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Review: Jeff Lemire’s ‘The Underwater Welder’

Published

12 years ago

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Jeff Lemire has made the transition from critical darling on the independent scene to one of the top writers leading the pack of DC’s New 52. Very few writers can make that transition from the Indie world to mainstream superheroes, but Lemire consistently turns out top notch writing, “Animal Man” and “Justice League Dark” being two of the best things DC is publishing today.

Despite having some of the biggest success of his comic book career at DC Comics, Lemire has remained committed to producing creator owned work. Lemire continues to write and draw “Sweet Tooth”, his long running Vertigo series, as it builds towards its epic conclusion in the coming months. Recently Lemire brought Matt Kindt on board for a three issue stint on “Sweet Tooth” to handle the art duties while he concentrated on finishing his new original graphic novel The Underwater Welder. “The Underwater Welder” is perhaps Lemire’s best work to date with stunning artwork and masterful storytelling. I smell awards coming his way.

WRITTEN BY: Jeff Lemire
ART BY: Jeff Lemire
PUBLISHER: Top Shelf
RELEASE: Out now

“The Underwater Welder” follows Jack, an off shore welder who is days away from the birth of his first child. Jack is overcome with a tidal wave of emotions with a new child on the way and is forced to confront the skeletons in his closet, along with the mysterious death of his own alcoholic father. Jack struggles to come to terms with his Dad’s passing and the resentment he feels for growing up without a father. While Jack struggles to confront his past, his own family begins to tear about at the seams as he walks a tight rope between happiness and repeating his own father’s mistakes.

Jeff Lemire is a master at conveying personal conflict and emotion, and “The Underwater Welder” is a perfect example of his abilities. The story is completely character driven and Lemire’s artwork perfectly complements that with a simplistic approach that focuses on conveying the character’s thoughts and feelings in each panel. Through the use of his distinctive black and white style, Lemire builds the story with calculated use of panel layouts that build up to some of gorgeous splash pages that leave a jaw-dropping impact on the reader.

“The Underwater Welder” is one of the most heartfelt and emotionally gripping stories you will read this year. Lemire created this graphic novel as a means to tell a powerful literary work and it is a shining example of what medium is capable of. Closing the final pages of this book, it is apparent that Lemire has just pulled on reader’s heartstrings, and left them with a beautiful and moving story about life, love, and fatherhood.

4.5/5 Skulls

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Comics

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

Published

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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