Comics
Review: Clive Barker’s “Next Testament” #10
As the tension mounts and the suspense builds to a crashing halt, “Next Testament” #10 is a thrilling read that will leave you breathless by the end page. So much heart and passion has been put into the characters to make them feel alive. With its mix of shocking scares and twisted black humor, each issue of “Next Testament” continues the can’t miss event.
WRITTEN BY: Clive Barker and Mark Miller
ART BY: Haemi Jang
PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 18, 2014
Reviewed by Jorge Solis
The final battle between good and evil will take place inside the Roman Colosseum, a place where gladiators fought to the death. While the rest of the world his falling into Hell, Tristan and fiancée, Elspeth, have finally reached their destination in Providence. Surrounded by ancient books written in different languages, Tristan and Elspeth have to find the right words that can put a stop to Wick’s reign of terror. With the clock ticking, do the lovebirds have any hope left in defeating Wick?
Clive Barker and co-writer, Mark Miller, focus on the themes of love, spirituality, and faith in the character arcs. Because his father abandoned him, Tristan has never had anything to believe in until he met the love of his life. Though he doesn’t believe in a higher power, Tristan has faith in his unconditional love for Elspeth. With doomsday quickly approaching, the lovebirds hold each other’s hands while searching desperately for help against Wick.
Even when the tone is at its bleakest, Barker and Miller throw in some laugh-out-loud comic relief to ease in the suspense. The world is coming to an end and yet there are characters who still have time to deliver the most hilarious one-liners. On their previous road trip, The lovers have met the best and worst in humanity. The way Tristan feels for Elspeth is exactly how a loving mother cares for her young daughter.
Artist Haemi Jang captures Wick recreating the entire universe in these surreal shots. The entire world is spinning around, as if being sucked into the abyss, and the floor below Wick’s feet is shattering into pieces. It’s interesting how the smoke coming off of Wick’s supreme body is shaped to look like a hand. To imitate the camera shaking, Jang uses motion blur to capture that earthquake feeling in the climatic pages.
These those moments of genuine emotion between the characters are irresistable. Jang illustrates the lovelorn looks on Tristan’s face when he stares directly at his fiancée. It’s adorable how Jang drew a little girl coloring the Bible with a crayon. With the story is at its darkest, Jang throws in something visually uplifting.
“Next Testament” #10 ends on a shocking cliff-hanger that will get the reader hyped up for the last two issues. I cannot wait to be there for the exciting conclusion.
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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