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Review: Joe Hill’s ‘Wraith: Welcome To Christmasland’ #4

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10 years ago

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A thrilling nail-biter, “Wraith: Welcome To Christmasland” #4 never lets its readers off its hooks. Based on Joe Hill’s critically acclaimed novel, “NOS4A2,” readers will surely be drawn to this new breed of vampire known as Charlie Manx. If you loved the novel, you must definitely get your hands on this prequel.

WRITTEN BY: Joe Hill
ART BY: Charles Paul Wilson III
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 26th, 2013

Three hardened criminals have escaped from the law and found help from an unlikely source. Afraid to get caught, the three fugitives locked themselves to the backseat of a 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith. As they pass by the numerous police blockades, the Wraith driver, Charlie Manx, is actually taking them on a terrifying ride to Hell. Known only as Christmasland, they will find a place to hide, a chance to redeem themselves, and meet their own deaths. Whatever is inside Christmasland doesn’t want them to leave.

This is where writer Joe Hill lets loose on the scares and shocks as Christmasland springs to life. Now we actually see the bloody carnage that goes on behind the steel gates. Hill uses the themes of Christmas and turns it into a gory bloodbath. Charlie Manx’s diabolic minions were previously innocent children who died under mysterious circumstances. Now that these children have no souls, evil can run amok with no morals. Readers will be asking themselves, who’s worse? Charlie or his band of evil children?

Hill also manages to take on a topical issue through the back-story of criminal, Llewellyn. Forced to take matters into his own hands, Llewellyn went after the hospital and doctor who turned down his dying son because he had no healthcare. With an honest message at its core, Hill really hits home with his social commentary about universal healthcare. Though he is guilty of his crimes, Llewellyn walks the line between redemption and punishment as he pays for his sins at Christmasland.

Artist Charles Paul Wilson III illustrates with ease the devilish smiles of Charlie Manx’s evil children. Using the theme of Christmas, the evil children dress up as the Nutcracker, the Mad Hatter, firemen, and doctors. Letting the blood flow in the panels, Manx’s minions play operation on a prison guard and chop off his leg while he’s screaming. I know the children are supposed to be vampires but it’s still shocking when one of the criminals pulls out his gun on one of these kids.

I particularly liked the detail to Llewellyn’s character design. Notice in the opening pages, Llewellyn’s eye is smeared in blood. Look closely at how the bloodstain drips from Llewellyn’s eye as if he is crying. This is Wilson’s way of symbolizing that Llewellyn has never stopped crying for his dead son.

Horror fans will enjoy every single page of “Wraith: Welcome To Christmasland” #4. If you haven’t bought the novel yet, this comic will make you run out and get it.

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jorge Solis

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Comics

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

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4 hours 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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