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[5/5 Review] “Broken World” #1 Is Emotionally Captivating

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9 years ago

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In the days leading up to a “Deep Impact” style apocalypse 75% of the population has been evacuated from earth through space elevators.  The rest have either resigned themselves to their fate as it is divine providence or have collected to violently protest their being left behind until the final moments.  Elena is ineligible because of something in her past.  Her family does not know this and she is able to obtain a fake I.D. that will allow her to leave Earth with her family just two days before Exodus.  “Broken World” #1 is what those last two days on Earth will look like.

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WRITTEN BY: Frank J. Barbiere

ART BY: Christopher Peterson

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: June 3, 2015

Global catastrophe is the fair of many a summer blockbuster and one of the most universal fears there is.  A disaster massive enough to threaten the entire world always an engrossing visual spectacle and narratively transcends all culture and language barriers.  Giving anything away about this book would do you a huge disservice, but “Broken World” is not a big budget Disaster film.  You may guess how this first issue will end, but I doubt that will take away from the exquisite emotional journey you will go on as you follow Elena through her final day on Earth.

This issue works completely as a one-shot, it’s so tight.  I often give issues the accolade of being expertly plotted, but this #1 introduces characters, stages, arcs, and pays offs so impressively right now I’m calling it the best single issue of 2015.  Now, it is not without its narrative crutches: the premise is established by a newscaster explaining everything in the first scene, and the Children of the Revelation, the cult that embraces the apocalypse, is explained to us via a class presentation.  Perhaps there are craftier, less expositional ways to share this information.  But I’m thankful it wasn’t crammed into the dialogue or explained in a forward.  The alternative, which I see taken more often, is to leave out all exposition and let the audience peace it together themselves.  That works about as often as it doesn’t, and I think Barbiere chose the lesser of 4 evils here by working it into the story in a way that doesn’t feel forced.

I was emotionally gripped by this book from beginning to end.  The countdown was an effective device, constantly reminding us that this is a ticking time bomb, even when Elena is trying to keep it cool, go to class, cook dinner.  I was completely taken by the ending and even let out an “oh shit!”, rare for me, but that is how sucked in I was reading this book.  If I never read another issue I would be completely satisfied having read such a perfect first, but now I’m bought in, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

 

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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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