Comics

Review: ‘Rat Queens’ #5

Published

10 years ago

February 27, 2014

With each issue of “Rat Queens” we get closer and closer to the heart of these four raucous chicks, showcasing the brilliance of this series. It doesn’t shove emotions down your throat all at once—it slowly builds up to the moment when you realize you truly care. It’s not just a blood-soaked, drug-hazed, comically-penned fantasy anymore… it’s got real guts.

WRITTEN BY: Kurtis J. Wiebe 
ART BY: Roc Upchurch 
PUBLISHER: Image Comics 
PRICE: $3.50 
RELEASE: February 26, 2014

This issue is a roller coaster ride through a series of elements that seamlessly move together. It starts with ferocious violence, setting up a flawless transition into an emotional bit that is pertinent but short—as not to ruin the attitude of the series—going into a light reprieve filled with signature personality and wit, finishing off with a nice dose of intrigue.

Old Lady Bernadette comes back in her own storyline that has you reeling from beginning to end while the Rat Queens continue their face off with the Trolls. During the course of this issue some crucial secrets are borne and a shit-ton of blood is shed, with on of the Queens shedding more than others…

Something that really struck me in this issue are the vast differences in personalities, physical abilities, emotional responses, and societal backgrounds of each Rat Queen. They really stand on their own, completely individualized, yet fit together like a perfect puzzle. And because each one has such a relatable story, there is something for all of us to connect with. This is where the heart seeps into the story. This is how Wiebe teaches us to care.

Slow clap for the cliffhanger ending. Extremely severe cliffhangers like this tend to feel cliché, like a cheap ploy to get us to pick up the next issue. But this one was pulled off so effortlessly. In fact, it’s not just a single cliffhanger but rather a series of cliffhangers, one right after the other, that leads to an ending chock-full of heaping questions. But everyone is in the dark. Not just the readers but the characters as well. This causes the reader to interact with the cliffhanger out of concern, rather than selfish motives. It’s really effective. It lingers with you. And I’ll say it again: It makes you care.

The brute force of Wiebe’s signature wit combined with Upchurch’s flawless art and inexorable paneling make for a quick pace and tremendously entertaining read. Though I’ve never found the fantasy world of dragons, ogres, and wizardry to hold much appeal, the way this comic is presented is universally palatable. I lapped it up and seriously cannot wait to continue my feast.

4.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Bree Ogden

Lonnie Nadler

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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.