BCP Joint Review – Revenge #1 (Image)

February 26, 2014

2–3 minutes

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jonathan Ross
Artist: Ian Churchill
Release Date: 26th February 2014

Another joint review for you, this time to avoid any potential face-peeling shennanigans between Gary and Christopher. Let’s see what they made of this latest Image release;

Christopher N Says..

When a comic starts off with a pretty brutal depiction of a man having his face peeled off, you know you’re in for a bit of a ride.

Decidedly NOT an all ages affair, this issue has some pretty gratuitous sex and violence as we set up the premise for the rest of the series.

I don’t want to give too much plot away but suffice to say that Revenge is the ideal title and you’ll get to see it all.

The artwork does a great job of putting across the seediness and the violence of what’s going on and the key panels really pop with more detail and emotive odour than is probably tasteful – which is exactly the idea.

It’s engaging in the way that a 70s slasher movie is, but just as formulaic so far, even if the visceral artwork keeps it ticking over. This could well turn out to be a top series, but it needs to throw us a curveball.

Rating: 3/5.

Gary Says…

Well let me just start off with… wow! For a opening issue, this first part of Revenge certainly sets up an interesting premise. The premise itself concerns a high-concept plot about a wife hoping to gain her husbands life and to leave him with nothing (not even his very identity). Thus, he sets out for Revenge.

It is an interesting concept and one that I felt was set up very well in this opening issue. I am left wanting to see how our main character will get his “Revenge”. It is also unashamedly graphic. We see lots of skin and lots of gore here, so it definitely isn’t for the faint hearted..

This is a murky world filled with glamorous (and at times gratuitous) characters but I was definitely hooked on it.

The art itself by Ian Churchill hit all the right spots in making the gore incredibly visceral during the brutal parts and in making the settings within the film industry look suitably ‘glossy’. We are also treated to Jonathan Ross’s penchant for having character’s physically based on well-known celebrities in this series as well. I mean, you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to spot Peter Dinklage’s likeness in this issue.

I am definitely looking forward to seeing how this series progresses.

Rating: 4/5.

INTERIOR ARTWORK PREVIEW
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