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Review: ‘Amala’s Blade’ #2

Published

11 years ago

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Following a successful first installment, Steve Horton and Michael Dialynas turn in another gem for Dark Horse Comics, with Amala’s Blade #2. Focusing on the remarkable world-building of Naamaron in both script and art, this issue shows Amala’s supremacy as a master assassin. Through a gripping depiction of fantastically illustrated violence, the second installment surpasses the level of quality produced in issue #1, and promises more greatness in the issues to follow.

WRITTEN BY: Steve Horton
ART BY: Michael Dialynas
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: May 29th, 2013

Picking up right where issue #1 left off, Part 2 pulls no punches as readers are thrust into a brief flashback teasing Amala’s origins. The issue then jumps to the present narrative which follows the assassin on her suicide mission to kill a Purifier noblewoman named Lady Strawbale. Unfortunately, the bounty on her head is making the journey an arduous one. Amala is able to enlist possessive help from her spirit companions, leaving a pile of ravaged and dismembered corpses in her wake—and making for an awesome carnage-heavy panel-piece by Dialynas.

Horton moves the story along by expanding on the Naamaron universe he’s building, and giving his readers a more in-depth look at the Purifier vs. Modifier culture. As it’s already been established from last month’s issue, Naamaron is a land divided by twenty years of civil war between the two warring factions. The low-tech Purifiers, powered by steam, are on the West, while the high-tech Modifiers, worshippers of technology, are to the East. Traditional steampunk and Biopunk aspects are extensively featured throughout most of the issue, and are brought to life by Dialynas’ colours and creative renderings of Horton’s world.

By the end of the issue, readers become closely acquainted with two clashing capital cities on either side of the divide. We also meet the respective spiritual leaders of both: Lady Strawbale of Ouon and the Prince of the Modifier capital, Avatouon. While the status of their relationship is being revealed, Dialynas expertly illustrates Amala’s sneak attack and infiltration of the Purifier Palace. The precision in how she successfully scales the palace walls and takes out the palace guards is perfectly executed by Dialynas’ knack for authentically capturing the fluidity of her movements.

The last few pages are probably the most intense in terms of dramatically paced action scenes, narrative progression, and reader speculation regarding Lady Strawbale’s true identity. With only two more issues left, it’s hard to see where Horton is going to take the series, especially considering the fact that Amala’s target is the answer to bringing peace to Naamaron. So much seems to be going on, and there are still many questions that remain unanswered, but if the first two installments are any indication, the last two will surely deliver. Here’s hoping both Horton and Dialynas have more in store for Amala beyond this Dark Horse mini.

4.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – ShadowJayd

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Comics

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

Published

5 days ago

on

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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