Comics

Review: “The Empty Man” #2

Published

10 years ago

July 9, 2014

Across the nation people are killing themselves in horribly creative ways for especially disturbing reasons. Detectives Langford and Jensen investigate these strange suicides in an attempt to unravel the mystery popularly known as “The Empty Man Virus”. In “The Empty Man” #2, Jensen and Langford are finally confronted with one of the horrors that haunt the victims of The Empty Man. More players are introduced, and more mysterious are revealed. Trying to put all the pieces together is the real fun of this meticulously plotted horror mini-series, but for the faint of heart, its going to be a bumping ride.

WRITTEN BY: Cullen Bunn

ART BY: Vanesa R. Del Rey

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: July 9, 2014

Reviewed by Epic Switzer

If the creators of “True Detective” on HBO had written the show on acid, they might have come up with something like “The Empty Man”. I’ve written a lot on the horror-noir genre recently, and this book is among the best of the best. It’s really quite impressive that Bunn manages to fill each issue with so many different things.

There is the central mystery of The Empty Man Virus, there’s the concept of psychic disposition or “extrasensory potential” as a scientific study, there at least two religious cults at play, and a host of complex characters with their own agendas and secrets. Its hard to believe in just four more issues all will be said and done, but I have the feeling its going to be extremely satisfying.

Premise is the hook, but character is the heart, and Bunn is building them out with expert pacing. As the plot progresses we learn just enough about what the characters are hiding to keep us intrigued. It doesn’t hurt that Del Rey’s characters emote genuinely without mugging, and are represented uniquely yet familiar. Speaking of the art, the panel work is subtle yet effective, which is something I always appreciate. Like film editing, layout is often best when it is invisible.

By way of critique, I was a little confused at the way Langford reacted to the spider monster. I realize he deals with gruesome death and wanton violence on an almost daily basis, but having never actually seen anything supernatural before, he was suprising casual about the encounter. There were a couple of panels during the fight in which it was difficult to figure out what I looking at at first, but all of this is nitpicky stuff because the bottom line is I really love this book.

It is exactly the kind of mind-fuck horror I’m interested in reading and its being done perfectly. This is going to end up being a gorgeous trade when its finished, so if for some reason you can’t snag issue one today, don’t forget to pick up the collection. “The Empty Man” just got moved to the top of my stack.

Epic Switzer AKA Eric is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles. His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality. He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com.

Zac Thompson

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Comics

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

Published

7 days 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.