Comics

Review: ‘Sledgehammer 44’ #1

Published

11 years ago

March 14, 2013

Picture World War II. Nazi Germany has the world by the balls and America finally makes the decision to step in, but this time, replace atomic research with a different kind of weapon and we have the premise of Sledgehammer 44. Imagine a Frankenstein-like monster robot hell bent on bringing the hammer down on some Nazi scum. I love when Mignola takes a break from his massive schedule for “BPRD” and “Hellboy” to take on some creative side jobs like this one, though by this point we all know most credit should go to John Arcudi, his partner in crime, on these side projects.

WRITTEN BY: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
ART BY: Jason Latour
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
RELEASE DATE: March 13th
PRICE: 3.50

To be frank I have never been a big fan of war comics. Not that I don’t enjoy epic wars since I am quite the history buff, I just feel as though movies and TV do so such strong representations that it outshines other mediums. That being said “Sledgehammer 44” kicks some serious ass. The robotic twist gives it a different element and even though there have been similar ventures in both movies and other media, this book has that creativity that sets it apart.

Sledgehammer is the slang name for Project Epimetheus, but “Sledgehammer” is less of a mouth full and has a more intimidating air to it. The Hammer is either a robot or a man in a suit, which doesn’t really matter because it packs one helluva punch. The story starts off abruptly with soldiers mid battle, preparing to back up their secret weapon. It continues at an alarming pace as the Nazis release their own secret weapon (of course). The second half of the issue is more about plot development which slows up the pace but doesn’t take away from the overall awesomeness.

Mignola and Arcudi do a great job in both the building up the story’s setting and mood as well as dialogue between characters. Both these guys are known for the creativity and this story goes to show a really fresh take on an idea that’s been kicking around since… the end of the war. I’m excited to see what this book has to offer in terms of the Epimetheus Project.

Jason Latour’s art work is very much on the cartoony side of the spectrum, many of the characters faces are almost comedic in their appearance and this is one aspect of the book that isn’t stellar. However, I love how the action sequences are put together; the explosions, bullets, and lightning are the most exciting elements of the book. Dave Stewart covers the colour spectrum, he gives this book the same look as both “BPRD” and “Hellboy” and as the recent recipient of the Ghastly Awards Best Colourist, need I say more?

I’m pretty impressed with this book, I know both these guys can put together quite the epic tale and this one has potential to rank up with the rest of their work.

3.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – GreenBasterd

Lonnie Nadler

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Comics

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

Published

7 days ago

April 18, 2024

Meagan Navarro

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.