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Review: “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #2

Published

10 years ago

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An exciting follow-up, “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #2 continues to expose readers to a vivid nightmare filled with exotic creatures and terrifying monsters. Based on Clive Barker’s “Cabal” novella, this spinoff comic explores the inhabitants that live in the subterranean city of Midian. Just like with the “Hellraiser” series, there is so much potential here to tell original stories that could make “Nightbreed” a real winner to horror fans.


Nightbreed_02_coverAWRITTEN BY: Clive Barker and Marc Andreyko
ART BY: Piotr Kowalski
PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 25, 2014

Reviewed by: Jorge Solis

 

 

 

 

 


Down in the bayou swamps of Louisiana, Lizzy was paddling through the murky waters, hoping to find salvation from the racist murderers. Her rescuer is the disfigured and violent stranger, known as Peloquin. After being turned, Lizzy wants sweet revenge against those hurt her. Elsewhere, a politician steps into a secret brothel, meeting a mysterious girl who will fulfill his every sexual desire. Temptation has led him to Shuna and lust won’t let him leave from her private quarters.

Importantly, Barker keeps the essential themes from the novella, such as monsters seen as outcasts and the never-ending horrors of humanity, in the comic book series. Co-writer Marc Andreyko gives larger roles to minor characters and develops their back-story. Peloquin is really a reluctant anti-hero but because of his hideous skin, others see him as the villain. Andreyko has a lot to say about racism through Peloquin’s tragic misunderstanding.

Andreyko splits the plot between Peloquin’s revenge story and Senator Emery’s descent into madness. The pacing is much different this time around because both subplots seem to gain momentum right from the start. Shuna represents the intrigue of unbridled sexuality and the brutal force of male domination. Interestingly, Senator Emery’s thirst for power means treating Shuna any way he wants.

Artist Piotr Kowalski doesn’t shy away from the graphic violence in his gritty illustrations. In just one panel, Kowalski captures the unforgiving brutality of slavery. The whipping is shown from the point-of-view of Peloquin’s frightened perspective. It’s almost like he has seen this before, from a different time period. Peloquin’s rugged wardrobe suggests he might have been a chained-up prisoner and managed to escape.

Kowalski is able to portray Shuna as a seductress and a naive little girl. In close-ups, Shuna is more teasing and in control of the senator. But when Kowalski cuts to a wide shot, Shuna’s nudity isn’t meant to be alluring. Everything that was exotic about her will be tainted by the near-rape scene. There is a lot of symbolism and interpretation in Kowalski’s artwork that readers will instantly pick up on.

Horror fans are definitely going to get a kick out of the last page of “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #2. Just reading the “Nightbreed” comic makes me want to reread Clive Barker’s novella and check up on “The Cabal Cut.”

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

Published

6 days 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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