Comics

[Advance Review] “Fight Club 2” #1 Is Beautifully Flaccid

Published

9 years ago

April 28, 2015

“Fight Club 2″ #1 proves sequels are difficult territory. Chuck Palahniuk is perhaps faced with a certain set of expectations set forth by his own characters and faces an enormous hurdle in the justification of reentering the world of “Fight Club.” With the central twist of the original story out of the way, how and why does it make sense to revisit Tyler Durden?

Story by: Chuck Palahniuk

Art by: Cameron Stewart

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Release Date: May 27, 2015

Price: $3.99

The short answer is, it doesn’t. The Narrator is now calling himself Sebastian. He’s bogged down in the monotony of suburban life, back to where he was at the beginning of the novel. Except the monotony isn’t nearly as grating as it once was and the rejection of this lifestyle doesn’t even seem to come up for Sebastian. Instead, the enigmatic Marla Singer motivates the return of Tyler.

She was always trouble, perhaps more damaged than the narrator in a story full of damaged people. But, she was never the focus of the story. She was the object of desire. Here, she provides a catalyst to change through her own rejection of monotony. But, the debut issue hardly gives so much of a glimpse as to what she’s rejecting. The result is a strangely motivated return of Tyler Durden.

Sebastian’s life is renewed with vigor under the cover of night. Tyler returns as quickly as the insomnia, but it doesn’t pack the punch it once did. Tyler seems to be an afterthought in this story, but a bombastic and over the top afterthought. It doesn’t offer much in the way of critique, rejection, or a mirror to the man who was once the head of Project Mayhem. Instead, he’s now some sort of criminal mastermind able to cause worldwide damage with a simple keyboard stroke. If it doesn’t sound subtle, that’s because it isn’t.

It’s entirely possible that the feelings the story inspires result from a disconnect between expectation and reality. But, its one that warrants examination because the expectation that “Fight Club 2” carries with it is one of biting social commentary. Instead the story feels as flaccid as its protagonist, a limp representation of what used to be with a few good ideas sprinkled throughout.

There are some plot points that indicate a strong direction for the future of the series. Sebastian’s son is sick and twisted in a way that could only be Tyler’s influence. But the moment that inspires that discussion is so quick that it may only be an afterthought in the story at large.

Cameron Stewart truly outdoes himself on every level in this book. His work is stellar and experimental. His pacing is fast but manages to linger on all the right moments. His character work exposes the ugly characters Palahniuk is known for, by lingering on their imperfections.

And, his layouts here are stunning. Massive page spreads that defy what you already know about comic books provide surreal transitions between scenes. This is some of the best work of his career.

It’s difficult to recommend “Fight Club” #2 to anyone who enjoyed the first novel and expects something similar. What lies on these pages isn’t necessarily un-enjoyable, but does very little to justify its own existence, or provide you with anything you haven’t seen before.

Zac Thompson

1 Comment

Comics

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

Published

6 days ago

April 18, 2024

Meagan Navarro

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.