Connect with us

Comics

Review: ‘Five Weapons’ #1

Published

11 years ago

on

The concept behind Five Weapons #1 reads like male teenage wish-fulfillment 101; boy is drafted into a prestigious school for assassins where he can choose what he’ll specialize in, only he doesn’t have to specialize in anything because his wits are too much for anyone. It’s a pretty juvenile fantasy, but this doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t be executed well. Unfortunately, “Five Weapons” is not executed well, with an irritating protagonist, empty characters and no sense of gravity to its proceedings.

WRITTEN BY: Jimmie Robinson
ART BY: Jimmie Robinson
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: February 27th, 2013

I understand Jimmie Robinson’s “Five Weapons” is geared towards kids who are enrolled in middle-school; two pages in, and I was pretty sure I wasn’t reading the next “Watchmen” or “Sandman.” Still, even taking this into account, there’s no way to call this a good comic. Even for a children’s comic, the characters are ridiculously one-dimensional; virtually all the characters other than the protagonist – Tyler Shainline – serve as an obstacle for him to overcome or a puzzle for him to solve. None seem to have a motivation or purpose beyond being a plot device. It’s lazy writing, pure and simple.

The greatest flaw, ironically, is Tyler Shainline. Shainline comes from a prestigious assassin family, and quickly begins to assert his dominance over both the faculty and students of the school, solely relying on his brilliant intellect. Jaws drop at his audacity and his ability to manipulate and defeat others. In other words, he’s exactly what every young student wants to be; cocksure, capable and extraordinary. But the pitfall of this is that Tyler isn’t a character; he doesn’t have a weakness. He doesn’t have something to overcome, not really. He’s a presumptuous, arrogant fantasy, as desirable to introverted young students as he is utterly unrelatable to them. If you can’t connect with the protagonist of a story, something is clearly wrong.

The art, also by Robinson, is appropriate in its tone and surprisingly well-detailed, but it’s not enough to save “Five Weapons.” There’s much better young adult fare out there. I suggest you go find it.

1/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – GeorgeShunick

Related Topics:
Advertisement
1 Comment

Comics

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

Published

15 hours 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

Continue Reading