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5 Skull Review: ‘Batwoman’ #13

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12 years ago

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Batwoman is, indubitably, one of the best looking books on the market and issue #13 is no exception. Special guest star Wonder Woman continues to fight alongside Batwoman in a team-up that dreams are made of. The creative team of Williams and Blackman keep pushing the at the boundaries of the medium to deliver a book that combines visual innovation with stellar story-telling. The latest issue of “Batwoman” is equal parts expertly paced plot, character study, and stunning imagery, the likes of which we don’t see often enough.

WRITTEN BY: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
ART BY: J.H. Williams III
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: October 17, 2012

Issue #13 picks up with Kate and Diana preparing to enter a place even Amazons would fear to tread: a prison, deep underground, that houses monsters deemed more dangerous than Wonder Woman herself. Elsewhere, Bette and her uncle are lost in their own thoughts as they deal with the fallout of Bette’s recent injury.
Each character is trapped in a prison, some literal, some of their own making. To call “Batwoman” moody and atmospheric would be an understatement. Williams’ explosive layouts and energetic lines convey the themes and emotions that lie at the heart of the book: anxiety, willpower, and most importantly, fear. Though the October issue isn’t necessarily Halloween themed, it’s easily one of the scariest issues Williams and Blackman have produced.

The beauty of this issue is that we get to crawl inside the heads of two of the most formidable female characters in DC’s lineup. Through their voiceover narration, we’re given a glimpse at each character through the eyes of the other. Batwoman reflects on Wonder Woman with a sprinkling of hero worship while trying to maintain her cool exterior in the face of threats that she worries are just out of her league. Likewise, Diana muses about Batwoman’s bravery and adaptability. Williams and Blackman have created an interesting dichotomy between two warriors, whose origins are quite literally worlds apart, but who have more in common than they initially realize.

“Batwoman” is such a brilliantly designed book that it’s hard to believe that it’s a monthly. The level of sophistication in the illustration and design are arguably unmatched and Williams seems to be constantly challenging himself to reinvent the wheel with every gorgeous splash page. While almost any of Williams’ two page spreads could easily be pulled out and framed, there is a particularly striking moment when text and images collide in an almost overwhelming orgy of visual stimulation.

If you only pick up one book this week, make sure it’s “Batwoman.” With unparalleled art, stunning design, and a masterfully paced narrative, it’s far and away one of the best damn comics I’ve ever read.

5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Melissa Grey

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Comics

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

Published

19 hours 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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