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‘Mad Max’ + Cthulhu + Dolph Lungren = “The Squidder”

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We’ve been following this book since its announcement and Kickstarter campaign with 44FLOOD, but IDW will be releasing Ben Templesmith’s new tentacle-filled series. The book will be released as a 4-issue miniseries, and then collected. It remains to be seen what the release schedule will be, but Templesmith has said in the past that he can not do monthly comics. My hunch is they will wait until it’s all complete and release it then on a monthly basis. If you’re a fan of Lovecraft or 90s action flicks, this is one to keep your eye on.

From the press release:

San Diego, CA (May 28, 2014) – This July, IDW Publishing and 44FLOOD come together again to release an all-new four-issue series, The Squidder, from famed comic artist Ben Templesmith. Templesmith returns to IDW as a triple threat with a series in which he writes and provides story, art, and lettering, as well as the primary covers. The Squidder mixes action, horror, science fiction, and fantasy elements with a touch of “Squidly” destruction.

Templesmith first gained renown as the artist responsible for the singular style of 30 Days of Night, which he co-created with noted horror-master, Steve Niles, and that went on to well documented success as a major motion picture. Templesmith has previously written and drawn the series Singularity 7 and multipleWormwood: Gentleman Corpse miniseries.

“Ben was there at the start of IDW’s first comic publishing, so it’s great that his return with The Squiddercoincides with our 15th anniversary,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “Although, don’t get me wrong, a new series from Ben is welcome at any time. And thanks to our partnership with Ben’s new venture, 44FLOOD, this just may become a very nice regular occurrence.”

The Squidder, which was the focus of a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for a limited graphic-novel edition of the story, centers on an old soldier, one of the last of the legendary Squidder Legions, from a forgotten war. The post-apocalyptic world seems to have left him behind, but it remains to be seen if a discarded relic with a death wish and a rebellious Squid priestess can overthrow humanity’s tentacled alien overlords.

The Squidder is equal parts Mad Max, Cthulhu creatures, and everything I love about early 90s Dolph Lungren action films,” said Ben Templesmith. “All of us at 44FLOOD are excited to be working with IDW to bring our projects into comic book shops and book stores. IDW has some of the best and most dedicated people in all of comics.”

Templesmith has returned to his roots to do the tentacle/Cthulhu-orientated book he’s always promised, and IDW is proud to release another stunning and original project with an artist so important to the foundations of the company.

Comics

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

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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 (AnimosityBatwomanDC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide SquadPower RangersRed 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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