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Review: ‘Baltimore: Chapel of Bones’ #2

Published

10 years ago

on

After a long journey of self-discovery coupled with self-loathing, Lord Baltimore has finally reached the crescendo of his cursed existence in the concluding issue of “Baltimore: Chapel of Bones” as he finally does battle with his nemesis Haigus. From its onset Christopher Golden has ensured that the arc is jam packed with horrific action. This book follows the same flow chart and delivers a fun story with a worthy conclusion.

WRITTEN BY: Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
ART BY: Ben Stenbeck
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
RELEASE DATE: February 5
PRICE: 3.50

Having been invited to a seedy bar to await their former comrade Lord Baltimore, the unlikely group of mutual acquaintances are quickly thrown into a gauntlet by the insidious Haigus. Luckily Baltimore arrives, somewhat late, and prepares for what he believes to be his final action in this life. All is not what seems however for Baltimore and even though he is finally in the battle he has dreamed about, a dream can quickly spin into a nightmare.

I’ve been immersing myself in Mignola’s work over my tenure here and BD and have never been disappointed by something that comes from the chasm that is his mind. Christopher Golden and Mignola have woven an intense tale where the selfish drive for vengeance is set above everything else, this characteristic is very unique when compared to Mignola’s work but it’s one of the things that sets this book apart. Baltimore is filled with so much hate, anger and most of all self-loathing, he wants nothing more than to die but the overriding drive for revenge trumps this need for death which makes his story such a compelling read.

At the onset I had myself convinced that this ongoing would be coming to an end. Surely Baltimore will have to achieve his mission especially since the previous issue set it up so well. I am simply blown away by the twists this book has and the profound quotes laced throughout it make the read all the more engaging. Baltimore thought his cursed his existence has made him into some kind of monster… turns out he is right.

Ben Stenbeck working in tandem with Dave Stewart gives this book the extra oomf it needs, with so much action going on it’s the little details that for me are the most appealing. In many of the panels there are surging flames or skeletons transforming into dust but even the simplest put of dust is penciled into the illustration. I’ve been praising Dave Stewart for years and this book is just one of the many testaments to his skills as he puts panels with powerful colours next to ones with dark ones and shadows.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Lord Baltimore.

3.5/5 Skull

Reviewed by – GreenBasterd

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

Published

5 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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