Comics

Review: “Lazarus” #9

Published

10 years ago

July 2, 2014

An action-packed sci-fi thriller, “Lazarus” #9 presents readers a futuristic heroine that kicks lots of butt. You don’t ever want to cross paths with Forever Carlyle, but if you unexpectedly do, better not piss her off. You won’t be able to resist the eye-catching action sequences in the “Lazarus” series.

WRITTEN BY: Greg Rucka
ART BY: Michael Lark
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: July 2, 2013

Reviewed by Jorge Solis

Forever Carlyle has been genetically altered to serve and be faithful. Since the day she was born, she was trained to obey and protect the Carlyle Family. But lately Forever has been seeing cracks in the political system, which is governed by the wealthy class. As society has been divided by the rich and the so-called “waste,” a rebellion is about to take place. A bomb is about to go off, taking millions of innocent lives, and Forever finds herself in the crossfire.

In the opening pages, writer Greg Rucka provides an exciting flashback into Forever’s training days. As a little girl, we see Forever take part in a duel against her sword master. With great skill, we see her dodge, get slashed, and finally take down her trainer. Did Forever let her trainer live because there was still a hint of that little girl in her? Or was she really following her father’s orders to the letter?

In this installment, we see how citizens are recruited to serve the Carlyle family. Interestingly, a version of the Church is involved in the organization. Right now, Rucka hints that there is some corruption involved there. In order to be approved, the recruiter has to be near-perfect. We are introduced to new characters, who full serve more in future issues.

I like how artist Michael Lark depicts Forever’s character design in the flashback. Though she’s just a little girl, Lark doesn’t play off her pint-size stature for laughs. Notice how there are so many cuts all over Lazarus’ body during the swordfight. We feel for her loss of childhood innocence.

Lark mixes the western genre with the sci-fi elements. Notice how Casey is holding a cowboy hat and a poncho in a later scene. In the suspenseful conclusion, Lazarus has a showdown with the mad bomber in the middle of the streets. Lark positions the two like something you would regularly see in a John Wayne movie.

“Lazarus” #9 is an action-packed romp that’ll take your breath.

Zac Thompson

Click to comment

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.