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Review: ‘Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher’ #2

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11 years ago

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With the set-up out of the way, writer/artist Richard Corben unleashes his talents in “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher” #2. The surrealistic artwork drives the Gothic horror to a whole new level. It’s amazing how Poe’s eloquent prose translates so well into the comic book medium.

WRITTEN BY: Richard Corben
ART BY: Richard Corben
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 19th, 2013

Allan is trapped inside a haunted house that wants to kill him. A growing and luminous fog has surrounded the haunted Usher mansion. Unable to see through the fog, Allan finds himself drawn to the mystery of the Usher siblings. Why is Roderick trying to bury his sister, Madeline, alive inside a coffin? During the night, the dead are rising from the graveyard all of a sudden. In loud knocks, their rotten hands are beating down the front door. Will Allan be able to save himself or will the dead drag him straight to Hell?

In Corben’s adaptation, the unnamed narrator finally has something to do. If you read the source material before, the narrator has more of a role as an observer. He’s telling you, the reader, what’s going on in the story. Allan is more of an active participant, unafraid to get his hands dirty. This guy is ready to kick butt when he needs to. I was totally surprised at how Corben gave his protagonist a strictly no-nonsense personality and a take-charge attitude. Allan has a fight scene that isn’t in the original story and it works so well here.

Corben cleverly finds a way to deliver two endings for his readers. The first ending is completely original and it involves zombies. The second ending is right from the text and Corben spectacularly illustrates every moment of it. Corben captures the pouring rainstorm and the destruction of the Usher mansion perfectly in a big panel.

There is an ick-factor that flows within Corben’s drawings. Part of the narrative focuses on the incestuous relationship between Roderick and Madeline. In the previous issue, the theme was suggested more as Roderick’s perversion of sexual dominance. Corben doesn’t hold back as Roderick plays out his sexual fantasies on Madeline. Adding to the straight-up creepiness, the character designs of the Usher siblings makes them look like twins.

What I remember most about Poe’s tale is the over-the-top ending. When I read the tale in eighth grade, I thought the ending was like an action sequence gone horribly wrong. It’s an impressive display how Corben structures the conclusion. Corben is able to stay true to the text, while keeping Allan sidelined as both an observant/participant during the collapse.

In “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher” #2, writer/artist Richard Corben delivers another truly terrifying adaptation. I can’t wait to see which of Poe’s macabre tales Corben does next. I’m gunning for “Murders In The Rue Morgue”.

4.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jorge Solis

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Comics

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

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1 day 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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