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[Comic Review] “Suiciders” #1 – Brings Pathos To Televised Death

Published

9 years ago

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I knew from the moment I caught of glimpse of Lee Bermejo’s “Suiciders” #1 cover that I was in for something special. And as The Running Man is easily one of my favorite movies, I couldn’t help but love the idea of a dystopia Los Angeles who celebrates death in the media, but what I found on these pages was so much more. This book is a dissection of consumer culture articulated beautifully by the incomparable art of Bermejo.

STK663800

WRITTEN BY: Lee Bremejo
ART BY: Lee Bremejo
PUBLISHER: Vertigo Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 25, 2015

The general conceit of “Suiciders” isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but thanks to Bremejo’s smart storytelling, the first issue isn’t really wrapped around the televised death of gladiators, but one warrior in particular The Saint. As a hero, we hardly get to see his face, and he’s often quite coy about revealing too much of his character. But, he’s an incredible fighter and speaks with a distinct charm that is difficult to resist. The Saint keeps the main narrative moving and as the most prized fighter in New Angeles, one wonders how he’ll come to change his mind about being the people’s champ.

Elsewhere we’re treated to the core defining characteristics of this new world. Bremejo keeps things vague, only speaking about “The big one”  in passing, but its clear it was a devastating earthquake. It seems most of Los Angeles was ceded to capitalistic pursuits shortly thereafter with plastic surgery defining the people and the business of the new ruling class. Outside of the metropolis of New Angeles we have the devastated Lost Angeles. This is a graveyard of our society with imperfect people lurking in the devastation and dreaming of a ticket to utopia.

It was this divide that I never quite expected of “Suiciders.” This title could have easily devolved into a gladiatorial combat showcase that would have been digestible and palatable for those still loving superhero comics. But Bremejo gives the comic some real weight by adding in a social conscious, and a huge divide between the have and the have nots. The debut is heavy on exposition, but thanks to serving as both the artist and the writer on the book the exposition flows with a natural perfection. The script and the art compliment each other in a way that allows both to breath.

There is a beautiful example of this late in the issue with how Bremejo tackles the idea of physical perfection in New Angeles. It’s a visual subtlety that builds into a near perfection explanation with each never overshadowing the other. The social issues within these pages are something any self aware consumer should be concerned with, and are ripe for discourse. They do feel a little imbued in the culture of the 80’s, but that’s to the book’s credit.

I can’t tell where this book is headed and I love that. I don’t really know where The Saint will fit into all of this class distinction or if he will simply remain the saint of excess. Part of me wants to see him as the catalyst for change but by the end of this first issue I’m not sure if the character’s capable of it, which is why I can’t wait for #2.

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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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16 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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