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[Comic Book Review] “Escape From New York” #1 Is The Sequel We Deserve

Published

9 years ago

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Christopher Sebela’s “Escape From New York” #1 does the heavy lifting of defining a world created by John Carpenter. For the most part he succeeds, but there is a lot of heavy lifting required to get this story in motion. It suffers from heavy amounts of exposition but it’s a thousand times better than Escape From L.A. It’s the sequel we deserved.

STK657335

WRITTEN BY: Christopher Sebela

ART BY: Diego Baretto

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: Dec 3, 2014

A moment of reflection on Escape from New York will remind you that the actual plot of the film is a little empty. It had some really big ideas within it, but you have to unpack them to really get immersed in this world. Christopher Sebela isn’t afraid to unpack these ideas, in fact he comfortably builds Carpenter’s world in a fun and faithful way. But, far too much of it happens here, which sadly damages the momentum of this first issue.

It’s still an incredibly fun to see Snake Plisskin grace page. Sebela nails the tone of the character, and offers some truly stellar Snake dialogue. The script features some fantastic problem solving from Snake, and when the action is ramped up there are no shortages of awesome moments.

The series picks up literal moments after the conclusion of the film. The President is about to deliver an address to the public and Snake all but spits in his face. He takes off on the run, and becomes public enemy number one, yet again. A concept that people may find silly, but it’s okay because Sebela directly addresses it, seriously, that makes it okay. I don’t mind if something is silly, so long as it’s still silly within the world of the book.

Anyway. Snake takes to the road. And while there he runs into a collection of devout travelers who tell tale tails of a beautiful place called “Florida.” I’m sure Sebela is actually conning us since Florida is already hell, but perhaps in some strange state of affairs the wang of the United States is where this book really kicks into high gear.

Of course, just as things get really interesting. The first issue closes. I can’t wait to see what lies within the free state of Florida.

Diego Baretto does a fine job in brining Carpenter’s bleak world to life. He adds a certain edge to Snake that really makes the antihero stand out in every panel. His action scenes are serviceable if not a little confusing at times, but for the most part his work is clean, exciting, and does justice to the world.

“Escape From New York” #1 is a first issue that takes its time to build the world around it. It’s a fine introduction to fans new and old to the property and nails the tone of the main character. However, it’s far from anything new. The real treat is to see how well Christopher Sebela’s style compliments this world. With future issues taking us into the great unknown of this crazy and fucked up version of the United States, I have no doubt this book will become legendary. As it stands it’s merely a heavy-handed reminder of a movie I loved. But one things for sure, “Escape from New York” will kick your ass out of the world.

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Comics

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

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23 hours 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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