Comics

Advance Comic Review: ‘Southern Cross’ #1 – A Cerebral Existentialist Msystery

Published

9 years ago

February 2, 2015

Reviewed By Jorge Solis. Eerily suspenseful with breathtaking imagery, ‘Southern Cross’ #1 is an entertaining first entry to the sci-fi thriller. This is a well-crafted exercise in pulling at the strings of anticipation. With the groundwork set in the first issue, “Southern Cross” hooks readers in with its cerebral and existentialist mystery.

WRITTEN BY: Becky Cloonan

ART BY: Andy Belanger

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: March 11th, 2015

In the vastness of outer-space, no one could hear what happened to Amber Braith. Mourning for her deceased sister, Alex has to travel in-between planets and stars to collect her remains. Surrounded by spaceships and 3D screens, Alex is a long way from home, from any outside help as she reaches close to her destination.There is something lurking in the darkness of space waiting to reach out and claim another victim.

I love how writer Becky Cloonan blends aspects of horror, sci-fi, and mystery seamlessly into the narrative. Each page feels fresh with clever ideas as Cloonan introduces readers to our main character, Alex. Realizing she is just an ant inside a bigger world, Alex has to be tough and feisty as she exudes a punkish personality.

Keeping readers inside Alex’s perspective, Cloonan locks in every page with a sense of awe and dread. Though we’re in a big world, Cloonan finds ways to condense size and elbow room. The eerie atmosphere is always thick with danger as Alex finds herself in tight, claustrophobic situations. The well-written story moves along at a fast pace as characters bounce off each other with their snappy dialogue.

One of my favorite comics from 2014 was “Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night,” and I knew that artist Andy Belanger was going to do wonders visually here in “Southern Cross.” What’s amazing here is how Belanger kicks his talents up a notch. The camera always seems to be moving as Alex makes her way from one panel to the next. Like a tracking shot, your eyes will follow from top to bottom of the page as Alex makes the trip to her quarters.

From the spaceships to the tablets, I enjoyed how Belanger uses the little details to make the sci-fi aspects feel grounded. Notice the facial expressions Alex makes as she lugs her heavy bag around. In an impressive two-pager, Lee Loughridge’s vivid colors enhance Belanger’s illustrations by capturing a future that is breathtaking with its technological advancements and frightening in its wide openness.

Arriving in stores on March 11, “Southern Cross” #1 is a fantastic read from start to finish. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second issue.

Related Topics:Andy Belanger Becky Cloonan c Comic Book Review comics exclusive Image Comics jorge solis Southern Cross

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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.