Demons Of The Past And Present Invade ‘Clean Room’ #12 [Exclusive Preview]

If you don't already know what Clean Room is about, this five-page preview probably isn't going to make things much clearer. It jumps across three settings: a therapy session 23 years in the past in which a girl admits to stabbing her father but claims he was possessed by a demon; a bright white space in which one monster is trapped in a cage while a larger monster attacks two humans while a third human tries to convince the caged monster to help; and a ski lodge where a wounded man is forgiven for an apparent assassination attempt by the woman who was once the girl who stabbed her father.

But even with just these five pages to go on, there are hints of the threads that tie this sprawling story together, courtesy of writer Gail Simone. It's clear that Astrid Mueller has come a long way since stabbing her possibly possessed father. And in a world where terrifying monsters exist, her claims about his possession seem plausible.

And if demons who possess humans exist, and Astrid is an important person working against them, it seems likely the man who attempted to assassinate her wasn't in control of his actions, which would be why she forgives him.

The art by Jon Davis-Hunt is a particular standout. His people are distinctive and expressive, but his monsters are truly something to behold.

Clean Room #12 is out October 5.

Here's the official word from Vertigo:

Life as we know it drastically changes as Astrid fights not only for control of her organization but for the fate of humanity. Meanwhile, Chloe faces an internal struggle of morality: Does saving the world mean turning her back on her personal mission for truth and revenge? Find out in the cosmos-shattering conclusion of “Hell Above and Heaven Below”!