Comics

5 Skull Review: “The Fade Out” #1

Published

10 years ago

August 20, 2014

The Brubaker/Phillips train just keep right on rolling with issue #1 of “The Fade Out” – a 40’s era film industry noir that epitomizes and defines the genre in equal measure. For the uninitiated: Brubaker and Phillips have been writing crime books together for 15 years and have never once put out anything that wasn’t exceptional in every way. If you missed their last book “Fatale”, or if you have any interest in hard-boiled fiction, get on this book immediately. These guys are masters of their craft.

WRITTEN BY: Ed Brubaker
ART BY: Sean Phillips

PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50

RELEASE: August 20, 2014

Reviewed By Epic Switzer

I can’t believe Brubaker is finally telling this story. As the go-to-guys for crime/noir in comics it is hard to believe this is their first trip into “Hollywoodland” territory.

“The Fade Out” begins with a familiar premise reminiscent of “The Black Dahlia”: a promising young actress has been murdered at a film star’s party. I remark upon the familiarity not to admonish the book or dispute its originality, because noir relies upon the readers understanding of its tropes and conventions and the narrative familiarity is what establishes the foundation for the intricate series of events that are sure to transpire.

It is said by some that noir is more of a style than a genre, and from this perspective we can see how expertly Brubaker and Phillips control the noir aesthetics to draw us in with a familiar premise; invocative of “Sunset Boulevard”, “Mulholland Drive”, and so many others. However, if you know anything about this team of evil geniuses and their knack for genre bending and expectation advertising, you know to expect something really incredible.

I tend to look at new books with a simple rubric: new = good. What I love the most about reading image books is that they are consistently packed with fresh ideas and new stories. “The Fade Out”, on the other hand is not something entirely unique, but instead what it is is a perfectly crafted genre piece from the guys who can do it the very best.

Brubaker’s words are poetry. His concise narration complements the tight constricted frames that Phillips arranges so beautifully. If you want to introduce someone to film noir, you show them “Maltese Falcon”. If you want to introduce someone to noir comics, you show them “The Fade Out”, and there ain’t nothing wrong with that.

This may not strike you as a wholly original kind of comic book, but it is perfectly constructed in genre, style, and tone. Read “The Fade Out” and appreciate it as a perfect book that will eventually become a perfect series.

Editors Note:

I don’t usually throw my two cents into reviews, but I can’t help but entirely echo the above sentiments about this book. It’s a perfectly crafted genre piece that fills a void you didn’t even know was empty. Holy shit guys, the Brubaker and Phillips train just keeps gaining speed.

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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

6 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.