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Review: ‘Revival’ #17

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10 years ago

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A gripping mystery, “Revival” #17 keeps the story running at full speed with red herrings and plot twists. This is a perfect crime where all the evidence is lost and no one has actually been murdered. Not only is the series a clever twist on the zombie genre, “Revival” is also a potent suspenseful whodunit thriller.

WRITTEN BY: Tim Seeley
ART BY: Mike Norton
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: Jan. 29, 2013

For one day in rural Wisconsin, the dead suddenly came back to life. As the media showed up, with all their nosy reporters and cameras, and the government trying to quarantine the small town, there is no peace for the nicknamed “Revivers.” While everyone else is trying to understand why the dead have returned, Sheriff Dana Cypress is trying to figure out who killed her sister, Em. While Dana is in hot pursuit of a major suspect, Em is tracking down a college reporter, May Tao, who knows too much. Dana and Em are on their own as they search for the truth, which will lead them to a very dangerous enemy.

What I really enjoy about Tim Seeley’s writing is his examination about death and its aftermath. Em has returned from the dead to face the consequences of her actions. Forced to seek closure, there are things Em wishes she could take back. In their confrontation, Em and May have to look inward and ask themselves what they really want. Are they seeking justice? Or are they searching for redemption?
My favorite part of the story is Seeley’s characterization of Dana. At times, we see Dana cross the line between good/bad cop. Dana has to take part in a crime, in order provide herself with an alibi and protect the victim. She doesn’t need to think about her questionable actions; she just does them without hesitation. Dana is willing to get her hands dirty because she is so obsessed about finding out what happened to her murdered sister.

Artist Mike Norton is able to pinpoint the dramatic moments through facial expressions. In the opening pages, Dana’s possible suspect is getting rid of the evidence from his laptop. Rather than place the camera on the evidence, Norton focuses on the suspect’s guilty behavior. The suspect, Aaron Weimer, knows there is no turning back now, as if this will be the last time he sees his wife. This is more about showing the character’s moral conflict than the explanation of the crime itself.

I particularly liked how colorist Mark Englert and Norton worked together on Em’s character design and wardrobe. When Em is wearing her hoodie, notice how there are just three hints of color – with red, black, and gray tones. The black inks are used to illustrate the shapes of bones on her sleeves and the wings of an angel on her back. When Em bows her head, you can tell there is a skull on her cap. This is a clever way of portraying Em as the Grim Reaper as she contemplates killing May.

Murder mystery fans are going to relish every bit of “Revival” #17. Gritty and humorous, the “Revival” series has an interesting premise and delivers the perfect crime with zombies.

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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1 day 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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