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Review: “Big Trouble in Little China” #2

Published

10 years ago

on

A hilarious action-packed adventure, “Big Trouble In Little China” #2 continues to be an energetic read with tons of kung-fu action and comic relief. Even though the ’80s have passed, Jack Burton, our goofball hero, continues to be a timeless treasure. This is the sequel to John Carpenter’s cult classic that I’ve been waiting for, and I’m quite pleased.

STK644242

 

 

WRITTEN BY: John Carpenter and Eric Powell
ART BY: Brian Churilla
PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: July 2, 2013

Reviewed by Jorge Solis

 

 

Jack Burton saved the world, rescued his best friend’s fiancée, and got his big rig back. Unfortunately there was a hideous stowaway hiding in the Pork-Chop Express, and now Jack has to return it to its rightful owner. But when the odd couple return, there are still some issues left unsettled. An immortal warlord magician wants revenge for the death of Lo Pan. Jack must follow his orders or lose his best friend’s soul forever.   

I don’t know how much involvement John Carpenter has in the series, but you can actually tell it’s in there in the pages. Writer Eric Powell has captured the main character down pat and delivers his laugh-out-loud lines perfectly. In the opening, the banter between the immortal warlord and Jack is spot-on hilarious. Jack is both an idiot and a clever hero at the same time as he aggravates the antagonist.

I am really enjoying how Powell plays around the structure, placing stories within stories. In the first issue, Jack recounts tales from his previous marriage. This time, it’s about an ex, who turned herself into a vampire. Jack has faced the supernatural many times before, even though he’s too dumb to realize it.

Artist Brian Churilla does a great job caricaturizing Kurt Russell’s facial features in his illustrations. Jack Burton is presented two ways, as a wannabe tough guy and this goofball. See if you can spot Jack’s teddy bear in one of the flashback panels. Churilla is always aiming for the comedy bits, hitting on the right cartoonish poses.

In this installment, we move away from the streets and into a Purgatory-like landscape. Churilla lets loose his imagination with these surrealistic wide shots. There are mountain-sized buildings with faces of skulls drawn on them. My favorite of his illustrations is the one old man riding on a giant turtle.

 

“Big Trouble In Little China” #2 is a great follow-up and doesn’t skimp out on the laughs. If you loved the movie, you’re definitely going to enjoy the comic book series.

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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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