Comics

[Five Skull Comic Review] “Five Ghosts” #13 Has Terror On Every Page!

Published

10 years ago

October 22, 2014

It’s been a cold, cruel summer without my beloved “Five Ghosts” on the shelves. Luckily Barbiere and Mooneyham return with a thunderous force that will make you forget there was ever a break.

WRITTEN BY: Frank J Barbiere

ART BY: Chris Mooneyham

PUBLISHER: Image

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: October 22, 2014

Five Ghosts has been incredibly gifted at straddling different genres. Barbiere has done an impeccable job at crafting a world so large, that anything feels possible. So this month with Fabian heading to Romania, the book feels distinctively darker, and is better for it. Within the opening pages were treated to a masterful balance of story and art that introduces the type of undead horde we’ll be seeing a lot of in this arc. It’s grisly and enchanting, and a ton of fun to watch Fabian execute zombies with arrows.

Further in the issue we’re treated to larger more picturesque pages that have an incredible scope and Gothic tone. The result isn’t dizzying but rather seamlessly inserts itself in the book to further establish this world of horror.

Fabian is still haunted by his past and this issue goes to show that even recent events have now been added to his list of sins. His heart weighs heavy but his quest remains the same, however stupid it may be. He’s still not ready to succeed just yet, and Barbiere makes sure to remind us of this.

As if that wasn’t enough we spend some time with a new villain of sorts. The final pages tease what we’re about to be up against, and it seems like one fucked up doctor who absolutely relishes the undead is about to make Fabian’s life hell.

Throughout the issue Chris Mooneyham makes the effort to further diversify his already insane art. He makes large sweeping panels layered unlike anything he’s done before and makes Fabian’s vampire the most chilling ghost of all, within one page. He’s a fucking titan and if you forgot, the opening pages displaying a zombie orgy of death will quickly remind you of his skill. I honestly can’t wait to see where things go next, because the gore in this issue had me on the edge of my seat.

It’s not often a comic can take a few months off without missing a beat, but “Five Ghosts” makes it look easy. The balance between exposition and action creates a tightly paced introduction to this new and horrific chapter that doesn’t forgive or forget past sins.

So relax, “Five Ghosts” is back and better than ever. The world of horror has never felt so fun, but thanks to Mooneyham’s sick pleasure in vanquishing the undead, and Barbiere’s ability to genre shift like a chameleon a genuine terror permeates every page and compels you to read further.

Don’t miss this book, and frankly push it on everyone you know and love.

Zac Thompson

Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

1 week 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.