Comics

GRAPHIC CONTENT: PICK OF THE WEEK – ‘Sweet Tooth’ Issue #21

Published

13 years ago

May 4, 2011

It may be my bias toward pretty much anything Vertigo puts out combined with my love for a fellow Canadian, Jeff Lemire, but I am obsessed with Sweet Tooth. For those who have not been following this gem of a book, quite simply, you should be. This series is consistently beautiful month after month, and I can hardly wait to see what little antler boy is getting up to. Read on for the skinny…

Writen by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Jeff Lemire
Publisher: Vertigo

“Gus reluctantly joins Jepperd on a hunt for the missing girls, but the tension between the two continues to grow. Meanwhile, Singh and Johnny come face to face with a deadly new threat, and Lucy and the girls meet Walter Fish, an enigmatic survivor who may have more to offer than meets the eye. Don’t miss snowmobile gangs, yetis and more as the new story arc “Endangered Species” kicks off with a bang!”

The story is set in a rural post-apocalyptic America, though the cause of the day of reckoning is relatively unknown. What is important is that, resulting from the apocalypse there are some human/animal hybrids who have high prices on their heads. It mainly follows a young boy, Gus, who has antlers, was brought up in the on a remote farm, and loves chocolate (hence the name, Sweet Tooth). Some more hybrids are found along the way and a hard-ass human, Jepperd, is trying to keep them safe. What makes this book stand out however is the absolute creative control that Lemire gets across.

It seems that when one person both writes and pencils a comic, it turns out pretty damn well (though there are many exceptions). Lemire knows what’s in his mind, and knows how to put it on the page. Some of the panels throughout the series are so magnificent it can be hard not to put the book down in a moment of “man, this guy really get’s it”. The drawing is sketchy and lovely at the same time, and the writing is minimal yet potent. Lemire definitely knows how to communicate through his art.

This issue is the second chapter of the newest arc, “Endangered Species”. Gus and Jepperd are wandering in the snow-covered forest in search of their friends, who have found a new friend of their own. Based on the way the last issue ended, with a giant bear chasing Gus, something tells me this is going to be the most intense arc yet.

I plugged this in the weekly previews, but again, if you have not read Lemire before, I strongly suggest you pick up Essex County. This graphic novel was a finalist for CBC’s Best Canadian Read, and it is an incredible story about living in rural Canada. Jeff Lemire is one of the best storytellers in the business, and both Sweet Tooth and Essex County are proof of his incredible ability to draw us in to a world with truly lovable characters.

“SWEET TOOTH” Issue #21 Drops Wednesday, May 4th From Vertigo Comics! (MSRP – $2.99)

Lonnie Nadler

Click to comment

Comics

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

Published

2 weeks 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.