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Review: ‘The Black Beetle: No Way Out’ #2

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The mysteries grow and grow in the town of Colt City. Shadowy heroes and garishly colored villains begin to surface. Murders need to be solved. Only our pulp hero, The Black Beetle, can figure out the enigmatic Labyrinto’s schemes before time runs out. The Black Beetle: No Way Out #2 keeps the ball rolling and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

WRITTEN BY: Francesco Francavilla
ART BY Francesco Francavilla
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 20th, 2013

Francesco Francavilla’s cryptic tale continues to unfold before the reader’s eyes in fantastic fashion. This is such a well-crafted story. The captions, the panel jumps, and the use of darkness fully bring the reader into the story and the world of Colt City. Even the use of familiar archetypes contrasting brightly colored villain and the dark hero works magnificently.

Our villain, Labyrinto, is such a clever creation and divergent character for Black Beetle. Just looking at him in his costume makes his name make sense and I want to know more about him. Our “Investigative Insect” has such great gear that it’s so innovative to see him in action as he is prepared for almost everything. Except for rats. But that’s what guns are for.

Clues are found and now our hero has to do something we have not seen him do yet – unmask and go undercover in the daylight! So far, this series has been predominantly noir, and as such occurs at night. I look forward to seeing how Francavilla will show the well-lit days in the next chapter. Once again, the book ends with a great lead into the next issue. It has been a while since I have looked forward to the next issue of a series to come out as I do with “Black Beetle: No Way Out”. Get on board this thrilling ride now if you haven’t already.

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by: Your Friendly Neighborhood Brady

Comics

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

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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 (AnimosityBatwomanDC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide SquadPower RangersRed 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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