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[Comic Book Review] “POP” #3 Is A Little Too Heavy On Plot

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10 years ago

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The penultimate issue of “POP” by Curt Pires and Jason Copland takes a plot heavy direction as things build towards the grand finale.  The socially critical themes and tones that have made this series stand out are missing from this issue due, it would seem, to having so much story to tell.  Don’t expect to have your mind blown with this one, it looks like Pires is saving the best for last.

STK652622

WRITTEN BY: Curt Pires

ART BY: Jason Copland

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: October 22, 2014
Review By Eric Switzer

Remember the last season of “LOST” when Jacob finally reveals himself and all the beautiful mystery he was responsible for suddenly sound like utter horse shit coming out of his mouth?

“POP” may very well have set the bar too high with issues one and two.  My feeling about this issue is that it tells its story but doesn’t really say anything worth hearing.  It tries to: in a scene in which our heroes-on-the-run examine nature of existence and the burden of ephemerality, but it is full of familiar sentiments and does little to provoke the imagination.  I realize these are high expectations to have for a single issue of a limited series, but this book has impressed to an almost soul-shaking degree and now, in issue three, I feel slightly abandoned.

A big issue I have with setting aside the social critique how non-compelling the characters are.  Elle is essentially a blank slate whose purpose has seemed to be a physical representation of the questions Pires is interested in asking, rather than a fully fledged human character, and Coop is disconnected, depressed, and representative of consumer culture, again not a dynamic human being.  Too much time is spent on the would-be killer couple hunting Elle and the enigmatic Cartel, though always fun to look in on, has the thinnest characters imaginable.

Again, I don’t mean to disparage, because this book has meant a lot to me and I’m expecting big things from the finale.  I’m just starting to feel as though I can see a hint of the wires, a edge of a stage light, and the corner of a hastily painted backdrop.  The magic isn’t lost, but it may have faded.

—

Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

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

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2 days 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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