Comics

Review: “East of West” # 8

Published

10 years ago

December 18, 2013

“East of West” takes another step in the right direction. The world begins to rebuild after the events of the first few issues. Death is on a quest to retrieve what was taken from him, and the President ensures nothing will be taken from the people ever again. Hickman and Dragotta go the extra mile to show just how the world has reeled from the events of the first arc and how nothing will ever be the same going forward.

WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Hickman
ART BY: Nick Dragotta
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: December 18, 2013

I often forget that “East of West” is for better or worse: a western. The story sometimes wanders, the characters sometimes meander, and we only scratch the surface of the world. However, the dynamic at play is one that is larger than all of that, it’s the interplay of good and evil and how we react to it. Like any good Western it really boils down to something that simple.

With that in mind, Hickman pushes into the eighth chapter with even more focus. A new president is elected, and Death seems to be more driven. The new president is quickly established as a formidable opponent who will not back down quite so easily. As she would have to be, given the way the last president went out. Death and his team have found a person that they hope will lead them to what they seek, but it’s unclear if the path will get any easier.

Dragotta’s art is still wonderfully in sync with Hickman’s massive script. As Death descends into the labyrinthine chamber holding what he seeks most, you’ll marvel at Dargotta’s clean paneling and structure. The entire sequence reminded me of the best MC Esher paintings although not quite as trippy.

Dragotta also spends a lot of time making the new president a force to be reckoned with. His depiction of her is formidable,. Her face wears the burden of her power with a thin veil. She’s going to make the world pay for what happened to it, but through paying she will structure them into a force that will oppose and vanquish Death. Make no mistake.

So again, the slow plod of the narrative continues. Albeit much more interesting than some other chapters. This is a terribly difficult book to review on a month-to-month basis, as the narrative always feels larger than the issue that houses it. It may be a symptom of longer form comic book storytelling. There are not really clear arcs, and there has been little in the way of resolution so far.

However, the book continues to impress. The creation of the world alone is something to marvel at. Dragotta’s artwork is meant to be with Hickman’s words. There is something prophetic about this book that you won’t find much anywhere else. So again I find myself recommending it, but only if you have the patience of a saint.

Rating: 3.5/5 Skulls

Related Topics:East of West Image Comics Jonathan Hickman Nick Dragotta

Zac Thompson

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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.