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[Indie Spotlight] ‘Twisted Dark’ Vol. 1

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11 years ago

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Twisted Dark Vol.1 is a collection of 13 mind-warped short comic stories from Neil Gibson and a slew of artists. Most of the stories come with surprising twist endings, that are rather refreshing. This is a collection of compelling tales that ranges from crime to horror to sci-fi. Genuinely surprising, the storytelling is quite unpredictable and the various styles of artwork capture the morbid nature.

WRITTEN BY: Neil Gibson
ART BY: Atula Siriwardane, Caspar Wijngaard, Heru Prasetyo Djalal, Jan Wijngaard, Ant Mercer, Olga-Mia Gots, Dan West
PUBLISHER: T Publication
PRICE: $12.99
RELEASE: January 11, 2012

The first tale, “Suicide,” sets the serious and dark tone of the collection. In “Windopayne,” a wealthy businessman waits for his invention to start a never-ending massacre. “Cocaína” follows a low-level drug dealer as he rises through the ranks of a criminal organization. But is he willing to give up the rich lifestyle to marry a crime lord’s daughter? In “Blame,” a vicious killer is contemplating about forgiveness as he is about to slit his victim’s throat. Each of the 13 tales share a common theme about the worst in human nature and its unrestrained cruelty.

What I really enjoyed about Neil Gibson’s writing is his emphasis on characterization. In the suspenseful tale, “Routine,” a father is patiently waiting for his son to return from his hunting trip. Gibson builds the anticipation as the father wonders if his son accidentally shot himself or someone else. Then, the father is revealed to be an angry and abusive drunk, who doesn’t remember what was the last thing he said to his son. As Gibson develops this remorseful protagonist, he ends the story on a major shocker.

Just when you think you know where the story is headed, Gibson pulls out the rug from under the reader. Because they are never formulaic, the plot twists change everything you thought you knew about the main character. Even without a last-minute surprise, the story always hits the right nerve. In “The Pushman,” a disgruntled employee remembers the events that led to him being a failure in life. You’re never quite sure if he is going to snap, or if he is just having a bad day at work.

The suspenseful atmosphere in “Routine” works because of Caspar Wijngaard’s scratchy illustrations. The trees and mountains aren’t fully formed because they represent the protagonist’s shattered mind-state. Ant Mercer captures the unhinged mind of a lunatic in “The Game…” Through close-ups and hairstyle, Mercer provides an eerie depiction of a madman who thinks he is a contestant on a reality TV show.

My favorite amongst Jan Wijngaard’s illustrations are in “The Pushman” and “Windopayne.” Wijngaard’s artwork in “The Pushman” is heavily influenced by Japanese Manga, especially with his abstract backgrounds. Notice how the buildings in the panels have a distinguishing pattern. In the sci-fi tale, “Windopayne,” instead of looking out the window, the viewer selects the image they want to see. In wide shots, Wijngaard focuses on the details of the foreign countries so that reader feels like they are traveling.

“Twisted Dark Vol.1” contains a collection of bleak tales that will indeed shock its readers. You can pick up a copy here.

4/5 – Skulls

Reviewed by Jorge Solis

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

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16 hours ago

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April 17, 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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