Connect with us

Comics

Review: Dragon Age, The Silent Grove #1

Published

12 years ago

on

Prior to a civil war brought on by the Fifth Blight that tore the nation of Ferelden in two, King Cailan sat the throne but then he took an arrow in the knee… Well something like that. But either way, he perished, and his brother Alistair Theririn took the crown, and saved his kingdom from the darkspawn, bringing peace to the land! Unfortunately, peace only lasts while someone else is planning a new war; which brings us to Dark Horses new digital exclusive title Dragon Age, The Silent Grove. Read on for the skinny…

da1cover WRITTEN BY: Alexander Freed, David Gaider
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Chad Hardin
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
RELEASE: Out Now!

“From the lead writer of BioWare’s Dragon Age games comes this original six-part story, available exclusively from the Dark Horse Digital Store!

It’s unusual for a king to embark on a dangerous quest himself rather than send an emissary, but King Alistair Therein has caught wind of a rumor big enough, and personal enough, that he is compelled to investigate—though not alone. With deadly, wisecracking mercenaries Isabella and Varric by his side, Alistair travels to a city of assassins to learn the truth about his kingdom and his own reign!”

King Alistair comes to Antiva, a city that is the playground for an elite assassin group known as Crows. Being a king, naturally, Alistair is not stupid enough to travel alone, and after some beautifully laid out sword play scenes we are introduced to his two faithful companions; a dwarf, Varric, and a dangerous pirate, Isabela. The trio find that someone has prepared for their arrival with deadly traps. Uh oh.

Right away I knew I would enjoy this story, being the fantasy buff that I am; swords, dwarven crossbows and conspiracy plots against a kingdom, yep, I’m sold! This story reminds me of my days reading the Dungeons and Dragons or Forgotten Realms novels, probably because The Silent Grove is based off the popular Dragon Age video game series. Alexander Freed infuses the script with sarcastic humor and it fits well within the context of the story. There’s a certain tendency in fantasy to take the subject matter a bit too seriously, however, Freed does a fantastic job of balancing action, fantasy, and comic relief.

As for Chard Hardin’s artwork, it’s a bit cartoony, but ain’t nothing wrong with that. It submerses the reader into the atmosphere fully and pops right off the page (or screen, considering it’s digital only).

All and all, anyone who is a fan of the fantasy genre should give this book a shot. It’s available exclusively at Dark Horse Digital and it’s only 99 coins! Besides, anything with “dragon” in the title is okay by me.

4/5 Skulls

Related Topics:
Advertisement
Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

2 days ago

on

April 18, 2024

By

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

Continue Reading