Comics

Review: “C.O.W.L” # 2

Published

10 years ago

June 27, 2014

Issue #1 established a temporal setting of 1962 and introduced to the Chicago Six, a band of former communist super-powered villains who C.O.W.L are in the process of eliminating from the city. The concern, as is more so explored in issue #2, is once the threat of evil is neutralized, will the league become obsolete?

WRITTEN BY: Kyle Higgins

ART BY: Alec Siegel

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: June 25, 2014

Reviewed by Nick Brehmer

The first thing I thought after reading the first two issues of “C.O.W.L” was ‘The Incredibles with curse words’. Don’t take that as a dismissal — it’s terrific. C.O.W.L (the Chicago Organized Workers League) is, as issue #2’s front matter describes, “the world’s first superhero union league.” There’s a bureau, filing cabinets, and even hints of in-office romantic drama. The identities of the organization’s members seem to be known to the public to the extent where they’ve become celebrities, having costumes made by designers. They even partake in photo-shoots and magazine profiles. C.O.W.L’s mission, however, is to “stop costumed and superhero crime.” For reasons yet to be fully understood, superpowers appear to be bestowed on multitudes of citizens in varying degrees and for different reasons. Obviously, those with more dangerous powers are those who C.O.W.L hunts down first.

Issue #2 picks up after the fast-pace opening of the series, which had the agents of C.O.W.L engaged in an epic battle above the skyline of Chicago with the last member of the Chicago Six, ex-KGB Skylancer. We get a glimpse at the history of C.O.W.L and its beginnings in WWII with the now-chief Geoffrey Warner (codename The Grey Raven), Reginald Davis (codename Blaze), and the mysterious “Sparrow”, who Warner seems keen to forget. Agent John Pierce, an unpowered C.O.W.L detective, is concerned over the discovery of sensitive C.O.W.L weaponry files found in Skylancer’s lair. Tensions are heightened when playboy Tom Hayden (codename Archlight) does not share in Pierce’s worries.

Perhaps the most gripping aspect of the C.O.W.L series is the personal trials of the agents themselves. Grant Marlowe, another unpowered patrol member of C.O.W.L, experiences growing insecurity made worse by his young son’s embitterment. Working with Karl Samoski (codename Eclipse), who is proving to be quite the anti-hero (to say the least), the two agents are called to a crime scene where the perp is suspected to have increased strength and connections to the Camden Stone crime ring. The ensuing brawl leaves one of the agents in serious condition as the fabric holding C.O.W.L together frays even more.

There’s still a lot to learn about the C.O.W.L universe and its cast of characters. The darkly beautiful artwork creates a very palpable atmosphere making the beginning of this series a joy to dive into.

Zac Thompson

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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.