Comics

Review: ‘The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’ #3

Published

11 years ago

August 16, 2013

Gerard Way and Shaun Simon’s third “Killjoys” chapter fleshes out the world and moves the narrative in a cool new direction. Cloonan’s art continues to be the biggest draw of this fantastically imaginative series.

WRITTEN BY: Gerard Way & Shaun Simon
ART BY: Becky Cloonan
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: August 14, 2013

The issue begins with an innocent enough beat. Things become abundantly clear that major conflict is on the horizon. The girl is being primed for her fate in the conflict. The air of mystery is thickened and the world gets deeper.

“Killjoys” is a fantastic read. The script has a very lyrical feel thanks to Way and Simon. The dialogue pops off the page and filled with youthful energy. Every time one of the teenagers living off the wasteland speaks you feel a spark course through you. The dialogue is that good.

The world of the wasteland feels particularly unique. While this may be due to the incredible work done by Becky Cloonan, the script does use locations to its advantage. The jumbled and chaotic nature of the desert is juxtaposed perfectly with the scenes in Battery City.

The moments in Battery City shed more light on Korse. He amounts to the antagonist of the series. While his motives seem nefarious, and his ties to corporate culture condemn him indefinitely, the script allows him to develop. Korse has a decision to make, and his choice is more than surprising.

The porno droids take center stage this month. Their plight is made much more clear. They are fighting for love, and fighting to stay alive. It has a surprising amount of emotional depth. Especially when held against the fun loving nature of the other stories.

The final beats with The Ultra V’s seem to promise a new leader. The girl is an inspired choice. Given her breakdown at the beginning of the issue, however, she may not be the best choice. Time will tell if this is even the course the story is treading. So far though, most of the series has been anything but unpredictable. Which is fine, the world, and the art is enough to sell copies every month.

Cloonan’s art continues to be the best reason to pick this book up. Her sense of visual style is unparalleled, and moves this book to a league of its own. If you have any doubts, page 14 will change your mind entirely. Korse’s partner vaulting into the air is terrifying and exciting. Korse’s face in the final panel says everything the dialogue does. Simply masterful stuff.

The final two pages are a real treat from Cloonan. Way and Simon’s script really lets her flex her muscles in terms of world building. She has built her definitive style into this futuristic neon soaked world and it oozes from the pages.

“Killjoys” is a solid read, start to finish. The issue adds some real depth to the characters that was vastly needed to keep the stakes of the narrative fresh. It seems the future of the plot may go a very traditional and predictable route, however, the book has surprised before. This wasn’t as good as the debut issue, but a compelling chapter nonetheless. I’m looking forward to more.

3.5/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jimbus_Christ

Lonnie Nadler

1 Comment

Comics

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

Published

6 days 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.