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[5/5 Review] “The Fiction” #1 Is A Perfect Debut Hook

Published

9 years ago

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“The Fiction” is a mini-series about a group of friends that discover a collection of books that when read transport the reader to a fantasy world.  The friends have incredible adventures together until one of them disappears within the book world never to be seen again.  Years later the books have returned to claim another, and it is up to the remaining two, now adults, to reveal the mysteries of the books and rescue their friends.  Its part “Jumanji”, and part “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, and its go the most intriguing premise for a mini-series I’ve seen in a long time.

STK672705

WRITTEN BY: Curt Pires

ART BY: David Rubin

PUBLISHER: BOOM

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: June 17 2015

Though the set up is clear and concise, almost nothing is revealed at all about the books and their powers.  Even the magical worlds themselves are hardly realized in this first issue.  This issue is the complete setup, and rarely slows down at all acclimate us to the world of the books.  When it does slow down it, thankfully, focuses on the characters and relationships.

It begins with an argument between the parents of our protagonists.  One of the parents seems to be talking about the occult and  rest aren’t interested in hearing it.  The father of Tseng, the boy who goes missing, is briefly shown with a demonic looking face and later described to be a cruel man who resented Tseng.  I may be easily impressed but I always really appreciate when writers include these somewhat subtle clues and details, they lead to bigger payoffs when the mystery is later solved.
When another friend goes missing we find out that the group never really dealt with the disappearance of Tseng, that for some is was easier to make themselves believed that the truth was far more grim and that the magic books were an invention; a way to cope with something they couldn’t make sense of as children.

These themes of trauma add a great deal of weight to the characters and that argument was the most impressive scene in the book.  Pires has come to be a name you can trust and “The Fiction” just might be his strongest title yet.  The dialogue is sincere and grounded, the characters have depth, and the mystery is just so delicious, I can’t recommend it enough.

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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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11 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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