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[TV Review] “The Flash” Episode 1.17, ‘Tricksters’

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By Brady Steele / twitter: @mrbradysteele

The Flash / Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) has to play the game his mentor / enemy Dr. Harrison Wells / Reverse-Flash (Tom Cavanagh) has been playing all along: being friendly with your nemesis face to face. The moving parts and multiple plot lines system in place for this show are cooking along nicely again this episode. In addition to this game, a new game begins with an old adversary from the previous incarnation of The Flash from the 1990-91 show in The Trickster James Jesse (Mark Hamill).

I feel like the narrator from He-Man when talking about this week’s episode but it fits. Fabulous secrets were reveled this week as the secret origin of Eobard Thawne (played this week by Matt Letscher) and how he ended up stuck in the wrong time. Viewers also get a glimpse of what he’s done to get back to his time. Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) nails it by calling Dr. Harrison Wells / Reverse-Flash (Tom Cavanagh) “scary patient.” Again, knowing what I know from the comic book lore, it still felt like a satisfying retelling with the extra components from the show mixed in. As convoluted as comic book storytelling can be, the show runners do a succinct job of telling a time-displaced villain story.

There are strong performances all around. The old Trickster / new Trickster team are maniacal, Dr. Wells’ increasingly less subtle pushing and prodding, the old Eobard Thawne silent and menacing presence and Barry Allen’s moment of fear and doubt all add to the storytelling tapestry. My only grievance is the frequency of The Flash sharing his secret identity with everyone. I had a chat recently about a problem my friend had with the much lamented Amazing Spider-Man film series. Peter Parker’s secret was not much of a secret which diminishes the purpose of it. Letting everyone in on the secret doesn’t do much but weaken the heroic / civilian duality of heroes. At this count, only Iris (Candice Patton) doesn’t know which feels like way too many people. As much as I lamented the time travel plot device last week, maybe there’s a mind-wipe / time travel arc down the line somewhere. Other than that, this was a banner episode. Here’s hoping they keep upping the intensity towards the season finale.

 

SCORE: 9 / 10 BOLTS

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

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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 (AnimosityBatwomanDC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide SquadPower RangersRed 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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