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Review: “The Wicked + The Divine” #2

Published

10 years ago

on

Laura is on the hunt for Ananke, the mysterious and unknown god-of-gods who sires each new incarnation and who Luci believes can help, in exchange Luci has promised to make Laura a god.  She gets some help from an unlikely expert and is tasked with contacting the underground god known as “The Morrigan”.  That’s what happens in “The Wicked + The Divine” #2, but that isn’t at all what its about.  If you are looking for something especially high concept this book will delightfully perplex you.

wickeddivine_02

 

WRITTEN BY: Kieron Gillen
ART BY: Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson
PUBLISHER: Image

PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: July 16, 2014

Reviewed By Epic Switzer

First I want to start off by saying that I am not qualified to critique this series.  This book consistently goes way over my head and I perpetually feel that I am missing the big picture, not catching on to the themes, and totally ignoring the cultural significance and substance.  I am not ashamed to admit this because after years of studying the work of Alan Moore and Grant Morrison I believe that british writers are smarter than us, more studied than us, and tailor their work for a high minded audience.  Simply put, I’m too dumb for “The Wicked + The Divine”.

That is not to say I don’t enjoy reading it, quite the contrary.  What is on the surface is profoundly engaging, and wrapping my mind around the established mythology of popstar gods and how humans respond to their existence is really something novel.  I’m just saying that this series has a great deal of depth that I haven’t quite been able to discern or articulate yet, but my ignorance only further intrigues me.  The more I feel I am missing something the more I am consumed by this book.  I think about each issue for a long time after reading it and, for me, that has a great deal of value.  This isn’t a book you read absently, its a book that rewards attentive reading and critical thinking.  There isn’t enough of these kinds of series being produced right now, so I welcome the confusion.

What I can speak to with authority is the wonderful art and interesting layouts in this book.  In an issue containing mostly conversations between two people, the character work is really fantastic.  They are expressive, natural looking, and use body language authentically.  It makes a big difference when the characters are as physically interesting as they are psychologically.  As removed as a feel from these people I don’t yet understand, they are as vulnerable and relatable on the page as you’d like them to be.

I think it is really important to read outside your comfort zone.  I don’t really “get” this book, yet, and that’s ok.  In fact its a really good thing because it will motivate me to examine, re-read, think harder, and possibly even research.  We should all try to read things over our heads from time to time and not dismiss them for being frustrating.  Getting to know writers through their work is one of the best things about reading, and it is clear that Gillen writes from a very personal place.  I think that’s really cool, and I’ll continue reading “The Wicked + The Divine” every month and revelling in how much smarter it is than me.

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Comics

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

Published

5 days ago

on

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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