Connect with us

Comics

[Comic Book Review] “Tales of Mr. Rhee: Karmageddon″ #1 Promises Apocalyptic Fun To Come

Published

10 years ago

on

Dirk Manning has worked almost exclusively with horror comics throughout his career, and to say he loves the genre would be an understatement. He is, after all, from Hell, Michigan according to his Twitter profile. This week Manning (alongside artist Seth Damoose) brings back his post-Rapture desperado for another bout with otherworldly monsters in Tales of Mr. Rhee: Karmageddon #1. The first issue is a lot of setup with promises made for what’s to come in later issues. Of course, there’s some fun and violence along the way to help launch a new chapter for Mr. Rhee.

rhee1

WRITTEN BY: Dirk Manning

ART BY: Seth Damoose

PUBLISHER: Devils Due Entertainment

PRICE: $1.99

RELEASE: September 17, 2014

Reviewed By: Lonnie Nadler

One thing that remains from the first volume of Mr. Rhee is the eponymous character’s cagey past, and daily struggles with former ghosts. Such matters kick off the issue, but even with those glimpses into a dark past, this is a story anyone can understand without prior knowledge. In medias-Armageddon-res, Rhee has just killed a bunch of demons and some innocent bystanders along the way. An overzealous Christian man uses his last breath to ask that Rhee protect his surviving children and get them to safety. Rhee agrees and they hit the road, hell-bent on getting to his “teacher’s” place before the demons come completely to surface.

There is a lot of back and forth dialogue this issue between Rhee and Abby, the eldest daughter, which mostly functions to set up her religious background and her concern for her siblings. As a result the latter half of the issue lacks action, but it comes with the guarantee that the next issue will see Mr. Rhee, and the children he’s sworn to protect, in the heart of apocalyptic chaos.

One thing you always get from Manning, regardless of the project, is a distinct feeling of love for his work. The issue bleeds with passion for the genre, and there’s no substitute for that. It is evident how much he adores this black-magic drifter and the crazy world that surrounds him.

Damoose’s art is hit and miss throughout the issue. While his style is distinctive, it comes with a digital look that I’ve never been too keen on for horror comics. The exaggerated features make light of the subject matter at specific moments that call for dramatic tension. A lot of my issue comes down to coloring. The last volume of Tales of Mr. Rhee was done in monochrome, which perfectly matched the mood of the story. The vibrant colors on display here often fail to connect with the apocalyptic setting. Combined with the lack of action, it feels that Damoose wasn’t able to spread his wings. I hope that will change for issue #2.

Despite the slow start, I am rather excited for this series to get rolling with some Lovecraftian goodness that is promised at the end of this issue. And anyone that knows Manning knows Great Cthulhu is never far off.

Related Topics:
Advertisement
Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

1 hour ago

on

April 18, 2024

By

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

Continue Reading