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Advance Review: ‘The Creep’ #0

Published

12 years ago

on

The Creep starts off with a literal BANG as John Arcudi spins a plot about a couple fishy cases of suicide needing the skills creepy investigator, Oxel Karnhus. Oxel suffers from a condition known as Acromegaly which causes deformations in growth, as well as nastier stuff like enlargement of body tissues. His hideous appearance disturbs those he comes in contact with on the case, despite the fact that he’s not such a bad guy. The Creep appeared in the original “Dark Horse Presents” series from the late ’80s but he still fits so well in the Dark Horse universe, and it’s easy to see why Arcudi wants to explore him again. The idea of a “The Creep” is intriguing, and the artwork is fantastic but be warned, this #0 issue is not loaded with thrills.

WRITTEN BY: John Arcudi
ART BY: Jonathon Case
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
RELEASE: August 1st

Oxel is a private investigator who, as previously mentioned, suffers from the acute malady Acromegaly which alters his facial structure and according to the text makes his voice sound distorted. This creative spin on the hardboiled detective is what I like most about “The Creep”; the idea of a big creepy man being some sort of detective is brilliant because this man is anything but inconspicuous and suave. The story centers around a long lost lover who contacts Oxel about the suicide of her son and his friend, and she asks him to investigate the incident. The events unfold as a slow ride down memory lane with nothing extraordinary happening. The most exciting part of the story is a hallucination by a hobo that Oxel seeks out.

Although a slow start is customary in a first issue, I found the end of the issue to be a bit dry. I imagine it’s because this #0 issue is the collected edition of shorts that appeared in “Dark Horse Presents” and it had to be a closed-ended story. I’m curious to see how Arcudi is able to continue Oxel’s tale with longer arcs because there’s a lot of potential here.

Jonathan Case’s artwork is what really propels the book and brings it to life. Case is the artist behind the “Green River Killer” graphic novel, so it should come as no surprise that he absolutely kills it in “The Creep”. As Oxel reminisces to his handsome college days, the art flows with his memories giving you another perspective on Oxel in elegant fashion. This same style comes back in the hobo’s hallucination as he comes upon a starving bear fresh out of its hibernation. This is an area of the book that I would love to see more of in the upcoming series.

Great creativity in both the idea and its artistic paneling, but it does lack the bang for your buck factor as it’s not the most exciting tale. There is potential in this story, and Arcudi is known for his creativity, so as a fan of Dark Horse I’m hoping the next one will bring a little bit more pow!

3/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – GreenBasterd

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Comics

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

Published

5 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

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