Examiner.com: Top Cow Artifact #1 Release Party at Collector's Paradise

Los Angeles Comic Book shop Collector's Paradise will offer special variant and regular editions of Top Cow's Artifacts #1 with signings by part of the creative team on Saturday, July 31, from 7-10 pm. Collector's Paradise Comics & Gallery is located at 7131 Winnetka Avenue, Winnetka, CA

Read more on the event here.
Source: Examiner.com

Artifact #1 is Techland's Panel of the Week

And I'm hooked. I don't know most of the characters in this book, including Aphrodite here, but the setup is good. I'm sometimes afraid of deep continuity but I always appreciate when a publisher creates a world where all its books coexist. Marvel and DC have sprawling universes, Image has carved a nice little world around Invincible, and now Top Cow will bring together its licenses via the powerful weapons that many of them wield. I'm on board.

Read the full article here. (SPOILER!)
Source: Techland

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision: Mandeville, Top Cow to Adapt Silvestri's 'Crosshair'

Top Cow comic "Crosshair" has been targeted for feature film treatment.

Mandeville Films partners David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, best known for producing the romantic comedy "The Proposal," have teamed up with Top Cow to produce "Crosshair." The duo also has comic book adaptations "Earp: Saint for Sinners" and "Alibi" in the works.

Mandeville execs, in Comic-Con for the unveiling of Radical Publishing’s "Earp," closed the deal over the weekend after furious negotiations.

Read the full story here.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

CBR: The Top Cow: 'We Create' Media Panel

A herd of devoted fans flocked into a packed room for the Top Cow: "We Create" Multimedia panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego on Saturday, sitting before a panel consisting of Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik, president Matt Hawkins, CEO Marc Silvestri and American Original founder Jeff Katz, with plenty of guest panelists and prominent announcements to follow.

The Top Cow panelists kicked things off with a first look at a trailer cut specifically for Comic-Con. Featuring a flashy music video with quick cuts, concert footage and all sorts of burning fanfare, the trailer teased a project built around September Mourning front woman Emily Lazar that's billed as a cross-media entertainment endeavor across comic books, digital downloads, video games, jewelry and much more. Lazar briefly joined the panelists on stage and Silvestri described the mysterious project, saying: "It's coming out real fast and we're going to start teasing it out through the Top Cow Universe. If David Bowie had technology today, this would be Ziggy Stardust."

Although he wouldn't tip his hand on what exactly the Lazar-centric project entails, Silvestri made a promise to the panel's attendees. "I'm being very genuine here," he said. "You're going to remember this day."

Read all our panel announcements here.
Source: CBR

CBR: Witchblade Goes from Comic to Console

Sara Pezzini isn't one to play games, but that's not stopping her from appearing in one.

At Comic-Con International in San Diego, Top Cow Productions announced its development of a "Witchblade" video game based on the comic book company's flagship character. But getting Sara from the paneled page to the digital realm isn't as easy as eviscerating a pack of thugs with a sentient artifact — there is a considerable amount of steps involved when it comes to bringing a video game to life, let alone a game based off of a comic book character. CBR News spoke with Top Cow President Matt Hawkins to learn more about the "Witchblade" game and its development process.

"I've been trying to develop a Witchblade video game for a very long time and developing video games on comic book properties is actually very hard," he told CBR. "With the costs of producing an Xbox 360 and PS3 game pushing $50 million now, [video game companies] want either massively preawareness branded properties or they want to internally generate and build their own characters, as you see with a lot of publishers."

Read the full coverage here.
Source: CBR

Techland Pulls Artifacts #1

Techland's Mike Williams has this to say:

My Top Cow experience has been limited to a handful of issues of Witchblade (I was in high school during the 90's after all) and a fairly faithful allegiance to the Magdalena. After that it trails off rather quickly. Artifacts is billed as a crossover event years in the making. Thirteen mystical artifacts, including the Witchblade and the Darkness, could be the key to destroying the world. Or something. I'm just a sucker for crossovers.

Read more here.
Source: Techland

CBR Reviews Artifacts #1

Seven words in and this comic establishes the tone: mature readers only, please. Sara Pezzini has her gun drawn and cuts an intimidating first image in this series. From there, there’s action, violence, and suspense, including an issue-ending scene that is simply heartbreaking.

Top Cow magnificently identifies the major players in this story with two pages of quick bios describing the seven critical characters of this issue, but in the story, itself, the characters are smoothly identified by those they run into and the circumstances surrounding them. Sara Pezzini introduces herself as she comes to the rescue of a priest being attacked by a demon. Later in the issue, Tom Judge is pegged by the enigmatic Curator, who is set up to be a pivot point for the action and drama of this series.

There’s plenty of action and drama in this single issue. The Curator clues Judge (and the reader by proxy) in to what this series is going to be all about. “There are forces in motion,” he tells Judge. Those forces seek to draw together thirteen ancient artifacts -- including the Witchblade, the Darkness, and Judge’s Rapture cross -- which would result in the destruction of the universe.

The storytelling is cinematic and effective.

Rating:

Read the full review here.
Source: CBR

IGN: Top Cow in the Crosshairs

At the Top Cow panel at Comic-Con this weekend, the comics label's reps revealed that they'd just made a new movie deal during the convention.

Crosshair, which was created by Marc Silvestri, written by Jeff Katz, and illustrated by Silverstri and Allan Jefferson, will be turned into a film by Mandeville Films. Top Cow and Mandeville have previously teamed on adapting Alibi, which was announced at last year's con.

"We already sold this as a film," revealed Top Cow's president Matt Hawkins at his company's panel. "This is a major announcement for us. That's never really happened where we've literally [come here] with something this early in development and have these guys jump on it."

Read the full coverage here.
Source: IGN

Newsarama: ARTIFACTS: Prologue Finale: The 13th Artifact

Artifacts begins NOW.

Lucky Thirteen
By Gretch
Twilight Alternative Staff


In less than two years, our streets will fall still. The hustle of Broadway will be hushed. All the cars clogging each lane will be frozen in final tracks of desperation and the blackened windows of the skyscrapers towering overhead will shed no tears for the loss of their makers.

And that is if we get off lucky.

Read the final prologue as well as catch up on the other prologues here.
Source: Newsarama

Newsarama's Best Shots Reviews Artifacts #1

For months now, Top Cow has been giving us hints, teasers, and even a #0 issue that came out on Free Comic Book Day this year, and it's all lead to Artifacts #1, and by George, it is glorious.

Much like with most things he does with Top Cow, Ron Marz has made it accessible to new readers without them worrying about who's who and what's what. It's right there, in black in white. Well, not exactly black and white, but you get the gist. There is a character dossier, a two-page origin of the Witchblade (written by Marz and drawn by Marc Silvestri), and so much more. With all of that, you would never feel lost even in the slightest.

Read the full review here.
Source: Newsarama

Newsarama: For Queen & Comics: Darkchylde's Randy & Sarah Queen

For artist Randy Queen, comics have been a passion that has consumed his life for the past 14 years. He’s one of the few creators in mainstream comics to work almost exclusively on his own creator-owned characters, and his work has garnered a significant fanbase that follows his every release.

Queen burst onto the comics scene in 1996 with his series Darkchylde. Queen had done some small formulaic work at Top Cow up to that point, but Darkchylde was his first full-length comic and proved to be so popular that it’s been his calling card ever since. The series has been published in many different iterations, including a manga version at Dark Horse a couple years, and most recently re-appeared in a crossover with Top Cow’s the Darkness in a one-shot written & illustrated by Queen. In recent months, Queen has teased a new sci-fi project entitled Starfall, with several teaser comics being realized during conventions... but the big news as of late has been the release of test footage from a live action Darkchylde movie put together by famed special effects house Weta Workshop.

Read the full interview here.
Source: Newsarama

CBR: The Road Ends with the Thirteenth Artifact

The Thirteenth Artifact, currently unidentified within the pages of the Top Cow Universe, will finally be revealed over the course of "Artifacts," the 13-issue limited series from writer Ron Marz and a team of illustrators including Michael Broussard. Once revealed, this final Artifact will take its place alongside the twelve previously identified Artifacts: the Witchblade, the Darkness, the Angelus, the Rapture, the Spear of Destiny, the Glacier Stone, the Ember Stone, the Blood Sword, Pandora's Box, the Wheel of Shadows, the Heart Stone and the Coin of Solomon. Once identified - and once unified with the other twelve - readers will finally learn just how dangerous the Thirteenth Artifact really is. To learn more about the Artifact, CBR News spoke with "Artifacts" writer Ron Marz and Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik for the final installment of our weekly interview series.

"Obviously, you're going to have to read the series to find out what the final Artifact is - we're not even going to give you the name at this point," Marz told CBR. "I guess the main thing to say about it is that it's been hidden for a reason. There's a reason that this thing has been hidden very much off the playing field. All of that will start to become clearer once we reveal what the Artifact is and where it's been all this time."

Read the full article here.
Source: CBR

Newsarama: Marz Talks NECROMANCER's Return in Top Cow's Witchblade

You can't keep a good character down. After years in publishing purgatory, Top Cow's Necromancer is returning in fine form in the pages of this month's Witchblade #137.

Necromancer was originally introduced back in 2005 with a miniseries by writer Joshua Ortega and superstar artist Francis Manapul. In the series, a teenage girl named Abby van Alstine is taken into a supernatural subculture and given powers she barely knows how to control. She's forced to learn about her new self and this new world she's fallen into, while trying to live through her own teenage years.

In the years since that 2005 miniseries, Necromancer has had sporadic appearances over the years with the most recent being a one-shot Pilot Season book over two years ago. Regardless of her intermittent appearances, a sizeable contingent of comic fans have taken a liking to the character. After years of hiatus, Necromancer is returning to the Top Cow universe in a big way – first with a guest appearance in July 28th's Witchblade #137 and then as a player in Top Cow's big event miniseries Artifacts. But before we get too far, first things first: her return in the pages of Witchblade #137 this month.

Read the full coverage here.
Source: Newsarama

Broken Frontier: Top Cow SDCC 2010 Teaser Campaign

Top Cow is being very secretive on the details, but instead have provided all possible comic news outlets an exclusive teaser for "something" they will anounce during Comic-Con International "WE CREATE" panel on Saturday, July 24.

Seeing all these different ideas and styles being kicked around the internet, is something very exciting and I for one cannot wait for the announcement to kick in!

To see all the images in one area, go here.
Source: Broken Frontier

Scoop: Comic-Con: Top Cow Productions

Highlighting Top Cow Productions’ upcoming Artifacts event will be just a part of the Image Comics studio’s presence at Comic-Con International this year.

Among the goods atbooth #2629to prepare attendees of CCI 2010 for the race to Artifacts will be exclusives, preview books, free goodies, variant comics and trade paperbacks, including free copies of Artifacts #0 as well as other comics, posters and bookmarks (while supplies last).

The company said attendees are invited to join Marc Silvestri (Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia), President Matt Hawkins, and Publisher Filip Sablik for a multimedia presentation about Top Cow’s plans for 2010 and 2011 in comics, film, television and much more.

“Be the first to hear announcements and updates on film projects including Witchblade, Magdalena, Alibi, Wanted, and The A-Team. Plus announcements on new comic projects with creators including Ron Marz (Artifacts), Jeff Katz (American Original, Freddy vs. Jason), Phil Hester (The Darkness) plus surprise guest directors, screenwriters, producers and more,” they said.

The panel will be featured in room 9 from 1:30 to 2:30 PM under the title Top Cow: “We Create” Multimedia, on Saturday, July 24.

Read the full article here.
Source: Scoop

Bleeding Cool: Top Cow Teases "We Create.."

Something from Top Cow. Teasing some sort of announcement/thing at San Diego Comic Con. Don’t know any more than this. Odds are other sites will have teases of their own. Look forward to finding out by checking Twitter on Saturday about 1.30pm Pacific Time…

Source: Bleeding Cool

Techland: Mysterious Comic-Con Teaser Image from Top Cow

Top Cow has sent us this exclusive teaser image for something or other they'll be announcing at their Saturday panel at Comic-Con next week. Your guess is as good as ours!

Source: Techland

CraveOnline: Exclusive Top Cow SDCC Teaser Image

We just got sent over an exclusive image from publisher Top Cow teasing their panel at next week’s San Diego Comic-Con. We really have no idea what is going on here other than people utilizing their superpowers to do pretty mundane things. Check out the image below (click to enlarge).

And be sure to stay tuned to CraveOnline for more on Top Cow and the SDCC.

Source: CraveOnline

iFanboy Exclusive: Top Cow to Unveil Something New at the San Diego Comic Con

Our friends over at Top Cow tipped us off that they're going to be rolling out some new exciting stuff at the San Diego Comic-Con.

They were tight lipped on the details, but did send us this image to wet our palettes.

From the looks of it, we see an iPad or phone background with a gun, a very Terry Dodson-esque drawing of a woman and a Pat Benatar reference. Okay, they've got my attention

If you're going to be attending the San Diego Comic-Con, sounds like you won't want to miss their panel on Saturday at 1:30 PM in Room 9, where all will be revealed, or so they tell us. If we find out anything more, we'll be sure to keep you upated!

Source: iFanboy

The Beat: Top Cow is planning ... something

Top Cow sent out this image in reference to some mysterious new project. Will more be revealed at Comic-Con? I wonder…

Source: The Beat

Broken Frontier: Top Cow Teaser for SDCC 2010

Top Cow has provided BF with an image; only one image that is a secret till SDCC 2010, when an announcement will be made.

Source: Broken Frontier

Shock Till You Drop: Top Cow's Gory Teaser Art

Some horrific things are going to be unveiled by comic publisher Top Cow at this year's Comic-Con. Our reps wouldn't offer specifics, however, they did pass along this artwork which gives rise to a myriad of questions. More details to come...we hope!

Source: Shock Till You Drop

GeekWeek: Top Cow SDCC "We Create..." Sneak Peek

Our friends at Top Cow just tipped us off to some exciting things that they'll be unveiling at Comic Con next wee. They're keeping it pretty hush hush, but they've slipped us this exclusive piece of art. I guess we'll just have to wait until San Diego to see what it means.

Source: GeekWeek

Newsarama: Exclusive TOP COW SDCC Teaser for...What?

Top Cow just sent us this teaser ad for... something. We're not quite sure, as it was accompanied by no text other than assuring us all will be revealed at their panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2010.

The panel will be featured in room 9 from 1:30-2:30pm under the title Top Cow: “We Create” Multimedia, on Saturday, July 24th.

So, any guesses?

Source: Newsarama

CBR: Top Cow Teases CCI Announcements

Top Cow is being tight on the details, but they have provided CBR News an exclusive teaser for a new series that we'll learn more about during Comic-Con International during the publisher's panel on Saturday, July 24.

No further details were given.

Source: CBR

UGO: What's Top Cow Up To?

Comic-Con is just around the corner, and we're expecting a slew of surprises, including something big from Top Cow Productions.

How do we know? We were tipped off about some exciting things they'll be unveiling at Comic-Con. No details just yet, but we did receive this image. What could it be?

We'll find out next week at SDCC...

Source: UGO

Dread Central: Strange and Wondrous Things Brewing at Top Cow

Next weekend’s big dance called the San Diego Comic-Con is known for being home to lots of big surprises from any number of different companies. Such is the case with Top Cow, who has provided us with an exclusive piece of artwork that hints at things to come.

The company responsible for many different genre comics including Witchblade and The Darkness has gotten in touch to let us know that they have some really exciting things lined up for for the show, but as of right now they're staying pretty hush hush on the details.

Looks like we'll have to wait til San Diego to see what it means so if you'll be there, visit the Top Cow booth (#2629) and attend the Top Cow panel on Saturday, July 24th in Room 9. In the meantime dig on the artwork below, and be sure to visit the official Top Cow website for more.

Source: Dread Central

Comixology: What the hell is going on up there?

Find Out More at Comic-Con International Saturday, July 24th. 1:30pm in Panel Room 9.

Source: comiXology

Omnicomic: Top Cow Unveils San Diego Exclusives

What would a Comic-Con be without convention exclusives? Top Cow will have at least five of said exclusives at the show and most of them are of the wraparound variety.

First at the show will be the Artifacts #1 Wraparound San Diego Comic-Con Variant by Michael Broussard and Sunny Gho for $10. It features the writing of Ron Marz and interior art by Broussard alongside Rick Basaldua and Sal Regla on illustrations. In it, thirteen mystical Artifacts, including the Witchblade, the Darkness and others guide the fate of the Top Cow Universe. The issue starts the tale of their uniting to potentially bring Armageddon into the world.

Read about the other exclusives here.
Source: Omnicomic

CBR: The Heart Stone Beats on the Road to "Artifacts"

Matters of the heart are typically quite complicated. Matters of the Heart Stone, however, bring the word "complicated" to a whole new level.

The Heart Stone is one of thirteen deadly Artifacts scattered about the Top Cow Universe, taking its rightful place alongside others such as the Witchblade, the Darkness, the Angelus, the Rapture, the Spear of Destiny, the Glacier Stone, the Ember Stone, the Blood Sword, Pandora's Box and the Wheel of Shadows. While the true nature of the Heart Stone remains shrouded in mystery, its potential will be unlocked within the pages of "Artifacts," the upcoming 13-issue limited series from writer Ron Marz and a team of illustrators including Michael Broussard. CBR News spoke with Marz and Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik to learn more about the Heart Stone, its mysterious powers and its unidentified bearer.

Both Marz and Sablik acknowledged that the Heart Stone is "one of the more mysterious Artifacts," making the topic somewhat difficult to discuss in detail without spoiling major events of the "Artifacts" series itself. "While being a little bit veiled, the Heart Stone essentially lets you see to the heart of the matter and to the truth of who a person is at their core," Sablik told CBR.

Read the full article here.
Source: CBR

Comic Vine: Why Didn't Angelina Jolie Return for Wanted 2?

Had things gone as originally hoped for, WANTED 2 would be on the bill along with SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD at Universal’s SDCC panel next week (squeezing in with the host of other panels going on.) Director Timur Bekmambetov would probably be there with all the cast, talking about how they were going to start shooting the Millarworld sequel next month for a release later next year. That was the schedule that was floating around back when we were reporting on the starting and stopping of this project back in February. The last we heard of it was when TWILIGHT-star Kristen Stewart was rumored to step in as a new “hot chick” for the sequel.

Read the full coverage here.
Source: Comic Vine

Newsarama: PILOT SEASON Continues With A Toxic Hero in STELLAR

What do you do when you put Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri in the same room and tell them to get creative? You get this year’s Pilot Season books from Top Cow. This pair of creative titans – and Image partners – dreamt up the five one-shots that comprise this latest edition of Top Cow’s Pilot Season initiative, with Kirkman writing the script and enlisting a top-name artist to draw the story.

After the release of Murderer, Demonic and Stealth earlier this year, the penultimate title coming out is Stellar, now scheduled for a July 21, 2010 release. Illustrated by Bernard Chang, Stellar charts the tumultuous trajectory of a genetically-enhanced super-human who is exiled from Earth after finding out she’s toxic to the human race. After driving her four fellow test subjects insane, she’s banished from Earth and tries to find a life in the outer reaches of space – knowing that she can never return home.

Read the full interview here.
Source: Newsarama

Broken Frontier Exclusive: The Darkness/Darkchylde SDCC Exclusive

Top Cow showed BF an Exclusive today of The Darkness/Darkchylde/Witchblade: Kingdom of Pain one-shot comic book Variant Cover for San Diego Comic-Con 2010.

Source: Broken Frontier

Bleeding Cool Exclusive: Top Cow Hardcover Excl. at SDCC: Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer & Berserker

Here’s a first look at the San Diego exclusive Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer hardcover, followed by the San Diego exclusive Berserker hardcover from Top Cow.

Time to bring another wheelbarrow?

Source: Bleeding Cool

CBR: Top Cow Announces Comic-Con Plans

Top Cow Productions, Inc.’s race to Artifacts will include a stop at this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, the world’s biggest and most exciting popular convention, from July 22nd – 25th.

Top Cow will once again storm into the convention and set up shop at booth #2629. Among the goods to prepare attendees of CCI 2010 for the race to Artifacts will be exclusives, preview books, free goodies, variant comics and trade paperbacks, including free copies of Artifacts #0 as well as other comics, posters and bookmarks (while supplies last).

See the full press release here.
Source: CBR

Bleeding Cool: Top Cow to Debut Artifacts #1 at San Diego Comic Con

Top Cow’s big new launch of the year, Artifacts, by Ron Marz and Michael Broussard, will see its first issue debut at the San Diego Comic Con, before being released to shops the week after. The comic crosses over continuity from all the major Top Cow titles including Witchblade, The Darkness, Angelus and Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box.

The publisher will also have three San Diego Con variant covers, two limited edition hardcover volumes and a low-priced new anthology book.

Source: Bleeding Cool

CBR: Wheel of Shadows Spins The Road to "Artifacts"

Time is on your side, yes it is, if your name happens to be Sabine and you're in possession of the Wheel of Shadows.

An elite Angelus warrior, Sabine has significantly upped the ante on her power set thanks to her possession of the Wheel of Shadows, one of thirteen deadly Artifacts lurking about the Top Cow Universe alongside the Witchblade, the Darkness, the Angelus, the Rapture, the Spear of Destiny, the Glacier Stone, the Ember Stone, the Blood Sword and Pandora's Box. But in seeking out the Wheel of Shadows, has Sabine finally bitten off more than she can chew? Only time can tell, but time is running out as we inch ever closer to the debut of "Artifacts," the soon-to-launch 13-issue series written by Ron Marz and illustrated by a team of artists including Michael Broussard. CBR News spoke with Marz and Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik to learn more about the Wheel of Shadows, its current bearer Sabine and their mutual role in the continuing "Artifacts" saga.

Like most shiny objects with a beautiful golden trim and an alluring obsidian interior, the Wheel of Shadows is not to be treated lightly - especially considering that it was most recently seen hidden in the depths of Hell. As is the case with the rest of the Artifacts, the Wheel offers its wielder with a very specific set of skills: in this instance, time manipulation.

Read the full feature here.
Source: CBR

Newsarama: ARTIFACTS: Prologue 9: The Heart Stone

Part 9 features a new Artifact, which has yet to be seen, the Heart Stone.

Separately, 13 Artifacts guide the fate of the universe. Together, 13 Artifacts will end the universe.
This summer, Top Cow Productions, Inc. kicks off the 13-issue world shattering event series with Artifacts #1. The first chapter, presented by writer Ron Marz and artist Michael Broussard, marks the beginning of the path that will forever alter the course of the Top Cow Universe.

Reporting from the underbelly of New York for the weekly Twilight Alternative is Gretchen Fullmer, byline “Gretch.” She is the go-to-girl for late-breaking news if you believe in Angels, Demons, or Homicide Detectives who bear supernatural gauntlets. Her dedication to unearthing the news that the other scandal tabloids deem too fantastic and unbelievable for print keeps her in the know of the forces that truly guide this world.

There are 3 weeks remaining until Artifacts begins.

A Blackened Heart of Stone
By Gretch
Twilight Alternative Staff

There is an Artifact known as the Heart Stone. But the Heart Stone is not some corny plastic bead glued to a ring that you’d find in a cereal box. It won’t offer sloppy kisses to lovelorn teenagers wearing black nail polish or bring pink teddy bears stuffed with Chiclets to children in the Pediatric Leukemia ward at Sloan-Kettering. It won’t even inspire disaffected Gen-Xers to recycle via a thirty minute Saturday morning cartoon show. It is the key to reading the currency of our souls. But despite that vague power, what alarms me is that the Heart Stone seems to be the Artifact the CIA has most aggressively zeroed in on obtaining. The government spooks have guaranteed that the Heart Stone has the least amount of recorded – even rumored – information circulating about it.

Read the full article here.
Source: Newsarama

Newsarama's Best Shots Reviews Velocity #1

Velocity #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Kenneth Rocafort and Sunny Gho
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow Productions
Review by Erika D. Peterman
Click here for preview

Speedster Carin Taylor -- AKA Velocity -- will be familiar to Cyberforce fans, but you don’t need a primer to enjoy this spin-off on its own merits. Carin, a heroine with a quick wit to match her feet, tells readers everything they need to know early on: “I run fast.”

How fast? So fast that she’s been spotted in two places at once -- or at least so it seems. However, Velocity isn’t a Bionic Woman by choice, and she’d much rather watch old movies in peace than dodge gun-blasting robots. If this issue is any indication, she’s going to spend a lot of time doing the latter.

There’s a fine line between witty and snarky, but writer Ron Marz makes Velocity’s brand of sass endearing. Her assessment of “that whole vibrate your molecules thing” might not go over well with some hardcore Flash fans, but it is funny. She’s confident with hints of vulnerability, and most importantly, she keeps her cool when all hell breaks loose — even when confronted by the former Dr. Erasmus Paine, who is easily one of the most disgusting villains in comics.

Read the full review here.
Source: Newsarama

Newsarama's Best Shots Reviews The Darkness #85

The Darkness #85 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts): If you really want your dose of anti-hero, then you need to get this issue of The Darkness. The thing is probably the best about Top Cow is the level of accessibility to new readers. If you've just heard about the Darkness character through his video game or word of mouth and not sure what's a good jumping point, I'd say try this issue. Jackie is on a mission to destroy his nemesis', the Sovereign, bodies that he uses as hosts. So, Jackie ends up in Russia where he crosses paths with a former human trafficker that may not be as harmless as he appears. Phil Hester continues to deliver some great, gritty dialog worthy of even the big two's son-of-a-guns. Stealth artist Sheldon Mitchell joins the gang as the new ongoing artist and it's stellar. He has an angular style that is in the same vein as Sean Chen and in some aspects, Frank Quietly. Top Cow has really been on the ball lately and with Artifacts coming up, this is a book that I'm sure will have some great moments in it.

Source: Newsarama

CBR: The Darkness Turns #85

Jackie Estacado has a big year ahead of him.

As the bearer of The Darkness, Estacado is one of the most important figures within the Top Cow Universe, as evidenced by his central role in "Artifacts," the publisher's upcoming 13-issue limited series written by Ron Marz and illustrated by a team of artists including Michael Broussard. But his own adventures can't be discounted either, as "The Darkness" writer Phil Hester has plenty of dark designs ahead for Estacado as the character moves towards his milestone 100th issue. Before that, however, Jackie has to settle his score against the deadly Sovereign.

"The Sovereign is an immortal king from an impossibly ancient civilization who, as punishment for some act of hubris, was cursed to live forever in the idols made in his image during his reign. So, he's basically a ghost that can inhabit and animate statues of himself," Hester told CBR News of Jackie's current nemesis.

Read the full article here.
Source: CBR

Crave Online Reviews Angelus #4

Stjepan Sejic who uses his brush to create almost fine art paintings for each page once again supplies the art. The traditional sense of “panels” is gone here replaced with a more fluid but still effective sense of differentiating the action. I usually find this kind of art tedious, especially in comics, but for Angelus it works. I was especially impressed with Sejic’s use of color to bring out both the backgrounds and the emotions of the characters.

Naturally this all leading into the epic Artifacts story arc that will intertwine Angelus, Witchblade, Darkness and most of the supernatural Top Cow titles. Whatever the ultimate goal is, Angelus #4 does a solid job of setting up it’s own part of the tale through solid storytelling and great art. If you dig any of these titles then Angelus won’t let you down.


Read the full review here.
Source: craveonline.com

Drive Thru Comics Spotlights Berserker in This Week's Newsletter

What is happening to these men? They are Berserkers, descendants of an ancient Norse bloodline that grants them incredible, feral strength, a strength that comes at the direst of costs.

Read the full article here.
Source: comics.drivethrustuff.com

Rawnzilla Reviews Velocity #1

Kenneth Rocafort pencils Velocity with fast lines and a sketchy style that fits the tone of the book. He draws fast characters moving fast but he also tackles the talking head scenes with ease. Rocafort’s choice of big open panels helps to move the book along at an easy reading pace. I’m seriously not trying to make any puns about how fast I read Velocity.

Read the full review here.
Source: rawnzilla.com

Flames Rising Reviews Berserker #0

With Norse history and mythology as a base, BERSERKER explores the idea of seemingly normal, modern day human beings transforming into merciless killing machines, unable to stop themselves from destroying anyone in their vicinity. They have no knowledge of what’s happening as it occurs, but they are left to deal with the aftermath. Milo Ventimiglia of HEROES is attached to the project.
The covers by Dale Keown are eye-catching, and the plot is accentuated by the artwork of Jeremy Haun and colors by Dave McCaig. There’s a depth and chaos to the panels that works well for the subject matter, even though the color scheme is limited—which is a good thing because of the desert setting. When things go wrong, as the no doubt do in war, the artwork takes the events to another realm, bringing out the high-octane nature of the situations by using a stark contrast of minimal colors.

Read the full review here.
Source: flamesrising.com