I'm not sure if my sheer enjoyment of this book was a perfect storm of unsure expectations, excellent presentation, warm sunny weather and ideal levels of caffeination, but it doesn't matter. Death Vigil is a great ride from beginning to end, and if you're open to a humorous, beautiful, action packed look at Death and the unseen forces fighting all around us then you should definitely pick up this book. You should also pick it up because it's a damn fine comic book. I know I'm very excited to see what Mr. eji has in store for Bernardette, Sam and the rest of the crew. I also hope someday I figure out how to properly pronounce his name so I can stop butchering it. Read Full Review

The issue is also quite long. I don't know if this is just going to be two issues and done, but I really hope not. Sejic has created a rich world and sucked me in. I'd really like to read more stories and explore this idea more. We'll see in August, but in the meantime if you missed this issue then you should go back to your comic shop and get it now. Read Full Review

A resoundingly awesome issue, like few I've read to date. Read Full Review

Death Vigil gets off to the perfect start with this fun and exciting tale of good, evil and death being very enthralling. Highly recommended. Read Full Review

Death Vigil #1 has the right concept and style for those it manages to grab by the end of the issue. If you like magic or necromancy, then this series is for you. If you just like the idea of a grim reaper being a hero to the living, then this is most certainly the series for you. It was handled very well and leaves room for a lot to be explored from this world. Read Full Review

Sejic shows you don't need an entire team to create a comic, and for that, I commend him. His all-in-one approach works because he's taking full ownership of the story, art, and the world that Death Vigil resides in. All the blame falls on his shoulders. And when it's applause " the prestige is his alone. Right now, he's being called back for an encore. Read Full Review

Death Vigil doesnt appear to have set out to reinvent the wheel, but when you have art this gorgeous, characters this likable and a story this well developed its difficult not being at least a little interested in seeing where it takes us. The limits of Stjepan Sejics talents have yet to be determined, but if Death Vigil is any indication we may have only touched the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Read Full Review

Death Vigil is a fun fantasy debut that is equal parts gothic, humor and heart. Sejics script doesnt fall into the self-important or dark for the sake of darkness, which makes it an entertaining read appealing to a broad audience. Sejics combination of high quality visual storytelling and good characterization gives an entertaining new spin to the premise of good versus evil. Read Full Review

Death Vigil #1 clocks in at 40 story pages for $3.99, which isn't too shabby at all. It's ample room to introduce the core cast, their worlds, and their ongoing struggle. eji is able to dance around the usual first issue formula by diving into the action first and deferring the setup and exposition until the Calara character enters the picture. The dialogue could use some fine-tuning at times, as certain conversations come across as a little clunky and inelegant (especially during mid-battle bravado). Regardless, this is a solid start for Top Cow's newest series. Read Full Review

Death Vigil #1 is a promising start to what may prove to be the best new supernatural series of 2014. It is a must read for all fans of the urban fantasy genre as well as those who enjoyedThe Sandman or BPRD. Even those comic readers who are not fans of this sort of story would do well to check this one out for the interesting characters and (pardon the pun) gallows humor. Read Full Review

A huge 40 pages would make "Death Vigil" a good buy even if it weren't such a charming surprise. But it is a charming surprise with a good sense of humor, smart subversive world building, and very pretty art, all adding up to a book well worth a read. Read Full Review

This #1 issue is well worth a try, I counted the actual story pages since the issue seemed so substantial and it clocks in at 46 pages for $3.99. Taking that many pages allows writer/artist Stjepan Sejic to introduce the main members of the Death Vigil and the dark fantasy world they operate in amidst action and humor with some great character development. Death Vigil is off to a great start and I'm looking forward to more, this issue is highly recommended. Read Full Review

Stjepan eji's DEATH VIGIL has won me over for two very simple reasons: the artwork is stunning and the characters are legitimately entertaining. The story may not blow you away just yet, but the basics of this world are presented well enough and this feels like just a taste of what's to come. On top of that, the script manages to always keep these pages fun and exciting. Just enough happens to capture our interest in this new world and now I'm left wanting to see more. DEATH VIGIL's charismatic cast and amazing artwork makes it something anyone can enjoy. You really don't need to be a fantasy fan to appreciate this one. Read Full Review

Its formulaic approach to dark fantasy makes me question whether Death Vigil #1 has what it takes to cement a readership for this series going forward. Strong art is basically a guarantee with Sejic so there is little concern about how this comic will hold up visually. The surprisingly effective characters may just have secured the future of this series and their winning personalities trump the occasionally weak dialogue. A solid debut from Sejic and Images Top Cow imprint even if its more like a double to the gap than a home run. Read Full Review

Death Vigil #1 is a not bad comic and definitely has appeal for the right target audience, the kind who are more into a magic and sorcery theme. There's plenty to like here with a fairly solid and well laid out first issue, likeable characters and decent artwork. It's not for everyone, but it could be just the kind of comic you are looking for. Read Full Review

With all that in mind I actually do kind of recommend Death Vigil, yes it's not perfect, yes the characters are kind of cardboard cut outs at the moment, and yes the monsters need a better colorist but despite all that I still found this a very enjoyable read. I think part of that is the weirdly friendly and comforting nature of the comic's clichs, they feel very familiar sort of like eating big handfuls of goldfish (wish I was getting paid for plugs like that.) It's just a very easy comic to get into without needing to be massively invested in, a fun distraction that's entertaining and light with some very cool world building and well written dialogue; recommended. Read Full Review

Writer/artist Stjepan Sejic shows his extensive time working with Ron Marz, with this series having a similar feel to Witchblade. The issue balances action with needed information, helped by having a great battle sequence, some good character moments between Sam (now known as Digger), Bernadette (aka the Reaper), and a smart-mouthed raven. Read Full Review

There's definitely some girl-power stuff being tried, which is great, but Stjepan eji's story has a little too much crammed into one volume to deeply connect, keep up, identify, or really get attached. Hopefully the story will slow down so they can flush out the rest. And hopefully our editor never makes me review this comic again. Read Full Review

This looks like it's going to be a good series. (I am a bit behind)

Death Vigil is a very nice series of Sejic. Unfortunately, even being so good, the series is not selling well and the author has others jobs to attend to, so, art is not perfect and sometimes you'll see that it is a bit rushed. Beyond that, characters are very charismatic and the story can keep you easily till the end.

i'm not usually one to pay $4 for a regular comic, but the work of STJEPAN SEJIC pulled me in. This was a great opening issue that makes a lot of character and plot progress while treating the eyes to delight. This should be a great series, but its selling out fast!

Publisher: Image
Price: 3.99
Release date: July 9th, 2014
Writer & Artist: Stjepan Sejic

Death Vigil #1 stands out to me not because of the age old story of a hapless newcomer forced into a situation they were not ready for but become the savior of the universe/race/world, but stands out because of the strength of the writer. As an added bonus the writer is also the artist and he does a pretty amazing job visualizing his own world and presenting it to us. The art is all digital and I think it pairs extremely well with this type of story.

Stjepan Sejic churns out an outstanding first issue here. We get our main character, Sam, who dies on the first page of the book and is given a chance to join a team called "The Death Vigil". This team fights what seem to be a mash up of demons and Lovecraftian type monsters. The leader of this team is, what we glean, the embodiment of death. Of course she is a beautiful girl who is not scary on the outside but is revealed to be quite the monster herself. This has been done before but it still seems refreshing in this book. The way this story unfolds ensnares you and keepings you flipping pages at break-neck speeds.

The other characters in this book pop off the page, grab you, and then pull you into their lives. The thing that stands out most to be in this book is the dialogue between the characters. The way they speak to each other seems natural and not forced like most comics you read these days. They act like real people instead of the archetypes they represent. It was nice to read something that was gripping and still made me chuckle. I can't dote on this book enough. I think I am hooked for the long haul and I am super excited that the art won't be switching hands and as long as he can keep his writing as strong as it is in this first book; I can't see this title failing any time soon.

This book was 40+ pages and I want more right now. I give this book a 9 out of 10.

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Kind of a shaky start. Sejic both writes and does all the artwork for this series, which is in itself impressive. The writing is a bit jarring, with a few too many one-liners and not enough character building. That being said, the following two issues are drastically better and the series is certainly worth following along with.