Revival #23
Story By: Tim Seeley
Art By: Mike Norton
Cover By: Jenny Frison
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: JUN140567
Published: August 27, 2014
Dana gets dangerously close to the killer stalking black market organ thieves in NYC. Ibrahaim gets even closer to the terrible origins of the scarred hitman.
Revival #22
Story By: Tim Seeley
Art By: Mike Norton
Cover By: Jenny Frison
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: MAY140723
Published: July 23, 2014
Dana gets dangerously close to the killer stalking black market organ thieves in NYC. Ibrahaim gets even closer to the terrible origins of the scarred hitman.
Image teases what’s to come in Revival!
“This is no act of God. This is an act of man.”
– Don to Lester Majak
Just when you thought Revival couldn’t get any stranger, the creators go and up the creepiness factor by a magnitude of ten. Revival #21 has become my new favorite issue of the series (I know, I say that every time, but it’s hard not to). It has also become one of my favorite reads overall due to the creators consistently making imaginative and amazing stories with that rural noir feel.
Our main protagonist, Dana Cypress, is headed to Manhattan, at the behest of the FBI, to investigate a ‘reviver’ related murder. This is the first time Dana has ever left Wausau, Wisconsin and it opens up the storyline as we get deeper into the mythology surrounding the revivers. Currently in the middle of the fourth story-arc, Revival feels just as fresh now as it has ever been. Tim Seeley constantly dials up the creep factory with his eerie talking heads and outrageously awesome stories that Dana and the citizens of Wausau go through. Keeping the arcs new and daring in style is what readers enjoy most about this comic and it appears Seeley has done just that with every issue.
The element of the book that I notice immediately are the illustrations that bring you right into this world of the revived dead. Mike Norton‘s crisp lines are what make Wausau come alive, so to speak, adding that extra dimension every great comic book needs. Coupled with colors by Mark Englert and the art in Revival is worth your $2.99 all on its own. Each and every page is truly a masterpiece and it this kind of art and these illustrations that make people glad to be comic book fans.
I recently went to social media to express my enthusiasm for comic book related TV shows. Nothing against ABC’s Resurrection or A&E’s, soon to be aired, The Returned, but what audiences everywhere would certainly love is ten or thirteen episode seasons of Revival. All three shows have a similar premise (the dead returning to their original human, not zombie-like, state), but Revival does it in a way that makes each character relatable and each story something you can’t wait to find out what happens next. Plus, I already have an idea who would play each character.
Revival #21 has it all. Great art and an equally incredible story that makes you want more when you’re done. That is what a comic book should be. It should make you want more when you finish that last page. And I can’t wait for issue #22.
Spoilers below for Revival #21
Thoughts and Discussion
– The translation for what the man in the green hat on page one is -“It is as they say ‘the gods hear only one wish at a time, and nothing more’ ”
– Why did the talking head spontaneously go up in flames?
– The translation for what the talking head says is – “Not for me! I never steal! Please!” then “This is all…”. I’m not sure what “Oh Dollar Oh” means that it kept repeating.
– What is the meaning behind Martha’s dream sequence with the dear?
– What is the identity of the burned man Dr. Ramin goes to visit in the beginning of the issue? And what was with the story and business card Tom gives to Dr. Ramin at the Medical Examiner’s Office? Very strange stuff.
– What does Dana think she saw at the end of the issue?
Thank you for checking out my Review! Please comment below so we can discuss the issue more!
Story: Tim Seeley Art: Mike Norton Colors: Mark Englert Cover: Jenny Frison
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy
Revival #20
Story By: Tim Seeley
Art By: Mike Norton
Cover By: Jenny Frison
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: FEB140625
Published: May 7, 2014
Dana sends Ibrahaim after an elusive prey. Em makes a new friend who shares her passion for pain and guilt.
I’ve been waiting for this to happen, but Humble Bundle and Image comics have teamed up for a new offering and promotion that’ll last two weeks. For those unfamiliar with Humble Bundle, customers name their price, splitting the proceeds as they choose between various possibilities, usually including Humble Bundle, the publisher participating, and a charity. This offering will benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. That means customers could give all the money to the CBLDF, to Image, or to Humble Bundle, or split it any way they choose. Usually, for those giving a higher than average amount, they also unlock other giveaways.
You can name your price for the following:
For those who pay more than average, you’ll also receive:
If you pay $15 or more you also get:
Not only do you get to help a great organization through this, but you get a hell of a lot of comics. Humble Bundle has raised $37 million for 20 different charities and non-profits, since it launched in 2010.
Revival #19
Written By: Tim Seeley
Art By: Mike Norton
Cover By: Jenny Frison
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: JAN140612
Published: April 2, 2014
Edmund Holt is up to something. Dana and her son Coop are having issues about the thing in the woods. Lester is having issues with the thing in the woods. And Em, left alone, is looking for new ways to feel something…anything…
“He (Dana’s Dad) said I was the best daughter I could be. Now I just had to be the best big sister I could be”
– Dana
Revival #19 began its fourth arc with issue #18 and things that were thought of as secret are coming back to haunt Dana and her Reviver sister Martha Cypress. Martha has become somewhat of a vigilante since we met her in the first issue of this dark graphic noir. We know little about the Revivers, but enough to figure out some of their motives. We know that Revivers heal quickly and can survive most forms of death even. Em uses this ‘superpower’ to her advantage to right wrongs and protect herself and, most importantly, her family. The second arc ended with Em killing the Check Brothers, who were selling Reviver organs on the black market, to protect Cooper and her family. She thought her problem was buried, literally, but now the FBI is in town and they are asking questions.
We begin this month’s story with Lester Majak heartbroken over the disappearance of Chuck, his beloved dog. We last saw Chuck marching along with his master with one of the ghosts close by. Sulking over his cup of tea, Lester looks up to find Chuck on his back porch mumbling in the same manner we’ve seen the ghosts do in many scenes. Chuck falls over and the ghost, along with blood, erupts from within Chuck and into Lester for a moment. Lester than throws it up, but not before he has visions of running along with Chuck and what appeared to be baby squirrels next to a lake. This was strange to me and didn’t make much sense, but I’m hoping we will get an explanation later on. Like I said, we don’t know much about the ghosts or the Revivers, just enough to help us figure out some scenes.
The story continues with Ed Holt and Wayne going at it again with the Sheriff giving Ed trouble whenever he can. One of the interesting things that I love about the way Seeley tells this story is how each arc begins with very broad stories that tie together nicely issues later when the arc is coming to a close. It is very well written and should be one of the myriad of reasons to pick up this book. Wayne gives Ed a ticket for taking a crap in the woods and, of course, Ed uses it to wipe his butt to show that he can’t be pushed around. The last panel shows us the beginning of a new part of the story with men underground digging a tunnel. That’s all the information we get at this point and probably the reason for Ed watching over this area in the first place when Sheriff Wayne approaches.
The primary story this month is Dana and her continuing struggle to locate her sister, Em’s, murderer. The reason I chose that quote at the top is because It pretty much spells out the entire story for us. Dana has been trying to be a better big sister to Martha and searching for her killer is how she plans on achieving that. Dana tells Ibrahim about her sister’s situation and he reluctantly decides to help her and keep it a secret. Dana, a police officer, has not told anyone, including her dad, about her sister being a Reviver or the fact she was murdered. That puts Ibrahim into a sticky predicament, but he decides to help Dana anyway.
My favorite scene was when Dana pulled over May Tao, the reporter, for drunk driving. May knows that Martha killed the Check Brothers, but chose not to report it because Martha helped her at one point. May uses this information to get out of the drunk driving ticket by covertly blackmailing Dana. The issue ends with Dana and her father, Sheriff Wayne Cypress, in the mayor’s office when two FBI agents tell her they would like to speak to her about the Check Brothers.
This issue was good and the art by Mike Norton always impresses. His crisp lines and facial expressions put us right in the middle of this little town and what each character is going through. Em meets a new and interesting friend in Rhodey, the skateboarding Jesus and I can’t wait to learn more about this new Reviver. This is one of my favorite books and I love the noir feel it gives off. The story gets better with each arc the cliffhangers always make you yearn for the next release. I wonder how much the FBI knows and what questions they could possibly have for Dana. Can Dana help Martha avoid the FBI’s scrutiny? This will definitely give her the opportunity to be the better big sister that she was hoping for.
Thoughts and Questions
– What was the tunnel for that Ed Holt was watching over? Where was it going to?
– How much does the FBI know about the Check Brothers disappearance? Do they think Martha was involved?
– Why did the ghost enter Chuck and then Lester? What is their purpose? Why did they kill Chuck? And what were the visions about that Lester saw?
Thank you for checking out my Review! Please comment below so we can discuss the issue more!
Story: Tim Seeley Art: Mike Norton Colors: Mark Englert Cover: Jenny Frison
Story: 8.5 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Read
Revival #18
Story By: Tim Seeley
Art By: Mike Norton
Cover By: Jenny Frison
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: DEC130589
Published: March 5, 2014
While Dana is obsessed with discovering the identity of the masked Reviver who attacked her, her family is falling apart. And just what has escaped Reviver Anders Hine been up?
John Layman and Rob Guillory, the minds behind Chew, and Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, the architects of the gothic noir Revival, come together to whip up an appetizing fusion of their New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed series for two issues stuffed with adventure in a Chew/Revival cross-over from Image Comics.
Readers will find out what’s on the menu for Tony Chu when he heads into rural Wisconsin—where the dead don’t stay at rest and the living do their best to cope—in Chew/Revival #1.
In a release, Layman said:
In my head I’ve got a checklist of all my favorite books I want Chew to crossover with, if for no other reason than it gives me an opportunity to visit a world that isn’t mine, that I’d nonetheless like to play in. Revival is a the top of the list, and I’m stoked I’ve got the opportunity to send Tony Chu to visit. It’s a fun opportunity to check out both books for less than a single issue of each.
Norton in the release added:
When John [Layman] proposed the idea, I told Tim [Seeley], ‘no way. That will never work. After a while I thought about it and went back to Tim and said, ‘yeah, no way, that will never work!’ But then, I thought even more on it. I think the way we’re doing it is reminiscent of when indie books of the ’80s would cross companies and appear in each book even though you’d never expect those universes to collide. It’s just a matter of loosening up and having some fun.
Seeley added:
Chew showed us all that there was a place for quality off-kilter series, and we’re excited to have the cast of our ‘rural noir’ meet up with America’s favorite cibopath. I think we’ve figured out a great way to take advantage of the ‘WHAT THE HELL’ factor of crossing over two very different worlds that’ll make for a great read.
Guillory finished with:
Honestly, even I was shocked how well the two titles gelled together. It’s a really, really fun experiment that will surprise fans of both books, I think.
Perfect for fans of Chew and Revival who are hungry to try something new and a good taste-test for readers new to either series, Chew/Revival has something for everyone.
Chew/Revival #1 is served in stores on 5/28, and will be available for $4.99. It can be pre-ordered using Diamond Code MAR140497.
