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Review: ‘The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’ # 2

Published

11 years ago

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Gerard Way and Shaun Simon’s “Killjoys” continues this month in another fantastic issue. While not quite on the same level as the debut, issue #2 manages to develop the story in some interesting ways and offers enough intrigue to earn your cash.

WRITTEN BY: Gerard Way & Shaun Simon
ART BY: Becky Cloonan
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: July 10th, 2013

“Killjoys” fantastic art by Becky Cloonan is truly one of the biggest selling points of this world. Everything is detailed with such crisp clean visuals that are reminiscent of the best Japanese anime. The newscaster’s gritted forces smile as he’s speaking about Battery City says it all: this book is gorgeous.

While being so beautiful “Killjoys” also manages to be written in such a lyrical style that most of the pages flow with incredible ease. I’ll be honest when I say I was idiotically unaware of the book’s ties to My Chemical Romance upon my review of the first issue.

Now with those influences in mind I feel as if I truly understand the magic of the book. There is a tremendous amount of heart in this creation. The world is expansive, and fully realized with emotion. The introduction of Cheri Cola puts a face to the near perfect disc jockey narration of the book.

His teaming with the girl allows the story to slow down and get immearsed in the world. Gerard Way and Shaun Simon take time to develop a mysterious antagonist, as well as develop a story with some gigantic and beautiful android women from Battery City. What results are three distinct stories in the same world that never run the risk of treading the same ground.

We come to learn more about who the Killjoy’s were, and just what they stood for. We understand more of the goal of the series, and where the overarching threats will emerge. As characters the mysterious Killjoys ooze from every page and manage to intrigue with every new bit of information revealed about them

Cloonan’s art does a lot of the work. The desert wasteland backdrop would almost be breathtaking if it weren’t so drab and arid. The depictions of the Killjoys in the radio station literally jump off the page and scream character without even moving. Cloonan’s sharp lines and big beautiful eyes allow the characters feelings to emote without the words. Something most books struggle to do.

The book runs the risk of collapsing under its own weight. Although I have chosen to remain ignorant to the musical tie ins of the book, I understand some exist. The merits of the book seem to work without the prior knowledge of the characters or of the band. However, I do imagine those familiar will have an easier time understanding the book. The questions raised on these pages are interesting enough to keep the story going for a few more issues, but run the risk of collapsing under their own promise and reliance on previous material. Only time will tell if the story sticks the landing.

Gerard Way and Shaun Simon have created an emotionally invested second chapter of their series that manages to develop the story in some really interesting ways. A few more moments with less exposition and more exploration of the world would have been appreciated, but the series maintains a decent pace.

3.5/5 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

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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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