Comics

Review: ‘The Walking Dead’ #113

Published

11 years ago

August 16, 2013

In another stunning issue, Rick and his group feel the wrath of Negan. “The Walking Dead” has kicked into high gear and doesn’t show signs of letting up.

Negan’s wrath can is felt through the page. His huge ego and commanding presence tower over Rick both figuratively and literally. After the events last month he is pissed and seeks revenge. Kirkman has taken careful steps to illustrate that Negan is a special kind of maniac. He has a code of honor, and he is intelligent. He would have to have both things just to survive for as long as he has.

WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman
ART BY: Charlie Adlard
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: August 14, 2013

Naturally this bleeds into one of Negan’s key decisions in this issue. He knows Rick wants to kill him, hell, he tried last issue, but he is smarter than Rick. Negan doesn’t want to turn Rick into a martyr by killing him in front of his people. Instead he wants to murder Carl; he wants to make an example.

Meanwhile in the tower, looking out over everything is Andrea. At the beginning of the issue she is primed and ready. Just as things take a turn for the worse on the ground, so too does Andrea’s situation in the tower. Her struggle to stay alive is the driving force of the issue.

It is clear with this issue that Kirkman envisions Andrea and Rick as the central protagonists of the series. With such a cast of revolving characters throughout a multi year history Andrea, Rick, and Carl are the mainstays. Here we find the beginning of the end for them. If Negan has his way, one of our protagonists will be dead in the immediate future.

The beat that ends the issue is perfect. Rick is sure to be broken man when we return next month. Negan is in control, and things are dire.

Adlard has another strong month. His depiction of Andrea’s struggle for her life is tense and dynamic. I grit my teeth the entire time. Negan’s facial expressions are incredibly playful and almost demonic. Adlard draws him with such chaotic joy that his art jumps off the page. Most of the time Negan’s engaged in dramatic and over the top monologues. Adlard makes the talking moments an absolute joy.

The visual sense of space created in the end, allows us to fully feel Rick’s misunderstanding. Adlard’s final panel is fantastic and dramatic. Andrea’s final bit of dialogue is poignant and awesome. I love her more now than ever.

The pacing has hit total high gear, and I can only hope it doesn’t let up. Although this is “The Walking Dead” so things could fall off incredibly with the next issue. However, the pacing and the story finally feel like they are going somewhere.

Kirkman seems to have forgotten about Ezekiel and Jesus. The world of the book has become too expansive, and every character cannot be fully serviced with each issue. However, if the world of the forgotten characters clashes with the world we’re in here the book might hit its best stride in years.

4/5 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

7 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.