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[Comic Review] “Five Ghosts” #16 Suffers From Outright Exposition

Published

9 years ago

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There is no easy way to talk about “Five Ghosts” anymore. Hyperbole only helps so much, but the stark reality is that this comic has set the bar with creator owned comics so high that it’s difficult to draw comparison to anything else on the shelf. It combines the balls out pacing of Rick Remender with a visceral art style that elevates pulp comics to the modern day.

STK661160

WRITTEN BY: Frank J Barbiere

ART BY: Chris Mooneyham

PUBLISHER: Image

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: April 8, 2015

Frank Barbiere pays special attention to the ebbs and flows of his storytelling. Chapters of “Five Ghosts” often strike a meticulous balance of exposition and action. However, issue #16 falls into an explanation heavy trap that it doesn’t really crawl it’s way out of until the final page.

If the expectation of well-motivated visual action with a flawless balance of dialogue, and exposition didn’t already exist than this issue would be easier to swallow. I know that sentence was a mouthful, but it articulates the point. A lot of this issue has characters stating their motivation outright. Subtlety is gone, and in the interest of speed each character tries desperately to catch the others up on the story.

As always, Fabian’s small personal beats are the moments that shine through. We learn a little more about his tormented past, and we’re treated to a moment of connection with the vampire. Moreoever, we’re treated to a Fabian in control. He almost ascends to a new level, and with that we’re carried out of the chapter. Just when it seems he’s unable to find any match Barbiere throws a curveball with the final page.

Chris Mooneyham is, as ever, on top of his game. He never ceases to command the page, and even in the most expository moments of this issue, his work never feels overwhelmed. He does a phenomenal job at bringing us closer to Fabian in the moments spent in his past and absolutely kills it on the final page.

“Five Ghosts” should defy on the nose dialogue. Frank Barbiere letters the book himself, and often his characters speak in short bated breathes. Here, every line feels like a first draft given to a team with the cautionary worry that they “wouldn’t get it.” Instead of feeling like a tribute to the horror genre – it plays as a hokey moment that never really nails the irony of the evil character’s over explanation.

This may sound like the plea of a butthurt fan, but the comic has come to create a certain expectation of quality. This has been especially true in the penultimate chapters of the last two arcs, so it begs the question as to why things feel apart this month, and what could have been done to prevent such a issue from happening.

Despite all of this, “Five Ghosts” #16 still proves to be a damn good comic, that will entertain from cover to cover thanks to stellar character work, and a brilliant final page reveal that will have you salivating for the next chapter.

 

 

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Comics

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

Published

6 days 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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