Comics

[TV] AMC Orders “Preacher” Pilot. I Cringe In Fear.

Published

10 years ago

November 16, 2013

Massive update here! One of the greatest comic franchises ever is “Preacher”, created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon. In fact, it’s the sole reason I got back into reading comics after being raped by the holographic foil covered garbage from the 90’s.

It’s also the one adaptation I’ve been praying for since as long as I can remember. After being in development at various networks, cablers, and even movie studios, nothing has ever come into fruition. I’ve been banging my head into the wall in frustration, and at various points written right here on the site that I’m officially done waiting for it. I’ll believe it when I see it. I still stand by this, even with BadAssDigest‘s exciting news that a series is finally heading to pilot over at AMC.

This would normally be the best news in my lifetime, being that AMC was one of my favorite cablers, delivering award worthy television such as “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad”. But they’ve seriously dropped the ball with “The Walking Dead”. I know a lot of you guys love the show, and I respect that, but it isn’t close to as good as it should be – and I can only hope that AMC suits also feel the same.

It makes me nervous that AMC could deliver such a lackluster series, especially considering the source work of Robert Kirkman is tremendous. Will the same happen to Ennis’ Vertigo comic “Preacher”?

I want to be screaming in excitement right now, yet I’m sitting here writing a piece sprinkled in trepidation, preparing myself for extreme disappointment. After “The Walking Dead” I have no faith that AMC can deliver award worthy television without the help of a studio partner (like Lionsgate or Sony).

And let’s not forget about all of the failed pilots, such at Joe Hill’s “Locke & Key”, which was turned down by Fox. Shit happens.

Ranting aside, this is fantastic news considering how dark and vicious the source material is. It’s the kind of story that will piss off religious groups, and cause quite a stir in the media (if done faithfully). Hollywood is missing the balls to take a chance on something like “Preacher”, so there’s a bit of a celebration that AMC is taking such a risk. Let’s just hope that they’ve learned a major lesson with “Walking Dead” and find a way to give us horror fans something remarkable and timeless. Otherwise, I’m going to hunt them down and make them answer for failing their followers (see what I did there, again?).

ABOUT “PREACHER”

“Merging with a bizarre spiritual force called Genesis, Texan Preacher Jesse Custer becomes completely disillusioned with the beliefs that he had dedicated his entire life to. Now possessing the power of “the word,” an ability to make people do whatever he utters, Custer begins a violent and riotous journey across the country. Joined by his gun-toting girlfriend Tulip and the hard drinking Irish vampire Cassidy, the Preacher loses faith in both man and God as he witnesses dark atrocities and improbable calamities during his exploration of America.”

Comics

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

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2024

Meagan Navarro

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.