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Review: Clive Barker’s ‘Next Testament’ #3

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11 years ago

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In its third installment, “Next Testament” #3 delivers the roller-coaster ride that horror fans have been waiting for. Each page has been glued in with such sheer intensity and a crazy amount of eye-popping gore. Readers should be prepared to have their mind blown away by the “Next Testament” series.

WRITTEN BY: Clive Barker and Mark Miller
ART BY: Haemi Jang
PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: July 31, 2013

After being locked away for thousands of years, a powerful god was unearthed from the desert wasteland by billionaire Julian Demond. To bring him up to speed about present-day technology and modern civilization, Julian presented Wick to his wealthy socialites and Hollywood producers. Tired of listening, Wick actually did what any god would do when they’re angry. With the snap of his fingers, Wick exploded the head of an elderly woman. Trapped in the room with Wick, no one at the dinner party has a chance to escape. Julian must decide if he should save his son, Tristan, or let him perish at the hands of Wick.

Clive Barker and co-writer, Mark Miller, let loose on all the bloody action and kill scenes. This is the issue where Wick becomes Jason Voorhees and wipes out the dinner guests one by one. Readers get a chance to see how deadly and unmerciful Wick truly is as an antagonist. Yes, he is the judge, jury, and executioner, much like Pinhead, but I think what makes Wick stand out is that he’s actually enjoying it. Wick is having fun watching the party-goers run and scream for their lives.

We also get a chance to see the protagonists, Tristan and Elspeth, in action. As death looms close, the couple is quick on their feet as they desperately try to find an escape from Wick’s slaughter. What’s great about Elspeth’s characterization is that she is not the damsel-in-distress. Elspeth reacts to the bloodshed like any normal person would, while keeping up with Tristan’s frantic pace. As Wick is on the hunt, the couple is only thinking about how they can save each other from him.

Artist Haemi Jang hits the shock value with a bang in her jaw-dropping illustrations. First, Wick waves his hand, forcing a skull to pop out of a dinner guest’s body. When another dinner guest attempts to fight back and argues with Julian, Wick shoves his fist right through the guy’s mouth. I loved the glowing rack-focus effect Jang uses in an over-the-shoulder shot. You just see the bright colors of the sirens, not the vehicles themselves, as the police cars steer towards the mansion.

My favorite of Jang’s bloody imagery is the two-pager, which is beyond impressive. As the dinner guests are trying to escape, they start throwing chairs at a large-sized stained glass window. Wick just flashes a smile as the entire window explodes into a million pieces. In the two-pager, you see all the shards of glass stabbing each of the dinner guests.

“Next Testament” #3 ends on a nail-biting cliffhanger that will leave readers wanting more. Readers will end up hooked with the “Next Testament” series by the time they reach the last page.

4.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jorge Solis

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‘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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