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Review: ‘Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher’ #1

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11 years ago

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Richard Corben manages to draw out an eerie mood and spine-chilling atmosphere in his adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher. With Corben’s surrealistic artwork and storytelling, this adaptation brings about the foreboding element of Gothic horror. Literary enthusiasts should not be afraid to pick this up because Poe’s eloquent prose translates very well into the comic book medium.

WRITTEN BY: Richard Corben
ART BY: Richard Corben
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: May 15th, 2013

What’s great about Corben’s adaptation is how he interprets the story on many different levels. The story brings together the elements of a haunted house, an incestuous sibling rivalry, and human nature’s fear of death. I really liked how Corben focused on the architecture of Usher’s mansion in the opening pages. Through a bird’s eye view, readers get to see the haunted mansion from all sides. The mansion’s dilapidated state represents Roderick’s unstable mental behavior.

There is definitely an ick-factor that runs through the pages. Through his portraits, readers do get to see how Roderick is sexually abusing his sister, Madeline. Roderick wants to dominate and show power, which is way he needs Allan as a witness. Allan observes Roderick’s creepy behavior, but there is something else going on when Roderick paints a picture.

Because I mostly remember Roger Corman’s adaptation of Poe’s works, I was at first expecting an over-the-top use of red and primary colors. Corben stays away from the use of red tones and keeps a naturalistic color scheme. Even when he uses green tones, the color quality is faded and dull. The combination of gray and brown shadings actually enhance the Gothic architecture of the mansion.

One of my favorite images is of Allan staring awkwardly at the clock. As the bells of the clock ring, a small model of the Grim Reaper steps out. Each time the bell strikes, the Grim Reaper sweeps the floor with his scythe. Death itself is coming for Allan and the Usher siblings, bringing along the dead buried in the backyard.

Just like he did with “The Conqueror Worm,” Richard Corben delivers another truly terrifying interpretation of Poe’s works. Readers will definitely be impressed by what Corben has artistically achieved in his faithful adaptation of “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher.”

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jorge Solis

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

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7 hours 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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