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Review: ‘Nowhere Men’ #1

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11 years ago

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The first issue of Eric Stephenson’s Nowhere Men attempts to court one’s interest by throwing a good deal of information at the reader while giving very little away. It’s a noble effort, but not one that’s entirely successful. Despite the alluring mix of science, intrigue, and rampaging primates, “Nowhere Men” #1 ultimately falls short of delivering on its potential and the end result is a book that only makes it halfway down the road to interesting.

WRITER: Eric Stephenson
ARTIST: Nate Bellegarde
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: November 28, 2012

In a manner reminiscent of Matt Kindt’s “Mind MGMT”, “Nowhere Men” relies on a variety of story-telling modes to construct the image of a morally ambiguous omnipotent organization. Using a mix of newspaper clippings, advertisements, and leaps in time, Stephenson hints at the seedy underbelly of World Corp, a research conglomerate spearheaded by a group of supposedly charismatic intellectual rock stars. Though we’re told early on that they’re the Beatles of science, issue #1 doesn’t reveal the pertinent details as to how they ushered in a new Scientific Revolution. It’s a decision that’s intended to create an aura of mystery but the end result is more frustrating than intriguing.

The book opens with the quartet of bright, young scientists – Dade Ellis, Simon Grimshaw, Emerson Strange and Thomas Walker – ready to take over the world. We then leap forward several years in time when, ta da! They pretty much have. They also manage to play god by creating a gem-encrusted, potentially immortal, gorilla monster and the battle to take the beast down is, by far, the most visually stunning part of the book.

The mid-section of the issue is dominated by a lot of talking heads, who are all very angry and very, very vague. The veritable cornucopia of stern expressions and gritted teeth is surely a sign that the stakes are high but it’s difficult to care much about the generic clash of idealism versus practicality. We get a hint of a compelling mystery in the book’s third act, where a group of researchers appear to have been quarantined and left for dead but the cardboard cutout characters aren’t likely to leave a lasting impression.

Stephenson’s plodding dialogue and Bellegarde’s mostly stiff drawing do little to rouse excitement. Jordie Bellaire’s coloring is at its best when Bellegarde gives her something to work with, which he doesn’t do nearly often enough. The premise of “Nowhere Men” could lead to something unique and interesting but the debut issue leaves something to be desired. The blueprints for greatness are there, but only time will tell if subsequent issues improve upon the execution.

Rating 2.5/5

Reviewed by MelissaGrey

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‘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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