress? And if she was, why would William include her and Billy in his will? Surely, they must have meant something more to him... right?
Those unanswered questions are exactly what kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover the truth alongside June. I found myself repeatedly saying, "One more page," only to realize I had already read through several more without noticing. That's always the sign of a comic doing something right: when the mystery is compelling enough that you stop analyzing the structure and simply let yourself get swept up in the story.
Picture Perfect Prairie
David Ferracci brings the rugged beauty of the American frontier vividly to life. Horses fill nearly every page, everyone's wardrobe feels authentic to the era, and the architecture perfectly complements the period setting. Beyond the world itself, Ferracci also excels at capturing the subtle emotions between the characters, whether it's June's uncertainty, August's hostility, or the quiet mystery surrounding Kima and Billy. Even without dialogue, their expressions often tell a story of their own.
That attention to detail is on full display in the scene at Mr. Britz's stable, where the group prepares their horses before setting out toward Wichita beneath the warm glow of the morning sun. I found myself slowing down while reading this sequence, taking in the atmosphere Ferracci creates through the small details scattered throughout the panels. It's one of the issue's finest visual moments because it perfectly captures both the beauty and loneliness of the frontier.
Lee Loughridge's colors are equally impressive. His work adds remarkable texture throughout the book and transforms the Old West into a setting that feels weathered, lived-in, and completely immersive.
Ride Into the Sunset
The Dirt Beneath the Devil #1 is the best debut issue I've read all year. Dan Panosian has crafted a gripping mystery that keeps you guessing at every turn, and if he can maintain this momentum, I see no reason why it couldn't earn a nomination for next year's Eisner Awards for Best Limited Series. Between its memorable cast, simmering tension, and cinematic presentation, it feels tailor-made for the screen.
Whether you're a fan of horror, westerns, or both, this deserves a place on your radar. It really is that good.