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5 Skull Review: ‘The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’ # 1

Published

11 years ago

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Books like this don’t come around often. Fabulous art, amazing characters, an intriguing story, and an irresistible premise culminate into something immaculate in Gerard Way (of My Chemical Romance) and Shaun Simon’s “The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” #1.

Killjoys is a riveting debut issue that begs to be read more than once. So dense and packed with information; even blinking could cause you to miss a beat of the story. The blurb at the beginning tells us about The Killjoys, a beloved team of heroes who hung out with a little girl. However the Killjoys were killed. The girl lived.

WRITTEN BY: Gerard Way & Shaun Simon
ART BY: Becky Cloonan
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 12th, 2013

We follow the little girl. Introduced to her through a wonderful bit of radio banter that cements this as one of the most original books on the stands. The disc jockey banter is original and a great expository device that feels refreshing. To give away any beats of the debut issue would be a great disservice to the story.

The adventure begins almost immediately and launches into this musically inspired world filled with horrible creatures and sensational superheroes. The mystery surrounding the little girl is steeped in the intrigue of the characters that surround her. The mystery of who exactly the Killjoys were in this world remains profoundly interesting.

Cloonan’s art adds so much to the story. Her character designs are bold and original. She designs the Ultra V’s with a style that is reminiscent of anime, with a western influence. The characters spring off the page. The action punches you in the face. Cloonan’s excellent sense of visual style creates clean and easy to understand action scenes. A major conflict in the middle of the issue is beautiful, and slowed in the right moments with the little girl.

There are too many good things to say about “Killjoys” # 1. The art, story, and world are absolutely engrossing. The pace is unrelenting and throws us head first into this wild new place. It never feels overwhelming, and through following the little girl we learn as she does.

The final pages of the issue play out like some sort of incredible standoff, but with disc jockey narration. It is so unique and compelling that you’ll find yourself reading it two or three times. Cloonan’s art sells this moment with distant panels that slowly become more intimate as the action reaches a boiling point. Then BOOM. One of the best final panels ever seen in a debut issue assaults you.

If “Killjoys” wasn’t on your radar before, change your mind. This book is unlike anything else on the stands right now. The world is so original. It would be a travesty to miss this. If there’s a good thing to take from the breakup of My Chemical Romance, it’s that Gerard Way will have more time to write. This is comic books at their best, and I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on the second issue. I’m literally frothing at the mouth for more (Editor’s note: it’s true, I saw him frothing).

5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jimbus_Christ

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Comics

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

Published

17 hours ago

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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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