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Review: ‘The Wake’ #2

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11 years ago

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An epic tale in the making, “The Wake” #2 is a satisfying blending of fear and drama. Within each page, this sci-fi thriller delivers a genuine sense of terror, while finding ways to keep the reader’s attention sustained in suspense and intrigue. I can’t wait to see how this underwater mystery unfolds.

WRITTEN BY: Scott Snyder
ART BY: Sean Murphy
PUBLISHER: Vertigo Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: June 26th, 2013

Lee Archer, a marine biologist, has been asked for help by the Department of Homeland Security on a shadowy project. With her son away from her side, Lee will travel to the murky bottom of the ocean. Lee and her underwater team will discover an ancient evil that has been hidden in the depths of the Arctic Circle. Is Lee’s discovery the scientific breakthrough, the miracle she has been waiting for? Or, has she just unleashed an unstoppable killing machine and brought about the end of mankind?

What I really liked about the narrative is how Scott Snyder plays around with nonlinear storytelling. Breaking the story down into chapters, Snyder jumps around between the past and present, providing glimpses of “The Raindrop.” To make his point, Snyder uses themes from classic literature, specifically from “The Odyssey” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” The mystery is about what lies beneath in the water and the secrets that are buried there. Has Lee and scientific team found something that deserves to remain hidden and kept far away from modern society?

What really keeps the suspenseful pace going is the protagonist, Lee Archer. Snyder presents Lee as a scientist and a maternal figure, with both sides clashing at times. As a scientist, she has discovered something that will make history. But, Lee has something to lose in the process, her own son. Notice when Lee is surrounded by members of her team, she makes her decisions based on being a parent.

Sean Murphy is able to evoke a claustrophobic vide with his gritty illustrations. Through close-ups and medium shots, Murphy builds a suspenseful pace with his eerie atmosphere. By taking a minimalist approach to backgrounds, Murphy focuses more on the tension from the facial expressions. Though the creature is contained, Lee and her team are always in a state of panic. Are Lee and her team really the ones studying the monster? Or is the monster actually watching them?

Murphy creates an interesting character design for Lee. Because she is not a fighter, Lee looks more like a librarian because of her neatly combed hairstyle. Because of her slim figure, Lee might have been studying her research through books, rather than being out in the field. To show her thought process working, Murphy keeps Lee by herself, staring off into an object, like a computer.

Suspenseful, mysterious, and creepy are the perfect words to describe the “The Wake”. A ambitious team-up, Murphy and Snyder are at the top of their game with “The Wake” series. Fans of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” or any Lovecraftian tales will definitely get a kick out of this title.

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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