Official Press Release
WITCHBLADE/RED SONJA #1 IN-STORE FEBRUARY 2012!
DYNAMITE AND TOP COW’S COMPANY CROSS-OVER OF THE YEAR BEGINS HERE!
November 9, 2011, Runnemede, NJ – Join Dynamite Entertainment and Top Cow Productions as they bring two of comics most celebrated heroines together in one terrifying tale of loss and redemption with Witchblade/Red Sonja #1 coming to stores everywhere February 2012! Witchblade/Red Sonja is written by Doug Wagner and drawn by Cezar Razek, with covers by Alé Garza! In issue #1, Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, pursues a cannibalistic monstrosity into the heart of a dead, black mountain. Meanwhile, Sara Pezzini, modern day bearer of the Witchblade and NYPD Detective, investigates the ghastly death of a Catholic Priest.
“Let’s get this out of the way right now, this is NOT your typical crossover,” says writer Doug Wagner. “There’s no time traveling, no merging of universes, no soul swapping, and no messages in a bottle. The first issue won’t have the two heroes fighting against each other until they figure out who the real villain is. If that’s what you’re here for, you’ve come to the wrong place. WitchBlade/Red Sonja #1 is the beginning of a grisly trial for both characters. Red Sonja and Sara Pezzini are about to plummet into despair and hopelessness, both physically and emotionally. Their beliefs and courage will be tested, and it will take more than just either heroine brandishing their fabled weapons to overcome this threat. Humanity as they know it is at risk. And if one fails, they both fail.”
“Doug and Dynamite have really gone to great lengths to create an exciting, unique cross-over event between two of the most recognizable female leads in comics,” adds Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik. “It would have been easy to come up with some contrived way for these two heroines to meet, but Doug has crafted a story that remains true and taps into the rich mythos of both properties. I’m excited to read it!”
Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, has been an incredible success under the stewardship Dynamite Entertainment! Red Sonja is a fictional character, a high fantasy sword and sorcery heroine created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith, and loosely based on Red Sonya of Rogatino in Robert E. Howard’s 1934 short story “The Shadow of the Vulture”. She first appeared in the Marvel Comics book Conan the Barbarian #23 (February 1973). Red Sonja has become the archetypical example of the fantasy figure of a fierce and stunningly beautiful female barbarian who typically wears armor resembling a bikini or lingerie.
Witchblade is an American comic book series published by Top Cow Productions, an imprint of Image Comics, from 1995 until present. The series was created by Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri, editor David Wohl, writer Brian Haberlin, and artist Michael Turner. The series follows New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini, who is the bearer of the Witchblade, a mysterious artifact that takes the form of a deadly and powerful gauntlet. The Witchblade has been worn my countless women over the ages, including historic figures such as Cleopatra and Joan of Arc. Sara must try to control the Witchblade and learn its secrets, even as she investigates the city’s strangest, most supernatural crimes.
Doug Wagner is a writer based in Atlanta, Georgia, He got his start writing ULTRAFORCE for Malibu Comics and has worked for Image, DC/Wildstorm, Dark horse and 12 gauge comics.
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About Dynamite Entertainment:
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, Green Hornet, Vampirella, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, Game of Thrones and more!
In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and best selling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Michael Avon Oeming, Mel Rubi, Marc Guggenheim, Stephen Sadowski, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner and a host of up and coming new talent!
DYNAMITE is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles – including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger’s PROJECT SUPERPOWERS – have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. Several of their titles have also hit The New York Times Best-Sellers list: The Boys, Vampirella Archives, Robert Jordan’s New Spring and Wheel of Time graphic novels. In 2005 Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%). The company has also been nominated for several industry awards, including the prestigious Eisner Award.
About Top Cow Productions Inc.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.
