Comics

Review: ‘The Victories’ #2

Published

11 years ago

June 6, 2013

Cannibal villains. Faltering heroes. Super teams merging into mega superheroes. Magic bullets for the killer of men, women, children and dogs. There is literally so much going on in this issue that has me utterly fascinated. There are hooks on every page. The innovation and creativity in characters alone makes it worth reading. Every hero that appears on-panel grabs my full attention and I want to know more about them. The Victories #2 is great comic book reading – pass it on.

WRITTEN BY: Michael Avon Oeming
ART BY: Michael Avon Oeming
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 5th, 2013

Like I said above, I want to know more and more about this ravaged world. Every character feels rich in texture and established, even the dead ones. Every little mention of a previous battle or altercation makes me more and more curious. Water wars, the hero Atlantis death, Jackal’s attack on global infrastructure, a shadowy council’s personal angel of destruction, etc. The regular people perspective is just as engaging for readers. Daily food rations lines, no planes or trains, and loved ones across country. These are examples of what things we take for granted and how crippling it would be to life as we know it. The subplots are as thought-provoking as the main ones. I want to know what will happen next and want to savor the long form story all at the same time.

Creator Michael Avon Oeming is truly showcasing all his skills as a storyteller. The art is superbly dark yet the splashes and flashes of color by Nick Filardi ensure the eyes take in every moment. The only misleading part of the whole book is the cover, which is a minor gripe. This would have been more appropriate on last issue (maybe a back cover focusing on each hero each month?) The villains look truly scary and ominous. Escaped cannibal villain Tarcus is truly menacing looking. You would never want to meet his horned, dead-eyed face to face. Can he even be stopped? The Victories try after another team (Zodiac, a team that merges into a mega-hero? Genius) and others have tried.

What has happened to this world and the way normal people and heroes cope is captivating storytelling. The highest compliment I can pay to any form of storytelling is this: I have no idea what’s going to happen next and I can’t wait to find out.

4.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Your Friendly Neighborhood Brady

Lonnie Nadler

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Comics

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

Published

3 weeks 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.