Black Magick Volume 1 Awakening TP NM Greg Rucka Nicola Scott 1st print Image

Description

BLACK MAGICK VOL. 01: AWAKENING PART ONE SC (IMAGE COMICS)

PUBLISHER Image Comics
WRITER Greg Rucka
ARTIST Nicola Scott
COVER ARTIST Nicola Scott
128 pages
Full Color
Graphic Novel

Rowan Black is a detective with the Portsmouth PD… and a witch, two aspects of her life she has struggled to keep separate. Now someone is targeting Rowan, someone who knows her secrets and means to expose her… or worse.

Collects Black Magick #1-5.

This beautiful edition that puts one of the best writers of recent years, Greg Rucka, at the helm of this genre mishmash.

I’m a Rucka fan of his Daredevil run. He managed to deliver a well-built character living in Hell’s Kitchen, a canton of New York where his stories are set. From there I realized how much the author likes to place his characters in a specific location and build his relationship with the place little by little. And that’s what the author does in this first volume. At the end of the fifth chapter it seems that we know very well the character and some of its supporting members. Rucka manages to land Rowan Black in such a way that everything that is happening seems quite natural. Nothing is too fantastic, despite having a few touches of supernatural. I was very excited to know what’s next in the second volume.

Nicola Scott’s art is beautiful. Very expressive and detailed, she manages to deliver body and face shapes quite different from the ordinary. Rowan Black itself is quite different from the standard: rebellious hair, dark eyes and a pronounced cheekbone. Even though I don’t know so much about layout, I can see the difference between the types of characters Scott presents to us. Of course, what you readers will notice most is the black and white aesthetics of history. The artist uses a sepia effect that gives a noir impression to the narrative. I found the layout and the choice of colors beautiful. It really draws attention and is something decidedly unique in recent years.

Even in one edition, Rucka manages to present us very well with the character and his motivations. Rowan is not a bad-ass, but she is a firm woman with personality. Gradually, the author introduces us to the environments in which she lives: the police station and the coven. From the little I could see, Rowan seems to be a loner woman, much because of her secret. I think that in the next editions, Rucka should explore a little more the character of the protagonist (from what I know of his work). The environment in which the character lives is also important in the narrative of the author who likes to weave a plot to put the character in some environment.

The supernatural element is placed very subtly. Even though they’re witches, they don’t keep using magic left and right. There’s a whole ritual in the use of these powers. That is, in a single edition, we already know the practice and limitations. I thought it was cool the effect Scott gives when using some spell: these are the only colorization moments in the editing. So when something comes out more colorful in the book, the reader already knows that something great is happening. From what I can understand, magic has something to do with ancient myths. So it’s a full dish for those who enjoy these relationships, despite all the creative freedom taken by the author.

The narrative is very simple at this first moment. A simple story of stalking, of some kind of hidden enemy fixed on the character for some reason. World building interested me a lot because Rucka introduces mafia, church, demonic elements. This ends up creating a very rich world where stories can happen. I was a little upset by the gap of a year between the first and second edition that made me think that the author had abandoned the project. But it seems that Rucka has returned with everything, and the adventures of Rowan Black will continue. This is because this first volume served more to present the characters and some of the opponents of the protagonist. He left a cliffhanger at the end that blew my head off. For you who enjoy these kinds of stories, Black Magick is a very full dish. It seems to me that the rights to the series have been purchased and could become a series in a few years.

Greg Rucka & Nicola Scott’s “Black Magick” Is Being Adapted for Television
The hit Image Comics series is being developed as an hour-long drama by the producer of “The Illusionist.”

Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott’s hit Image Comics series “Black Magick” is being developed as an hour-long television drama by Michael London, producer of “The Illusionist.”

“We had a lot of attention and some very difficult choices to make when it came to finding Black Magick a home,” Rucka told The Hollywood Reporter. “Ultimately, Michael and Groundswell took the day with a passion and sincerity that certainly make Nic and I feel that Rowan is in very good hands.”

London is producing “Black Magick” through his Groundswell Productions banner, which is also responsible for Syfy’s “The Magicians” and Hulu’s “Chance.” The series is being envisioned either for cable or a television streaming service.

“Greg and Nicola have created an indelible small town character and put her at the center of a gripping mystery driven by a fresh take on the mythology of witchcraft,” London said of the property. “Our plan is to find a world-class creator who can realize their vision for series and then take it to the cable and streaming networks.”

“Black Magick” has quickly become a hot property, considering it only launched last year. The supernatural, gritty thriller follows Rowan Black, a robbery-homicide detective, who also happens to be the latest in a long line of witches. Drawn into an investigation that resurfaces her ties to witchcraft, Rowan is left no choice but to use her powers to save humanity.

978-1632156754

Collects Black Magick # 1-5. Near mint condition, 1st print.