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Review: ‘Hellraiser: The Dark Watch’ #3

Published

11 years ago

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Hellraiser: The Dark Watch #3 brings in such fresh energy and original ideas into the long-lasting mythology. In a bold move, Clive Barker and Brandon Seifert’s reboot of the “Hellraiser” franchise will please longtime fans, while newcomers will be able to catch up with the history. Aimed as a standalone issue, if you haven’t read any of “The Dark Watch” issues, this is definitely the one to pick up.

WRITTEN BY: Clive Barker and Brandon Seifert
ART BY: Tom Garcia
PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: April 17th, 2013

When it really matters, Hell isn’t all about hooks and chains. Sometimes, the most eloquent tortures are about the prisoner not realizing they are trapped in Hell. Elliot Spencer used to be a solider of Earth and Hell, but now, he is lost without any purpose. Since their first confrontation, Kirsty Cotton has dedicated her entire life in hunting down Pinhead and the Cenobites. But, with Spencer standing right in front of her, why doesn’t she have the courage to kill him? Trapped inside the Leviathan’s orb, Kirsty and Spencer are at odds with each other. Spencer still wants the world to bleed at his hands, while Kirsty wants a chance to earn her freedom.

Barker and co-writer, Brandon Seifert, analyze what really is the relationship between Kirsty and Spencer. The writers even play around with fan’s suggestions that Kirsty and Spencer represent a Beauty and Beast theme. In interesting ways, readers will question whether Spencer is the protagonist or the antagonist. If you have seen the movies, you know that Pinhead didn’t kill Kirsty’s father, her Uncle Frank did. So, why is Kirsty trying to kill him if he had nothing to do with her father’s death?
What I really enjoyed about this issue is how Barker and Seifert bring in slasher elements into the story. Inside Kirsty’s home, Spencer stalks closely behind his female prey. Instead of a knife, Spencer uses his bare hands against Kirsty. Even though he is in human form and without his supernatural powers, we see Spencer for who he truly is; a cold-hearted menace.

Artist Tom Garcia perfectly illustrates the disturbing tone of the “Hellraiser” series. In the opening pages, Garcia doesn’t hold back as Spencer swallows a whole human heart into his mouth. After Spencer has finished eating, his face begins to melt and his skin rots away. Garcia captures the incredibly gruesome transformation in a graphic splash page.

If that’s not enough, Garcia continues the disturbing imagery with Kirsty. In her introduction, three tentacles have attached themselves onto Kirsty’s head, sucking the brains out of her. When the tentacles release her, readers see the top of her bald head soaked in blood. In a close-up, Garcia adds a bit of morbid humor by adding a pin to her bloody head.

Highly recommended for horror fans, “Hellraiser: The Dark Watch” #3 breathes new life into the franchise, while welcoming in newcomers. I’m definitely interested in seeing what direction “The Dark Watch” series will take after this.

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jorge Solis

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Comics

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

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2 weeks 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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