Comics

‘Antarctica’ – Top Cow’s Hit Sci-Fi Comic Gets Greenlit for Ongoing Series

Published

8 months ago

August 29, 2023

Top Cow Productions, Inc., the company behind Haunt You to the End, announced this morning that their acclaimed sci-fi miniseries Antarctica has received “ongoing series” status and will embark on a new story arc described as The Fugitive meets The Cabin in the Woods.

Antarctica, by award-winning screenwriter Simon Birks (Hexes, Gone, Robyn) and Willi Roberts (Black in the Dark, ReMothered), followed “the journey of a young engineer named Hannah, whose life imploded the day her father failed to return from the secretive Smith-Petersen Research Station in Antarctica. Alone and on the street, she’s at her lowest ebb when a friend offers help. Retrained as an engineer, Hannah secures a job at the same Antarctic station to search for her father and stumbles headfirst into a conspiracy that threatens everything she’s ever believed.”

Expect the a tonal shift for the new greenlight series. The press release explained,” Though Antarctica has been a unique blend of Stargate and His Dark Materials, the second arc will throw readers back to a time before Hannah’s father, Jerome, disappeared. The creators will continue to deliver twists and turns, introduce new characters, both good and bad, and the excitement and mystery will continue to play out against the backdrop of snow and ice.”

Writer Simon Birks stated, “If readers already love the first two issues of Volume 1, they’re going to love this new arc as we get the chance to delve deep into the previous events surrounding the Fracture and explore the Hannahs’ stories.” Birks added, “We’re thrilled to once again be working with the team at Top Cow. Not only have they been professional, but they’ve really taken the time to get to know us, and I’m delighted they love the book as much as we do.”

Since Antarctica creators can now move forward with the story in ongoing capacity, artist Willi Roberts added, “There was a lot of content in my head that I wanted to share with our readers, from material to design…characters, structures, costumes and many others that will be revealed over time. So, don’t doubt that everything will get bigger and more complex. This is a story that you will remember and will make you question your own reality.”

“It’s amazing to see how much Antarctica is resonating with readers. I’m thrilled people are taking a chance on us and are coming along for the ride.” says letterer Lyndon White, who added, “As a letterer, there’s a lot to play with here. Plus, there are some amazing action sequences coming up, and I got to create some dynamic sound effects.”

To set the mood for the second arc, Birks, Roberts, and White created a Spotify playlist to set the mood and accompany their comic’s visuals.

Antarctica‘s first issue launched earlier this year. Antarctica #6, with Cover A by Willi Roberts and Cover B by Lyndon White will be in comic shops on December 13 and also available for purchase on digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Antarctica #6 variant cover

Antarctica #6 cover

Related Topics:Antarctica Top Cow Comics

Meagan Navarro

Horror journalist, RT Top Critic, and Critics Choice Association member. Co-Host of the Bloody Disgusting Podcast. Has appeared on PBS series' Monstrum, served on the SXSW Midnighter shorts jury, and moderated horror panels for WonderCon and SeriesFest.

Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2024

Meagan Navarro

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.