Comics
Review: ‘Cyber Force’ #1
Cyber Force #1 offers an updated re-imagination of the sci-fi and action team of mutants that dominated during the first wave of Image Comics. With an engaging visual style and the fast-paced story the first issue offers a fun action introduction to the series. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, this launching pad will definitely keep both old and new fans excited. In their welcome homecoming, “Cyber Force” celebrates its own 20th anniversary in style.
WRITTEN BY: Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins
ART BY: Khoi Pham
PUBLIHER: Top Comics
PRICE: Free
RELEASE: October 17th, 2012
A fugitive from the law, Carin Taylor, also known as Velocity, has no one to turn to in the oppressed Millennium City. Hiding a secret that could very well kill her, Velocity is the daughter of the most powerful woman in Old Pittsburgh. CDI, a major corporation, has turned neighborhoods into war zones with their techno-biological weapons. With her knowledge of the heavily-guarded Aphrodite Protocol, Velocity must find people who can help her against the CDI, or the entire world will die.
If you remember from the original “Cyber Force” mini-series, the first panel started with Velocity running for her life, being chased by over-sized robots (I happen to have the original series). In a tribute to the original first issue, this one kicks off with Velocity still running. But do not expect a nostalgic recreation of the past. Velocity does not look or behave as she did before. In the original, Velocity was an observer to all the chaos going on around her. Now, Velocity has more of a punkish, free-willed attitude as she throws herself into trouble.
With creator Marc Silvestri back at the helm and Matt Hawkins as co-writer, they keep the readers invested with the mystery surrounding CDI and Morgan Stryker. Silvestri and Hawkins find creative ways of bringing the members of Cyber Force into contemporary times. In the early 90s, the team was portrayed as rebels and anti-heroes against Cyberdata’s world-dominating plans. That theme now might hold more weight and the writers are attuned to this. Nonetheless, some aspects of the story a all too familiar, running similarities with many other sci-fi comics.
Silvestri does a terrific job with the character designs of Ripclaw, Velocity, and Heatwave. From his snarl and poses, Ripclaw originally shared similarities to Wolverine. Now in a completely different design, Ripclaw has spikes running up and down both arms. Each team member – from Heatwave to Impact – has a body part composed of cybernetics, as if they have lost their humanity, due to serving for the CDI military. The Cyber Force team looks like war veterans, who have sacrificed much for the cause.
Artist Khoi Pham’s real skill is facial expressions and close-ups. You can sense the hostility in the room when Velocity meets these CDI escapees. With such angry and intense reactions, you can tell the entire team is ambivalent in helping out Velocity. With a moody vibe, Pham displays a visibly broken team bickering back and forth, always at odds with each other.
If you were a fan of the original “Cyber Force,” definitely pick this issue up. While it is overly modernized in parts, it does justice to the original series. Also the first five issue is free, so there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t give this comic a look.
3.5/5 skulls
Reviewed by Jorge Solis
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
You must be logged in to post a comment.