Comics
Review: “The Squidder” #1
An action-packed sci-fi thriller, ” The Squidder” #1 takes readers on a surreal journey into the alien apocalypse. The experimental artwork will keep readers glued to the impressive pages. If it’s butt-kicking action you crave “The Squidder” series will definitely fix that appetite of yours.
WRITTEN BY: Ben Templesmith
ART BY: Ben Templesmith
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: July 16, 2013
Reviewed By Jorge Solis
An innocent little girl is brought to the religious tent. The parents say nothing while an old, hagged woman places her sickly hands on their daughter’s forehead. This innocent child is frightened by the moving suckers on the elderly woman’s palm. Today is a special occasion because a sacrifice has been brought to the alien gods. Death is only the beginning as the Squids have invaded earth and have wiped out humanity.
In the opening pages, writer/artist Ben Templesmith takes readers to a vivid and weird futuristic setting. There are aspects of the western genre in the colorful imagery as Earth has become a nuclear wasteland. Because there is no more technology, notice how the light source always comes from torches. In just a few pages, Templesmith tells readers exactly what kind of hostile environment these characters are living in.
I really liked the character design of The Squidder. This lone anti-hero has a huge gun in one hand and a sword tied to his back. The sharp blade is also chained to his worn-out belt. I don’t know why the lone alien slayer would need chains, but all I can say is that it looks very stylish. The trench coat is drawn out long as if the loner is wearing a cape.
Templesmith keeps the readers inside the Squidder’s mindset through his bleak first-person narration. When you see the man’s face, notice how the side is scarred by self-inflicted battle wounds; as if he himself had stitched his wounds. Because there are no doctors and hospitals anymore, the exiled solider cannot rely on anyone else to help him.
The first installment has done a great job introducing the setting and main protagonist. I was surprised to see how much action Templesmith could fit into one panel. In a jaw-dropping scene, the Squidder approaches his target, while being shot at point-blank. In an extreme close-up, you will see someone’s eyes gouged out.
“The Squidder” #1 is an action-packed romp that never slows down. I definitely want to see happens next issue.
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
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.
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Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
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Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
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Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
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Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
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Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
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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.
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