Comics
Review: ‘Lazarus’ #6
An exciting sci-fi thriller, “Lazarus” #6 takes readers on a futuristic adventure into an unmarked frontier. Forever Carlyle sinks deeper into the wastelands, where the truth about her past lies buried. The “Lazarus” series takes an interesting look at the western genre and creatively spins it around.
WRITTEN BY: Greg Rucka
ART BY: Michael Lark
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: Feb. 5, 2013
Trained since she was just a little girl, Forever Carlyle has been genetically altered to obey and protect the Carlyle Family. But after a strange message appeared on her cell phone, Forever has been seeing the cracks in the political system built by the Carlyle patriarch. Elsewhere, the Barrets are struggling to stay afloat after a flood destroyed their only home. Because they cannot pay for the Carlyle land anymore, they will have to take drastic measures to find new shelter. While Forever is under orders to protect the scheming Johanna, the Barrets will unfortunately end up crossing paths with the perfect solider.
Writer Greg Rucka provides a heart wrenching flashback into Forever’s training days as a little girl. Never having a regular childhood, Forever has been taught how to fight and kill with great skill. When she should be sleeping, Forever is learning how to speak to Latin. Because she never had any friends her own age, even the adult trainers know this is not how a little girl is supposed to be raised. Now grown up, Forever is haunted by a message that says her family is not who they seem to be.
What makes Rucka’s narrative feel grounded is his social commentary about the economic war between the haves and the have-nots. With the Barrets struggling to pay their bills, after a flood washed away their home, the Carlyle family decides to raise the rent. Did the Carlyle family purposely give Barrets their land, knowing full well that the terrain was in a dangerous zone? The Barrets aren’t stealing to make a profit, but to provide a better future for their young ones.
In the flashback sequence, artist Michael Lark plays around with the character design of Forever as a little girl. Though she looks like a child, Lark illustrates Forever with prefect stances and poses as she learns sword-fighting and karate. Notice how Lark never puts a single personal item in Forever’s bedroom. There are hundreds of books in shelves, but the unwanted teddy bear is tucked away in the corner.
What really makes the panels stand out is Lark’s portrayal of the western landscape. As the story moves away from the city, Lark uses wide shots to depict the mountain ranges and grassy fields. In a small but important detail, the Barrets drive an unwashed jeep low on gasoline. Because the Barrets cannot pay for gas, they have to settle on riding on horses.
An inventive mix, “Lazarus” #6 effortlessly blends in both elements of the sci-fi and western genres. I hope I’ll be seeing Forever Carlyle getting involved in a quick-draw shootout in a later installment.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
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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