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Review: ‘A Voice In The Dark’ #1

Published

10 years ago

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In recent years, the idea of romanticizing murder has become common in fiction. Many books, television series and movies have left audiences wondering what it would be like to kill someone and get away with it. Top Cow’s new series “A Voice In The Dark” by writer/artist Larime Taylor takes that idea and transplants readers straight into the mind of a killer.

WRITTEN BY: Larime Taylor
ART BY: Larime Taylor
PUBLISHER: Image/Top Cow/Minotaur Press
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: November 20th 2013

“A Voice In The Dark” is the story of college freshman Zoey Aarons, who is looking for fresh start 72-days after committing murder. Since birth, Zoey has been fighting to control her dark urges and impulses. Studying broadcasting, Zoey is given a late-night talk radio show that allows anonymous callers to give voice to their teen-angst and unburden themselves of the skeletons that have been hiding in the closet. In the process Zoey has also given her sinister side a voice and now with the filter removed, her dark urges have access to the airwaves.

After reading the first issue it’s next impossible not to make comparisons to the movies and television shows that glare through as Taylor’s influences. Zoey has more than a passing similarity to pirate radio disk jockey ‘Hard Harry’ in the movie Pump up the Volume, as she allows her animalistic urges to take over when she is unleashed onto the radio. Also the scenes where Zoey is having a conversation with her violent side, she reminds us of “Dexter” battling his dark passenger in the mirror. Despite its similarities to other serialized fiction, Taylor delivers all the ingredients to make “A Voice In The Dark” a compelling story that stands on its own. Zoey is a compelling protagonist with many layers and readers are captivated as we watch her fight to keep her violent urges suppressed.

One of the most impressive parts about the first issue of “A Voice In The Dark” is how polished this first issue feels. Taylor writes these characters with the deadly precision of a seasoned veteran, and the book is beautifully illustrated. Taylor’s artistic style resembles the work of Jonathan Luna (“The Sword”, “Girls”) with a clean and simple look that emphasizes the emotions of each of the characters throughout the panels.

“A Voice In The Dark” delivers a visceral psychological thriller that builds with suspense with each turn of the page. Writer/artist Larime Taylor is bringing things to a slow boil by developing the characters, so that when the blood does finally spill it packs an emotional wallop with readers. “A Voice In The Dark” has readers fully immersed from the first page to the last as Taylor shows us what it’s like to be trapped inside the mind of a killer.

4.5/5 Skulls

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

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2 days 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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