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Review: “Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland” #3

Published

10 years ago

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The third issue of “Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland” does a few things right but many things wrong. It’s dialogue heavy, takes too much time to set up events that should already be unfolding, and the writers are perhaps being a little too coy? Yet while I worry about some of these issues, I can’t help but feel pretty satisfied with the end result. 

STK647276

 

WRITTEN BY: Kim Newman and Maura McHugh (Created by Mike Mignola)

ART BY: Juan Ferreyra

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

RELEASE DATE: August 20, 2014

PRICE: $3.50

Reviewed By Bree Odgen

“Witchfinder” #3 picks up right after last issue’s untimely death of Diggory Fenn. As Grey returns to Hallam, he’s greeted by Constable Lawless who’s set up a couple of residents to put on a “normal” act for Grey. This, combined with the argument that directly follows the Constable’s dog and pony show, shows the reader that if you didn’t think Lawless was involved before, you should now. Even though Fenn and his death are all but brushed off, issue #3 continues to focus on Hallam’s secrets and who’s in on them.

The writing is both exhilarating and infuriating. Newman and McHugh do this thing where they are coy as hell until the last few pages where they unleash a torrent of information that won’t be satisfied until the next issue. It’s a great technique to build the tension and give a sense of payoff for the reader but it wreaks havoc on the pacing. Issue #3 spent a great deal of time in the bedroom to Horace Poole. While he yells out unintelligibly due to his recent “stroke,” Grey and Mrs. Poole argue about witchcraft. Grey, up to this point, has exhibited the emotional urgency of a snail. But now that he’s finally met Horace face-to-face, he makes the conclusion that this is definitely no stroke, it’s witchcraft.

Nothing feels right about the way that Grey has jumped to this conclusion (other than the fact that it’s been made entirely too obvious to the reader). A man drowning in Poole’s Elixir, eels busting through your window threatening your life, a man disintegrating into a pile of bones, guts, and eels, these are all weird things that would cause one to jump to conclusions. But Grey takes those in stride. However, a man spouts off unintelligible words after having a stroke and this is what feels wrong to Grey?

Though Grey accurately supposes the events to be tied to witchcraft, this jump in logic feels too much like the writers are holding our hand through Grey’s process; giving us the answers before we have a chance to figure them out on our own. I don’t like the feeling of a writer doing my math problems for me.

My biggest concern is the pacing of the arc. For a 5-issue arc, I feel like it’s moving incredibly slow. Get to Unland already! The town of Hallam and the creepy events within have all but put up neon flashing arrows straight to Unland, yet Grey is taking his sweet ass time getting there. There comes a point where setting up ground work just feels like a really poor way of revealing secrets.

Having said all that, the story is still entertaining. It makes good use of ominous tones and unreliable characters. I can sense that it’s headed for something terrific. And with Ferreyra’s perfect art, it’s hard to feel too let down.

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

Published

2 weeks 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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