Comics
In Addition to a Feature Film Reboot, ‘Blacula’ Will Also Return in a Brand New Graphic Novel!
Announced back in June, a new take on 1972’s Blacula is on the way from MGM, Bron and Hidden Empire Film Group, with Deon Taylor (The Intruder) on board to direct the movie.
In addition to that “modern reimagining,” we’ve learned today that a Blacula graphic novel is also on the way next year, coming from Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.
The press release explains, “Zombie Love Studios, the comic studio and publishing imprint founded by Eisner Award nominated graphic novel creator and award-winning television writer-producer Rodney Barnes, today announced it plans to release a graphic novel adaptation of the classic 1970s film Blacula. Securing the graphic novel rights from Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Barnes has reteamed with his Killadelphia collaborator and fellow Eisner Award nominee Jason Shawn Alexander to illustrate the property.
“A veteran TV writer/producer and a seasoned graphic novel creator, Barnes is the perfect creative to bring the classic horror film back to life in this all-new way. Expanding from the original film, Barnes’ Blacula builds a bridge from the 70’s version of the iconic bloodsucker to our present-day world and all of its complications. Under the agreement, Barnes will adapt and release the property through his Zombie Love Studios.
“The graphic novel is slated for a February 2022 release.”
“Originally released in 1972 by American International Pictures (AIP) and later acquired by MGM through the studio’s acquisition of Orion Pictures, Blacula quickly became one of the highest-grossing films of its year, landing at #24 on Variety’s list of top films. The original Blacula is widely considered one of the first depictions of a Black vampire on-screen, and has been credited with sparking a wave of Black-themed horror films that would follow. However, it is the film’s storytelling and layered subtext that sparked Barnes creative interest. Using vampirism as a metaphor for slavery’s long-term repercussions, the original film offered cultural commentary that spoke to a deeper social and psychological curse inflicted upon a whole people. This creative characteristic is one that falls very much in line with Barnes’ approach to genre and content as a whole, but also speaks directly to the inspiration and motivation for launching his own comic studio and publishing imprint.
“Launched with the goal of being a creative space dedicated to storytelling from BIPOC perspectives in a format where they typically aren’t told, Zombie Love Studios allows Barnes to simultaneously expand his creative footprint while also making a larger impact on the comic industry by eliminating any limitations on such stories to get to the honest depiction of the culture. In addition to Blacula, Barnes and Zombie Love Studios are set to release two additional titles in 2022: Crownsville, a ghost story set in the first black insane asylum in America, and Florence and Normandie, a science fiction epic set in South Los Angeles that Barnes has partnered with rapper Xzibit to create.”
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
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.
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Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
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Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
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Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
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Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
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Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
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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.
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