Witch Doctor #1 from Skybound/Image Comics

reviewed by Simon Breeze

"It's a sick world - LITERALLY. The universe is a living thing, and the monsters of legend are its parasites. Earth's immune system - humanity - has been at war with supernature for all of history. But to fight a disease, you don't need soldiers. You need doctors.

Doctors like VINCENT MORROW, excommunicated from the medical community and headhunted into an exciting new career in the black arts. Marrow serves the world with both hands - one in magic, one in medicine - as Earth's protector. Earth's WITCH DOCTOR.

It's a sick world - HE'S HERE TO TREAT IT."

[Taken from the inside front cover of Issue #1 of Witch Doctor.]


I discovered Witch Doctor a few months back whilst scrolling through Image Comic's solicitations. There were several new titles solicited, but only two really jumped out at me instantly. One was 50 girls 50, and the other was Witch Doctor.

The cover alone leapt off of the web-page for me: the stark white background contrasted with the bright red logo and a quirky (in a good way) doctor listening intently to the heart of what looks like a clearly possessed man arched backwards on all fours dribbling oodles of green slime! A quick read of the synopsis, which from memory matched the quote from the inside cover, and I was sold!

Witch Doctor is a four issue mini series, and having just read issue #1, I can tell you before you read any further, that I am already planning to pick-up the whole series, and most likely a trade should it do so too.

This first issue, and one of the many things I like about, is that it is a self contained story. With a limited run of only four issues, I assumed that it would be a four-issue story-arc. Who wouldn't? However I'm happy to say that it isn't. The impression I am taking away from this fantastic first issue is that each one will be it's own story, each introducing elements of the Witch Doctor 'world' to the reader. This to me is great news! Because it means that we are going to get four stories and not just the one.

So what is this first issue about? As always, I'm going to do my best to 'skimp' on details to avoid spoiling things for anyone who is yet to read Witch Doctor.

The story starts by introducing the main characters via a case of a demonically possessed boy (think The Exorcist) who religion has failed to help. The Witch Doctor (much to the priest's annoyance) bursts onto the scene to help out, and here we get to meet the gang: a paramedic who is new to the role called Eric Gast; a very fascinating young girl called Penny; and of corse the Witch Doctor himself, Vincent Morrow.

The witch Doctor and his team take the boy into their care to find a cure for his demonic possession, and here is where we get a brilliant insight to the world of the Witch doctor as he goes about 'curing' the boy of his affliction. Not only do we get to see how the Witch Doctor works, however we also see how his world works. I must admit, it is all very convincing. One thing that I have always struggled with is supernatural stories. The believability, or suspension of disbelief, is always a hard sell to me, especially when it involves magic in a modern day setting. With Witch Doctor I had no problem at all, it all felt perfectly natural, even when its was at its most bonkers!

Witch Doctor worked brilliantly for me on many levels. The art and writing are spot on and compliment each other fantastically. The characters, as well as the world, are well conceived, convincing and intriguing. The story is a good one, with great dialogue, pacing and humor. Brandon Seifert states within the issue that Witch Doctor is influenced by '... bits of Hellboy and Hellblazer and House, M.D. and Planetary, '70s horror comics ... ... and the H.P. Lovecraft that blew my mind in high school' and you can really feel all of these influences within the comic.

As you can tell, I really-really enjoyed this comic. Witch Doctor is a very welcome breath of fresh air in my monthly comic subscription, and I am very much looking forward to the next three issues and what they might bring. Witch Doctor is also the very proud holder of the title of the only comic book to make my skin crawl too! With everything I have said, how can I not give this issue a demon splattering five out of five! Go pick up a copy now, you won't be disappointed.

Witch Doctor #1
Written and lettered by Brandon Seifert, art by Lukas Ketner, coloured by Sunny Gho
Published by SkyBound/Image Comics

Free Comic Book Day from Top Cow: The Darkness II: Confession

With Free Comic Book Day just over a month away there's news from Top Cow Publications of another great title that will be available on the day.

In conjunction with 2K Games and the Free Comic Book Day Committee Top Cow will be releasing The Darkness II: Confession, an exclusive comic tie-in prequel for the forthcoming The Darkness II video game.

The 32-page, full-colour comic will be based on a story created by Top Cow's Matt Hawkins and Filip Sablik, written by Filip Sablik, feature art by Artifacts team Michael Broussard and Sunny Gho, and a fantastic cover by Escape from Tomorrow favourite Matt Timson (Impaler, The Darkness).

2K Games Partners with Top Cow to Offer Fans The Darkness II: Confession
on Free Comic Book Day
Exclusive comic prequel to the upcoming supernatural horror video game
New York, NY – April 4, 2011 – 2K Games, Top Cow Productions, Inc., and the Free Comic Book Day Committee announced today that they have teamed up to produce The Darkness II: Confession, an exclusive comic tie-in for The Darkness™ II video game, for Free Comic Book Day. The 32-page, full-color comic will be a prequel to 2K Games’ upcoming video game, The Darkness II. Produced by Top Cow’s lead artists and writers in partnership with 2K Games, The Darkness II: Confession will be distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors to thousands of independent comic book stores worldwide on May 7, 2011.

“Top Cow has always supported Free Comic Book Day and this year we’ve created our best offering yet with The Darkness II: Confession, a prequel to the upcoming video game The Darkness II by 2K Games,” said self-proclaimed hardcore gamer and president of Top Cow, Matt Hawkins. “In working closely with 2K Games on the comic, we’ve ensured that everything fits into The Darkness’ canon for long-time and new fans of Jackie Estacado. This free comic is a perfect primer for the game.”

Since its inception in 2002, the Free Comic Book Day event has celebrated the original American comic book art form by supplying thousands of participating independent comic book specialty shops around the world with free comic books for fans. Top Cow has participated as a publisher since the beginning and has given out over half a million free comics through the event, including The Darkness which has appeared in a number of previous Free Comic Book Day offerings such as Artifacts #0, Broken Trinity #0 and First Born: Conception. This year, Top Cow is a Silver Sponsor of Free Comic Book Day 2011, The Darkness II: Confession will be based on a story created by Top Cow's Matt Hawkins and Filip Sablik, written by Filip Sablik (Pilot Season: Alibi, Last Mortal), feature art by Artifacts team Michael Broussard and Sunny Gho, and a cover by Matt Timson (Impaler, The Darkness).

The Darkness II: Confession introduces comic fans, video game fans, and new readers to Jackie Estacado, the bearer of The Darkness, an ancient primal force which acts a blessing and a curse for its bearer, allowing him access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons that dwell there. The Darkness II: Confession takes readers from Jackie’s origins in the first video game, through his rise to power, and the events leading up to The Darkness II.

The Darkness II video game breaks out of the sea of conventional first-person shooters with its fervid Quad-Wielding gameplay, which will allow players to slash, grab, and throw objects and enemies with their Demon Arms while simultaneously firing two weapons. The game is layered with the use of dark versus light, steeped in deep and twisted storytelling, and engulfed in stylistic violence that is visualized through a hand-painted graphic noir technique that stays true to its comic book origins.

The Darkness II: Confession and The Darkness II video game are based on the supernatural horror comic book series created by Top Cow. The Darkness II video game will be coming to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC in fall 2011. The Darkness II is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information on The Darkness II, please visit www.embracethedarkness.com. For more information on Free Comic Book Day, please visit: www.freecomicbookday.com. To find out more about Top Cow, please visit: www.topcow.com.

Third Printing for Artifacts #1

The news from Top Cow is that the first issue of Artifacts - written by Ron Marz with art from Michael Broussard, Rick Basaldua, Sal Regla and Sunny Gho - has again sold out ... which means the book is heading for a third printing - that's a first for a Top Cow book.

This third printing version of Artifacts #1 will feature this fantastic wraparound cover from the supremely talented Michael Broussard

(click on the image to enlarge)
If you've not picked up the issue so far and thought you'd missed your chance - think again! Furthermore, Top Cow have released the Artifacts zero issue, previously issued as part of the Free Comic Book Day promotion, in its entirety for online publication - head on over to Newsarama or CBR (amongst others).

I've posted many, many times in the past about my enjoyment of Top Cow's titles and one of the things I appreciate about their books - aside from great writing, superb art and sensible pricing - is the publishers willingness and drive to make their books available to as large a readership as possible, and here's another fantastic example of exactly what I mean.

If, like me, you're already a fan of the Top Cow Universe then you're probably already picking up this title. If you're not then there really has never been a better time to jump onboard.


TOP COW CELEBRATES A FIRST WITH ARTIFACTS
ARTIFACTS #1 GOES TO THIRD PRINTING

LOS ANGELES, Calif., August 31, 2010 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. is proud to announce that the first issue from their mega-event series, Artifacts, has sold out for a second time at Diamond and will head back to the printers for a third printing to meet demand, a first in Top Cow history.

The dynamic pairing of writer Ron Marz (Witchblade) with the art team of Michael Broussard (The Darkness), Rick Basaldua (The Darkness), Sal Regla (Magdalena) and Sunny Gho of IFS (Velocity) delivers one of the most accessible and engaging event series to date.

”The rapid sales velocity on Artifacts #1 has been incredibly gratifying and a testament to the fantastic work that the entire creative team of Ron Marz, Michael Broussard, Rick Basaldua, Sal Regla, and Sunny Gho have been doing,” commented Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik, “We’ve never gone to a third printing, but this is our biggest event to date and we want our retail partners to know that we are fully behind it.”

"Obviously I'm thrilled we're going go to a third printing of Artifacts #1,” said Marz. “Huge thanks to the readers and retailers for supporting the book. The most gratifying aspect to the whole thing is that a lot of new readers are trying out Artifacts, finding it absolutely accessible, and using it as their gateway into the Top Cow Universe."

Bringing together a number of plot threads from all over the Top Cow Universe the past few years, Top Cow’s first foray into a universe-tying event has been well-received across comic book and pop culture communities, including Comic Book Resources, Newsarama, Comic Vine, iFanboy, Techland, USA Today and many, many more taking notice.

Artifacts #1 3rd Printing, a 32-page full color comic book for $3.99, will be in stores September 22, 2010. The saga continues with Artifacts #2 arriving in stores the same day.