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Review: “Clive Barker’s Next Testament” #11

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10 years ago

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An action-packed installment, “Next Testament” #11  lets loose its dark imagination and never holds back. This is an adrenaline shot to the system. With its mix of shocking scares and twisted black humor, the “Next Testament” series never disappoints.

NextTestament_11_COVER

 

WRITTEN BY: Clive Barker and Mark Miller

ART BY: Haemi Jang

PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: July 16, 2013

Reviewed By: Jorge Solis

The final battle between good and evil takes place inside the Roman Colosseum, where gladiators once fought to the death. While the all-powerful Wick changes the world to fit his image, Tristan and fiancée, Elspeth, have finally reached their destination in Providence. After searching through an endless library, the lovebirds find the right  text and speak the cursed words to awaken the Devil and the Holy Ghost. Is the Devil fighting to save humanity enough to stop Wick?

You can tell Clive Barker and co-writer, Mark Miller, are having a lot of fun in this penultimate issue. This is their chance to throw away logic and character development, and just let the action speak for itself. When hearing Barker’s commentary about the making of his movies, “Hellraiser” and “Lord of Illusions,” there is always talk about constraints with the budget. But not this time, because there no limitations to what you can do in the comic book realm. This is what two creative writers can do when they let their imagination run wild.

This story is about the Devil, the good guy, trying to save the day from the bad guy, Wick. The dialogue is sparse but that’s why each line is so memorable. Tristan and Elspeth aren’t in the forefront, but that’s a good thing. This is really 22 pages of thrilling nonstop action and you just want more.   

Artist Haemi Jang  depicts Wick, the Devil and the Holy Ghost as three giants in a no-holds-barred boxing match. The three behemoths start their battle in the middle of the Roman Colosseum. Jang illustrates the massive destruction as each supreme being uses their powers against each other. In the climatic pages, Jang antes up the action by taking the fight to outer-space.

Because there is very little dialogue, Jang focuses more physical poses and character design with the Devil’s horns and two sharp fangs in his mouth does volumes for tension. A lot of attention is put into their facial expressions after each giant gets hit in the face. The last page is definitely a jaw-dropping shocker. 

If you love action, you’re going to love “Next Testament” #11. I cannot wait for the exciting conclusion.

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‘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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