Comics

Review: ‘Unity’ #4

Published

10 years ago

February 20, 2014

BigJ

Billed as the Valiant Universe’s answer to the Avengers, “Unity” launched with a massive bang and a lot of hype. The first story-arc promised to alter the status quo of the Valiant universe and to bring together a cast of misfits to help bring down X-O Manowar. Now four issues into their run, writer Matt Kindt and artist Doug Braithwaite are attempting to stick the landing and ensure that the first arc is a memorable one for readers.

WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt
ART BY: Doug Braithwaite
PUBLISHER: Valiant Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 19, 2014

Matt Kindt does a fantastic job of wrapping up all the loose ends that have been seeded throughout the previous three issues. Kindt takes the time to flesh out the characters unique personalities and shine a spotlight on Livewire as he develops her into a leader for the ‘Unity’ team. The story also comes back around full circle in this issue, as he comes back to photojournalist Renee Rousseaux, who was introduced in the first issue of the series when X-O Manowar saved her life. In this issue Rousseaux returns as an advocate for Aric and is attempting to uncover the truth about his imprisonment along with the Visigoth people. The use of Rousseaux as a framing device in this issue was a brilliant twist and one can only hope that the character returns as a permanent member of the cast moving forward.

Doug Braithwaite has done some phenomenal work on the initial arc of this series. Here the characters leap off the page with emotion and the action sequences pack all the wallop of a blockbuster movie. Braithwaite’s detailed artwork sets a high benchmark for the series moving forward that means future artists will have their work cut out for them.

In just for issues, Kindt and Braithwaite have managed to bring together all the key players of the Valiant universe and given them a dynamic reason to co-exist. If fans of the “Avengers” or “Justice League” would be willing to give ‘Unity’ a chance they would be instantly hooked by the high stakes action and powerful storytelling that is contained within this series. The only complaint with ‘Unity’ is that after reading each issue, fans are left in agony waiting another thirty days for the next issue to drop.

4.5/5 Skulls

BigJ

Click to comment

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.