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Image’s ‘Black Kiss II’ Is Slutty, Filthy, And Religious

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12 years ago

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Back in the 80s Howard Chaykin wrote a mini-series called Black Kiss, about sex, crime rings, and a religious vampire cult. Chaykin and Image Comics are reviving the series for a second run that will dive deeper into the strange and sexy world. The first issue of the six-issue mini-series will be in stores August 1st.

Official press release:

Berkeley, CA – June 18, 2012 — At the close of the 1980s, Howard Chaykin pushed every limit in comics with Black Kiss, a hardboiled, erotic series that controversially merged sex, violence, and religion. The story took its protagonist from ’80s Los Angeles to the Vatican as he uncovered the secrets of bizarre vampire cult. Chaykin now returns to that sordid world with BLACK KISS II, a new miniseries with Image Comics, debuting in August.

Of the original Black Kiss, Chaykin has commented that “The California-ness of it is a really big deal,” but in BLACK KISS II, he takes readers to New York City in the early 20th century — to a country on the brink of monumental changes, where the melting pot of steaming filth, lust, and fantasy threatens to boil over. And where, as the century moves on, the fantasies that appear on flickering film will present a means for an insatiable evil to spread.

“The original series generated far more attention, notoriety and, frankly, income, than I ever anticipated.” said Chaykin. “That said, after fielding offers and requests for a follow up, it wasn’t until I was listening to Stephen Sondheim’s Follies, specifically the anthem that closes act one, ‘I’m Still Here,’ that I had any idea how or what to do with a sequel. So thanks to Image for being there at the right time, and blame Stephen Sondheim.”

The six-issue BLACK KISS II miniseries tells the story behind the events of the original Black Kiss. And like the first series, it is in Chaykin’s finely drafted black-and-white. The first issue will be in stores on August 1 and is available to pre-order now from the June issue of PREVIEWS (JUN120423). It is rated Mature for graphic depictions of sex.

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Comics

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

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2 days 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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