Connect with us

Comics

Review: ‘Suckers’ #1

Published

11 years ago

on

Delightfully absurd and disarmingly hilarious, Patrick Shand’s “Suckers” is one of those rare subversive genre comedies, that effectively balances its uneven mix of gags, guts, and human blood-pong glory. This four-part miniseries will read like a welcomed breath of fresh air. “Suckers” #1 is an unexpected gem of pure fun and ridiculousness, and with Patrick Shand and Ian McGinty behind the wheel, it’ll become an easy crowd pleaser.

WRITTEN BY: Patrick Shand
ART BY: Ian McGinty
PUBLISHER: Zenescope Entertainment
PRICE: $1.99
RELEASE: September 18, 2013

“Suckers” is a comedy that follows a pair of horror movie watching, blood pong playing, vampires named Chad and John. The former is your typical brawny vampirebro, while the latter is straight out of “Nosferatu” in appearance. More than a little miffed by mainstream media’s watered-down depiction of their kind in films like “Moonshade: The Tale of the Romantic, Redeemed Vampire”, the two embark on a hilariously violent — and self-documented — journey in hopes that their reality horror film will give vampires everywhere, their dark edge back.

The first issue thrives on Chad and John’s winning, and amusing, personalities as well as the unmistakeable chemistry that’s so evidently present between the characters. This type of buddy dynamic is only made believable through Shand and McGinty’s successful collaborative work. Both writer and artist play off each other really well. Shand, who was the voice behind Zenescope’s “Grimm Fairy Tales: Robyn Hood”, establishes an extraordinarily different tone for this series. His exuberant and strangely good-natured script, aims for laughs in hilariously inappropriate places, and more often than not, he gets them. McGinty plays a detrimental role in bringing that comedy to life through his vibrant illustrations, and renderings of Shand’s world.

With a cartoonish style that does nothing but add to the fun of the series, McGinty’s black and white contribution of just pencils and inks, manage to strike an even balance between playfulness, and modern-day horror comedy. The comedic panels definitely hold precedence, especially in the face of what should be considered horrific imagery, due to McGinty’s spirited style which doesn’t allow for much deep dwelling. Overall, he really suits the genre.

Some readers might think Shand’s “Suckers” premise to be a bit too goofy and meta, and to a certain extent, it is, but that doesn’t stop Shand and McGinty from delivering a number of genuinely funny comedic moments. There’s also some questionably distasteful (though still arguably amusing) plot developments. The final page is evidence of that, and sets up the remainder of the series perfectly.

4/5 Skulls

Review by – ShadowJayd

Related Topics:
Advertisement
Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

1 day ago

on

April 18, 2024

By

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

Continue Reading