Comics
Review: “East of West” # 9
Jonathan Hickman is a master world builder. He’s proved as much with his insanely awesome work at Marvel, and continues to do so with “East of West.” So much so, that each issue doesn’t exactly move forward so much as it moves outward. The result can be somewhat dizzying, but this month proves to be absolutely fascinating.
WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Hickman
ART BY: Nick Dragotta
COLOR BY: Frank Martin
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: January 29, 2014
Stories usually take place in isolated pockets of the world where they abide by their own rules. Jonathan Hickman doesn’t seem content with such things. He isn’t interested in small stories. Instead the world of “East of West” further expands and gives yet another group to worry about amidst this global conflict.
This expansion is steeped in history. The type that always proves fascinating because it informs the future. We’re treated to a new character that finds himself lost within a vast hierarchy of prospective leaders. Within that, he quickly establishes his dominance and Hickman wastes no time showing how different characters interpret The Prince. He’s just the type of formidable rogue this book needs.
The issue is largely self-contained within this new slice of the world. Nick Dragotta brings The Kingdom to life in all its sprawling glory. Showing off a futuristic metropolis informed by ancient Egyptian architecture brought to life by Frank Martin’s pastel coloring like only he can.
However, it is far removed from the sprawling metropolises this month that Dragotta finds his groove. Death’s encounter with the oracle is absolutely chilling. The snake-like creature coils through the pages. Her “exchange” with Death is sure to stop your heart.
As I often cite, the scope of this book makes single issues an extremely difficult thing to judge. The pacing of “East of West” isn’t so much erratic as it is leisurely. It revels in seemingly small beats for several issues. Hickman takes his time with the storytelling and chooses to enrich his world instead of pushing as much plot into the pages that he can.
For some this just won’t do. For those of you intrigued by global conflict with a supernatural threat and the politics of a western story in a science fiction setting than this is the epic adventure you’ve been searching for. Just don’t be turned off by the slower pace.
Which is decidedly brave in a world where attention spans are short. Issues like this renew my faith in the method. “East of West” doesn’t function like your typical comic and it doesn’t have to. Instead it makes its own rules and builds its own massive world. The characters play this impossibly insane game of jenga carefully moving pieces into place. Their motivations are clear. At any given moment one of them is going to make the wrong move and when they do the whole thing is going to come crashing down. For now, they’re still cool, calm, and collected.
“East of West” strives to do something different by slowly building one of the most complex and interesting narratives that comics has ever seen.
Rating: 4/5 Skulls.
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
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.
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Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
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Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
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Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
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Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
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Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
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Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
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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.
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