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Review: “Drumhellar” # 4

Published

10 years ago

on

Riley Rossmo and Alex Link’s “Drumhellar” hits peak insanity. For any other book this would be troublesome, or at least inspire some worry in the audience. Here, it works wonders. The mystery of the narrative deepens and the plot proves that just about anything is possible. The right mix of humor and the paranormal come together this month to make the series’ strongest chapter since its debut.


WRITTEN BY: Riley Rossmo & Alex Link
ART BY: Riley Rossmo
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: February 5, 2014

I wish I could talk about each and every insane development this month, but that would spoil the fun. This book never ceases to amaze me. What starts off as a issue ripe with jokes on prison culture quickly descends into a surreal mess as everything your imagination can muster wanders into the narrative.

Yet, it all works thanks to the incredible work of Rossmo and Link. The early issues spent considerable time setting up a world where anything is possible. Although Drum finds himself amongst the mundane walls of a jail cell, the book doesn’t falter, instead it flourishes. It is a hard task to outdo yourself in the weirdness department from month to month, but somehow “Drumhellar” does it time and again.

Rossmo’s art is something that completely transcends the pages of this book. Forget the strangeness within each of the panels. The floating babies, or ghost dinosaurs. The real marveling should be done at his full page spreads. They are so dynamic, so shattering in their beauty, that they command you. They burst with color and vibrancy. The “nutmeg” sequence comes to mind. Turning the page made me gasp. You need to see this stuff.

I was worried that “Drumhellar” was hitting a slump by throwing Drum into a jail cell. It was actually the exact shot of energy the book needed to reacquaint itself with the weird. This issue makes “Eraserhead” look like a Sunday drive. It channels a surreal look at the world that is both chilling and casual. It’s impossible to recognize anywhere else in comics right now.

I still don’t really have any clue where anything is headed. However, given engaging characters and a true sense of surprise with every issue it hardly matters. This book is highly entertaining and has such a unique voice. Its impossible to explain the narrative to anyone. Yet, flipping the book open and showcasing some of the art should be reason alone for people to jump in.

“Drumhellar” defies explanation. It’s steeped in a mysterious world that plays by its own rules and never ceases to impress. This acid soaked adventure through the metaphysical world that isn’t concerned with answers just yet.

Rating: 4.5/5 Skulls.

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Comics

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

Published

2 days ago

on

April 18, 2024

By

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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