Comics
Review: “Sex Criminals” # 2
Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky’s series thrusts forward this month with an origin story for the second protagonist. It’s a fantastic juxtaposition to last month’s adventure. Hilarious, poignant, and an absolute joy to read, “Sex Criminals” continues to be a hit. You’ll be touched in more ways than one, and you get to take a trip to “Cumworld.” What more could you ask for?
WRITTEN BY: Matt Fraction
ART BY: Chip Zdarsky
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: October 23, 2013
I approached the second issue of this series with minor trepidation, worried that Fraction and Zdarsky wouldn’t be able to stick the landing after their killer first issue. However, I’m happy to report that my worries were in vain, as this issue is absolutely stellar.
The book takes a step forward by taking a step back. This month begins with Suzie and Jon in the bank. Giving us a hint of our current predicament before rocketing us back to the pivotal moment after our heroes first boned.
Fraction takes us back through Jon’s “cuming” of age story. His sexual awakening is just as hilarious as Suzie’s, and it has all of the subtle differences being from the perspective of a guy. Jon’s hilarious term for his power “Cumworld” tells you everything you need to know about his perspective.
The issue is deeply rooted in character moments for both Jon and Suzie. Their relationship evolves through sincerity. Fraction displays two characters who find solace in one another. They are afraid that if they were to stop talking, the other may disappear. It’s a beautiful thing. There is a hint of superficiality to their relationship through the pursued passion of sex, which hints that the relationship may not work out in the future.
Zdarsky’s art continues to be one of a kind. His cartoonish depiction of these heavy sexual situations reminds me of after midnight adult cartoons. His ability to channel sexual energy onto the page while also zeroing in on facial features makes you feel as if you are sitting in on an intimate moment. The awkward feeling fades almost right away.
The art eases you in and makes you feel comfortable. Even if you are watching a big nosed teenage boy discover masturbation. To top it all off, the work in “Cumworld” both its depiction and the location itself are the highlight of the issue. The moment in which Jon finds himself trespassing with an erection gives way to one of the best panels of the month, as Jon rockets around the building we see his path and his multiple roadblocks on the way to his escape – its brilliant.
The dire straights that begin the issue also close it out. There is something more to the events inside the bank that Fraction isn’t giving us entirely. An antagonist looms. There are people who can seemingly pass into “Cumworld” with Jon and Suzie, and that doesn’t bode well for the future.
“Sex Criminals” continues to be a modern classic. The candid look at sexuality combined with razor sharp dialogue and impeccable art make every single page an absolute joy to read. You’ll never feel dirty as you pound through the book, but you may find yourself adjusting your pants a few times. This is tantalizing stuff.
Rating 4.5/5 Skulls.
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
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.
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Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
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Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
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Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
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Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
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Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
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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.
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