Comics
Review: Stephen Kings’ The Stand Soul Survivors #2
Marvel’s ‘The Stand’ arcs have thus far exceeded all expectations, following in the footsteps of the ever exciting ‘Dark Tower’ spin offs. It would seem that Stephen Kings’ stories, no matter how old, always seem to have relevance, and most importantly, the ability to chill you to the core. You’ll find the full review inside.
Stephen Kings’ ‘The Stand: Soul Survivors’, written by Roberto Aguirre Sacasa (“Sensational Spiderman”, “Angel Revelations”, and HBO’s “Big Love”) is the latest arc in the ongoing story of survival in a world ravaged by a deadly plague that is swiftly wiping out humanity.
The story of issue #2 finds us hot on the trail of a surviver named Larry Underwood once again as he makes his way across the countryside. Still haunted by the nightmares of The Dark Man and Rita, finds salvation in a small home in Maine. He finds that the dreams cease when he is there, and so he decides to roost awhile. Thankfully Sacasa doesn’t dwell too much on this period, instead transports us to Larry’s journey to the ocean. The peaceful moment is shattered almost instantly by a young boy named Joe who attacks Larry with a knife. The scuffle ends with Nadine, the boys mysterious yet beautiful guardian, talking the child down. Later on they are also joined by a young blonde woman named Lucy who also shares their reoccurring nightmares.
From then on we start to learn quite a bit more about the happenings in the world of ‘The Stand’, but like any 1 episode of ‘Lost’, we are given 1 answer and 52 new questions. The script for the issue is tight and compelling. Aguirre-Sacasa has done an outstanding job of capturing the feelings of despair and loneliness in a world God forgot. It is not easily forgotten that King himself has almost all creative control over his creations’ side stories. His touch is found in almost every bubble of dialogue, each character seeming to breathe the life of the beloved characters within his novels.
This is not to say that ‘The Stand: Soul Survivors’ doesn’t sputter a bit. the further we get into the story, the more questions we are given, and rarely are we handed answers. I do understand the importance of mystique, but if I wanted to feel annoyed and confused I’d watch Criss Angel.
Art wise Mike Perkins is as strong as ever, pushing us through the story with a steady hand. The vivid detail he contributes is one of the great draws of the series, and it never goes unnoticed just how well a job he does. The book ends with Nadine fainting oddly as the group are reading a note left by Harold and his group whom they are following. From the looks of it Nadine has some secrets of her own that just might tie her to Larry in a very personal way.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Skulls
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.
Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.
In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”
The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”
Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”
“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.
Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”
Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.
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Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
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Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
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Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
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Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
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Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
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Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)
Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
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