Webtoon Spotlight

Spotlight#141:Conveant

Have you ever wanted to feel a little bit closer to god? If so, you'll enjoy the holy urban fantasy Covenant!

Summary

Society's nose has turned away from a battle between good and evil for centuries. Or, more accurately, an everlasting war between exorcists of the holy church and demons that fester below. One particular sect of the warriors, though, the exorcists, particularly the church of providence, directly commune with the angels to weaponize their faith.

However, when a new element enters the fray, the stalemated conflict erupts into a full-on war, with both sides willing to sacrifice themselves for them. Including our main character Ezra, a young exorcist with no faith in God who gets tasked with a prophecy that intertwines with a young man named Sunny. Someone he'll have to risk life and limb once chaos erupts from all sides.

Characters

Ezra: A powerful exorcist on the come up, Ezra has dealt with the dangers of demons and angels since childhood. Because of this, Ezra feels he's never obtained God's warmth and instead relies more on his self-belief to stave others from further hardship. To friends and civilians, though, he's often a chipper, selfless, stubborn, and reckless.

Samson: The leader of Ezra's teams of exorcists, Samson has her set sights on climbing the church ranks. In that initiative, she's incredibly aggressive, cocky, and determined in her own right, especially when other people get into her business. But, still under her massive rifles and tattoos lies a heart of gold.

Sunny: Don't let the name fool you. There is absolutely nothing "Sunny" about this guy for a good reason. Plagued by demons ever since he was a child, Sunny is a lone wolf with nomadic tendencies. He's easily angered, consistently self-destructive, and biting. However, he never goes down without a fight and does stand by the few people he opens up to.

Overview

Long-time readers of the Webtoon Spotlight should know that urban fantasy isn't exactly a new genre I've tackled here (Third Shift Society, Simon Sues, MHA Vigilantes, and Love Advice from the Duke of Hell). Still, Covenant may be the most interesting I've ever been in one. As an atheist, I find the consistent theme of faith brought about through Ezra super intriguing.

The Church of Providence is, by technicality, the closest one could be towards God through their abilities, and yet they are vastly hated amongst the Vactrain. To many outsiders, the angels they talk to could easily be demons in disguise, and even then, angels operate cryptically. Later events circle back towards these questions of faith as side characters' loyalties.

Of course, you're not here for the cool aspects of if there's an actual fair and just deity in this meaningless universe, this art is sexy. Coneveant relies on robust color schemes and paneling to create fun fights. In addition, various mystical abilities and weapons are constantly at play to make each character feel essential and competent alongside their demonic powers.

Though this also goes hand in hand with the lore. While there's still plenty more to know about, we do get little clues into the culture of demons, where they reside, and the church's sheer size. With the recent season 2, I'm sure several more burning questions and development for the other characters. I can't wait.

.Epilogue

All in all, Covenant is a promising series that I'm continuing to read, if only because it's one of the few webtoon recommendations I've received (thanks, buddy). Season 2's been doing a lot to up the stakes. But as our main characters suffer, let's focus on what's next in the spotlight.