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Review: ‘Blackacre’ #9

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11 years ago

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“Blackacre” #9 functions as the midpoint in a number of plotlines within the series. The most obvious drawback to this is that there is no one plot that utterly captivates the reader’s attention in this issue, but all gradually build and develop throughout. While the payoff has to wait until next issue or later, this is still a solid piece of storytelling.

WRITTEN BY: Duffy Boudreau
ART BY: Wendell Cavalcanti
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE DATE: August 7th, 2013

For perhaps the first time in the series, the most compelling character in issue #9 is Sinclair. Sinclair has been brought before a council to determine the whereabouts of Hull, and to punish Sinclair for his previous failures to comply with inquiries. Instead of denying any involvement, Sinclair publicizes the existence of his covert operations program and declares it a necessity to protect the public good. He saves his strongest argument for next issue, but this is still an interesting gamble. And betting that his detractors may be cowed by his variation of the “national security” argument, despite his motivations being entirely self-serving and destructive, isn’t the most implausible of strategies.

Meanwhile, Hull continues to bond with peripheral members of, or rather converts to, the church of Sacred Yoke as he works with them on an outlying camp. Despite their rather fanciful notions of what lies behind the wall of Blackacre, Hull finds himself gaining more and more respect for them, and perhaps they see Hull as a means to escape the more familiar oppression Sacred Yoke brings. Greene, meanwhile, misjudges Lee and has to attempt to mend his already fragile relationship with her in order to bring about a significant vision he’s had. It’s difficult to tell where this will eventually lead; it certainly seems a little implausible that Greene receives visions from God. “Blackacre” is a little too pessimistic for that. But the tension between this skeptical tone and Greene’s fervent belief is one of the more interesting things about this series.

For all that though, there’s nothing terribly exceptional about this issue. It’s just good at what it does. But with Bird and Fauna closing in on Hull and Greene, and Sinclair about to sway his would-be vanquishers to his side, high drama seems just around the corner.

3.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – GeorgeShunick

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

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3 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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