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[Comic Review] “The Fly: Outbreak” #1- Revives “The Fly”

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9 years ago

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“The Fly: Outbreak” is a continuation of “The Fly” series that started with the 1986 Cronenberg film.  This series picks up after the events of “The Fly 2” and follows Martin as he attempts to cure Anton of his mutant condition.  Adaptation and continuation is one of my favorite things about comics.  Unlocking the unlimited potential of storytelling is an incredible ability this medium has, and it is no more epitomized than in this continuation of a 1989 sequel.  Fans of “The Fly” may rejoice, no matter how limited your ranks may be: there is nothing not to like here. STK665519

Written By: Brandon Seifert Art By: Menton3

Publisher: IDW Price: $2.99 Release: March 18, 2015

I love comic book continuation.  “Buffy Season 8” was actually what first got my into comic book in high school.  There are no budget constraints, actor availability issues, and, in this case, public demand doesn’t seem to be a major factor either.  Not to bash on “The Fly”, it is a classic sci-fi horror film that I enjoyed quite a bit.  But I also haven’t thought about it in years and I’m willing to bet you haven’t either.

Now the story gets to continue, and I reminded of all these characters and the tone of style of the films, translated beautifully and eerily by Menton3, and I’m delighted to read it.  It reminds me that any story can live on infinitely, and in comics there doesn’t even need to be a huge buy-in from a studio or a fan base.  One quirky publisher known for continuations can revive something even as obscure as “The Fly 2”.

Martin has so baggage about his unnatural origins.  Why he continues to work on Anton’s condition, other than the pursuit of science, I’m not entirely sure.  But we find him in the lab doing experiments on the creature and discussing his vasectomy with his assistant.  After a bit of BDSM with his girlfriend Martin returns the next day to find that the creature has powered up and is currently on a rampage through the facility melting people’s faces off.  Martin catches up to Anton who uses a smart phone to call him son and tell him to confess that he turned him into a monster.  Anton escapes and everyone that was exposed to him is put into quarantine.

It is all fairly straightforward so far, but what struck me Menton3’s creature work.  I loved what he was doing in “Monocyte” a few years ago, and I’ve seen a few other IDW books he’s done recently, but I really loved his monster here.  It was sort of inconsistent in representation, but I think that really added to the twisted reality bending horror of it.  I would love to see him do something with “The Thing” in the future.

If you like “The Fly” you’ll like this.  If you don’t like or know “The Fly” you shouldn’t bother with this.  But you should appreciate that it exists either way, because some day your super niche cancelled tv show or B-horror movie can become a comic book, and that’s a real joy for me.

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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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Comics

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

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20 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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