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Review: ‘Chosen’ #1

Published

12 years ago

on

Dynamite Entertainment teams up with Liquid Comics to create a fast paced action packed book that is already teeming with that wow-factor. Chosen, created by Marcus Nispel, has made its own niche in comic genres, mixing some shaolin style themes with a dark, gritty fight club style of book. “Chosen” is one helluva surprise to me; usually first issues are slow with lots of emphasis on character introduction, not this book it essentially snags you right at the start and never stops dragging you around on its roller coaster.

CREATED BY: Marcus Nispel
WRITTEN BY: Chuck Dixon and Gotham Chopra
ART BY: Edison George and Liquid Comics
PUBLISHER: Dynamite Entertainment
PRICE: 3.99
RELEASE: October 24th

The story kicks off with a group of monks offering trinkets to the family of the main character Ryan, in order to have him do a Dalai Lama selection test: picking the correct trinket out of group to signify its connection to the chooser. Ryan picks the correct item and thus starts the rollercoaster; using some ritual magic the monks endeavor to awaken (presumably) Ryan’s past life, this is cut short by the police. The next few pages follows Ryan’s life as he ages from toddler to young man, always slightly different, distant and possessing a foresight like ability. Eventually Ryan finds himself on the wrong side of a blackout rage and uses his shaolin moves to cripple some would-be bullies. So much story progression happens in so few pages by jumping through the years yet still taking time to show Ryan at each stage of his life. There are also subtle foreshadowing events and the use of Ryans foresight, or “spidey sense” if you will, that are key to the plot progression.

From here the story changes dimensions as Ryan is sent to juvenile detention, but here it’s not about righting your wrongs, it’s about staying alive. “Chosen” starts to get darker here as Ryan is put through serious training simultaneously being black mailed by the warden to “let the animal out of the cage”. By the end of the book I found myself wanting to not only learn more about Ryan’s mysterious abilities but also wanting to see him kick the sh*t out of more people.

The art of this book is provided by Edison George and Liquid Comics, the illustrations have a real realistic feel to them contrasting with the non-realistic way this book is progressing; though the lines are hard and well defined there is an element of sketchiness that gives the book its much needed grit. The shading is superb and even a bright day is given a shadowy effect that shows this book is dark and disturbed.

“Chosen” is fast paced, action pack and as the story that grows from dark to ugly. I’m really liking where this book is heading and with only two issues remaining the story will surely pick up its pace… if that’s possible.

3.5/5 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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