Connect with us

Comics

[Comic Review] Valiant Entertainment Releases 04/22/15

Published

9 years ago

on

Reviewed by Brady Steele. The Valiant Entertainment Universe bounces back triumphantly this week by nailing three titles and making them all uniquely great. Ninjak #2, Divinity #3 and Ivar, Timewalker #4 are all fantastic reads worth your time and money. I’m going to cram in all the good stuff into one nice review for your reading pleasure.

Valiant

Ivar, Timewalker #4 WRITTEN BY: Fred Van Lente ART BY: Clayton Henry

Ninjak#2  WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt ART BY: Clay Mann & Butch Guice

Divinity #3 WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt ART BY: Trevor Hairsine         

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 22 April 2015

 

First up is Ivar, Timewalker #4, written by Fred Van Lente and art by Clayton Henry. Once again, writer Van Lente takes something as tried and tested as time travel and makes a story so utterly unique that it will baffle and amaze you until the end. Henry’s art, as always, impresses with its duality of simplicity in line work but combined with superb detailing. The main character, Ivar, is scarcely in this issue at all. His would becohort, Neela, sets out to prove she can change history and the outcome is one remarkable and troublesome lesson to learn.

Second on our list (in no particular order because all these books are impressive) is Ninjak #2, written by Matt Kindt and art by Clay Mann and Butch Guice. This is a smooth, suave ninja / spy thriller of a series and it’s only the second issue! There are so many minute details spread all over this series, from the introduction / recap page at the start to the sly maneuvering in front and behind of his foes to the back-up new spy tales by the great Butch Guice. The story moves nice and quick and slick enough to pay attention and re-read it again to see how the past and present of Ninjak are all playing into one another.

Thirdly, we have Divinity #3, written (again) by Matt Kindt and art by Trevor Hairsine. The would-be Omni-powerful cosmonaut takes on Unity, all of the mightiest warriors the Valiant Universe can dish out to neutralize the uncertainty he represents. Kindt in one instance takes a typical fight and makes it into a multi-layered and fascinating look at how power can be used to eliminate adversaries without throwing a punch. Riveting work. Catch up if you aren’t up to speed to see how breathtaking the art by Hairsine has been so far.

I normally would expand elaborate how each of these titles is worth your attention. I think if you want to try this shared comic book universe out, any of the Valiant Next books are exceptional gateways into this refreshing world. Each book is so utterly different from the other and yet the greatest thing they all share in common is that they are great reads. Pick them up and catch up to the Valiant Universe.

 

Ninjak #2 Score: 9/10 Skulls

Divinity #3 Score: 9/10 Skulls

Ivar, Timewalker #4 Score: 9.5/10

—

Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

Related Topics:
Advertisement
Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

9 hours ago

on

April 17, 2024

By

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

Continue Reading