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[Comic Book Review] “Aliens: Fire and Stone” #3 Is Constantly Surprising

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9 years ago

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“Aliens: Fire and Stone” #3, the 10th release in the “Fire and Stone” series still manages to impress with shocking violence, new monster types, and strong character interaction.  This issue has the camp spitting up, half going to take on the aliens aboard their ship and the other half realizing that that is a nonsense idea and staying put.  Meanwhile, Russell has seemingly lost his damn mind as he discusses his revelations with a lifeless probe and makes a crazy map on the wall.  This book stands apart from the other “Fire and Stone” series in a number of ways, but it lacks nothing in comparison.  Halfway through, and I still wish it would never end.

STK653550

WRITTEN BY: Chris Roberson

ART BY: Patric Reynolds

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.50

RELEASE: November 26, 2014

Reviewed by Eric Switzer

This issue is narratively different than issue 2: we don’t have the consistent monologue from the perspective of Russell over the action.  I praised issue #2 for the way his narration undermined the struggle to survive that the rest of the crew was going through, but this issue works just as well without it.  It would seem the reason is to remove us from Russell who is beginning to disassociate and generally show signs of craziness.  The emphasis put on the silent probe in certain frames is a clever and effective way to communicate Russell’s state of mind.  What he does next will certainly impact the rest of the “Fire and Stone” series

This is the certainly the climax of the series, things are happening as expected, but there are still some good surprises in this issue.  In fact that is something I like best about this event: it has never become predictable.  It would be understandable, given the genre and source material, but “Fire and Stone” is constantly surprising, which is part of the reason I have been so engaged with it.

I’m really starting to run out of things to say about the series, it is consistently well written, consistently clever, consistently well drawn, and has never lost the sense that it is building towards something truly awe-inspiring.  If you haven’t gotten on board yet, you may want to wait for the trades or read them digitally, but you won’t regret it if you are a fan.

—

Eric Switzer  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. 

 

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

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5 hours ago

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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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