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GRAPHIC CONTENT PICK OF THE WEEK: Lonmonster – ‘Batman: Gates Of Gotham’ Issue #1

Published

13 years ago

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Both Snyder and Higgins are rising stars at DC comics. Snyder is most famous for being the creator/writer of the widely praised Vertigo imprint, American Vampire. Here, the two team up to explore the history of Gotham, where it all went wrong, and the origins of its grimy underbelly. Based on their previous works, Gates of Gotham should be a fresh and original Batman mystery with lots of hooks to keep you reading. Snyder and Higgins have held strong in order to keep the majority of the plotline secret (it is a mystery story after all). However, they have alluded to several thematic elements which they plan to explore throughout the five-issue run. Read on for the skinny…

PUBLISHER: DC Comics

WRITTEN BY: Scott Snyder and Kyle Higgins

ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Trevor McCarthy 

PRICE: $2.99

“When a mystery as old as Gotham City itself surfaces, Batman assembles a team of his greatest detectives – including Red Robin, Owlman, I-Ching and others – to investigate this startling new enigma. As clues are discovered and the mystery deepens, Batman’s team soon finds itself on a journey that explores different eras in Gotham’s history and touches upon notable Gotham families including the Waynes, Kanes, and Elliotts. This miniseries spins out of recent events in the Batman titles and sets the stage for several exciting storylines in 2011. Additionally, this limited series touches upon mysterious story elements introduced in Grant Morrison’s RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE. Featuring many exciting Batman Family guest stars!”

You can expect to see Gotham architecture like you’ve never seen before. Snyder has expressed that his intention is to make the city Gotham itself feel like a character; an entity with its own visage that changes along with the heroes of the time. As Dick Grayson begins to investigate a strange new case in the present he finds himself lost in the abyss that is Gotham’s past. Grayson assembles a team of Bat-sleuths to discover the connection between the past and the darkness that pervades in the present.

McCarthy, who worked on Nightwing a while back, took a short leave from the world of comics, and he’s now back better than ever. Based on the few preview pages available and the cover art for the five issues, McCarthy’s work looks astonishing and seems to fit with current trends in Bat-art. The cover for issue #1 offers a little tease at who the first villain in Gotham was, and from the looks of it, this villain is one we’ve never seen before.

Gotham’s history is something that has rarely been explored until this point, and perhaps this series will shed some light on the sordidness of Gotham’s present. So far, the covers alone have been enough to sell me on Gates of Gotham. However, what really cannot be passed up by any Batman fan is the chance to delve deep into the past of the darkest city in comics.

“BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM” Issue #1 Drops Wednesday, May 18th From DC Comics! (MSRP – $2.99)

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Comics

‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics

Published

1 week ago

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April 18, 2024

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Witchblade cover

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.

  • Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover

  • Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)

  • Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)

  • Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)

  • Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)

  • 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.

Witchblade comic panel Witchblade #1 cover image

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