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Review: ‘The Victories’ #6

Published

10 years ago

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When one of the characters from your story comes from the dream state of a sleeping cat, you know you’re reading something wholly distinctive. Bird ladies and mutated ex-addicts and neurotic super powered shut-ins are your only hope. A plea to “Spare life for life.” The champions’ compliance to save lives at the cost of their freedom continues in the saga that is “The Victories” #6.

WRITTEN BY: Michael Avon Oeming
ART BY: Michael Avon Oeming
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: November 6, 2013

Strike, the Ravenettes, Sai and one more remain at large on the outside. Sleeper, Faustus, Lady Dragon, Hypertron, and Robocalypse are secured on the inside of the Government maneuvering Champions to be perceived publicly as plague carriers. Black Manta look-a-like security guards monitor their lab specimens. All of this maneuvering is masterfully crafted by creator Michael Avon Oeming. His chessboard is all set up. Now, readers get to enjoy the game unfold.

It’s so fascinating to see heroes doing different things to achieve the same goal in this story. As regular readers of hero books, we expect some KA-POW! BANG! action from our supermen and superwomen. But it’s Strike, the ex-junkie, deformed hero that uses non-violence and moving speeches as his weapons now.

One more thing you don’t normally see in a super team book are the intricate bonus stories at the end of the book, which are a welcome addition. It only adds to the mythology and answers questions I’m sure readers have about some of the heroes not yet given their spotlight just yet. This round, we get a good dose of Sleeper and his cat. I’ll leave it there.

There are plenty more wholly original moments in this book (I won’t spoil the ones involving cats), consciousness, darker and darker power brokers, and plans upon plans. Creator Michael Avon Oeming must have a whole lot mapped out for this world he’s created. The scope seems to get bigger and bigger with each passing chapter. I’m reminded of the big idea scope from the classic run of Grant Morrison’s JLA. Each chapter of “The Victories” seems to assemble another section of this mansion full of ideas. Once fully realized, I’m sure it will be a sight for all to see and become enveloped by.

Score: 4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Your Friendly Neighborhood Brady

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Comics

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

Published

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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