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[Comic Review] “Max Ride First Flight” #1 Holds Promise

Published

9 years ago

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“Max Ride First Flight” opens in a surreal landscape clouded with visions of a girl who can fly, trying desperately to escape a fanged beast. She’s one of many special kids, someone who’s been tested on, the story may be familiar but the ending subverts everything you thought you knew.

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WRITTEN BY: Marguerite Bennett

ART BY: Alex Sanchez

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: 8 April 2015

James Patterson’s novel “First Flight” is nicely adapted by writer Maurgarette Bennett and artist Alex Sanchez in a breathless first issue that doesn’t waste precious time spouting exposition. Instead the mechanics of the world, and the drive of the main character, Max, are mostly worked out visually.

Dialogue throughout is snappy and filled with the young adult vibe that is all the rage in dystopian genre fiction right now. Despite the young adult slant, the book offers hints at mature themes in the future. Right now, the dynamic is purely one of whimsy and the stark difference between reality and dreams. I wasn’t sure I was ready for the final page reveal, but it brought a middling first issue to a fantastic conclusion that has me ready for more.

The world of the book feels inspired by young adult fantasy like Peter Pan or The Chronicles of Narnia but the absolute differences of this world are still a little vague. There are certainly many fantasy elements but what they all mean and how exactly they play into the story at large remains only a vague tease at the conclusion of this debut issue.

It’s hard to see this book as anything other than the standard hero’s journey fare that has inspired much of young adult fiction. There are hints at something more, but as it stands the story is fairly routine but pretty engaging.

Alex Sanchez’ art is sometimes magnificent and other times sloppy. The lines are a little all over the place, and overall the book has an inconsistent visual appeal. There are plenty of two page spreads that showcase beautiful displays of talent and world building, followed by messy action scenes that look like there were drawn at gunpoint. Proportions are odd, and the line weight on the page doesn’t carry much difference.

However, the inconsistent art doesn’t wholly damage the story. The final package is something inherently enjoyable and approachable. Not much is accomplished in this first issue but the entire thing reads like silk and has a darkly sinister tone hidden beneath some of the pages. The subtext of the this story promises to take us on a dark journey if only from the final page, but it creates such a jarring tonal difference it’s hard to say whether or not this book is worth your time with only one issue of story.

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Comics

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

Published

1 day ago

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April 18, 2024

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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 (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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