Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • James Bond - The Timothy Dalton Phase

      Daniel Gehen
      May 2, 2015
      Columns, HaphazardStuff’s Superhero Film Series
    Recent
    • Revisiting the Witchblade/Fathom/Tomb Raider Crossover

      Daniel Gehen
      February 8, 2021
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • The Full Run: Hickman's 'Infinity' #6 and 'New Avengers' #12

      Daniel Gehen
      October 12, 2015
      Columns, Marvel Comics, The Full Run
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: 6 Most Expensive Comic Books April 2021 Update

      nguyen ly
      April 17, 2021
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      January 22, 2021
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • 3.5

      Review: 'Trashed' Provides a Clear Look at a Filthy Problem

      Daniel Gehen
      November 25, 2015
      Indie, Reviews
    Recent
    • 4.0

      Review: Beast Wars #2 another chance to change the past

      Stephen Cook
      March 3, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 3.5

      ADVANCE REVIEW: The Strain #2

      Daniel Gehen
      January 10, 2012
      Reviews
    Recent
    • Singles Going Steady – Vowels, Who Needs Them?

      Daniel Gehen
      March 8, 2021
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Charles Soule: If You Want It, Then You Can Get It

      Daniel Gehen
      June 14, 2012
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Classic Comics Cavlcade: Neil Gaiman's 'Death: the High Cost of Living'

      Daniel Gehen
      June 26, 2015
      Classic Comics Cavalcade, Columns
    Recent
    • VISITOR is the Quintessential “SPIRIT” Story

      Daniel Gehen
      March 26, 2021
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
      Image, Indie, News, Press Release
    Recent
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • 'The Art of Fantasy, Sci-fi and Steampunk' is a Lush, Beautiful History of Fantasy Art

      Daniel Gehen
      May 23, 2018
      Books, Reviews
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Collecting Profile: 6 Most Expensive Comic Books April 2021 Update
  • Collecting Profile: Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Collecting Profile: 1990 Marvel Universe Trading Cards
  • Collecting Profile: Red Sonja
  • Collecting Profile: Dr. Doom
  • VISITOR is the Quintessential “SPIRIT” Story
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Big Two

Review: RAVENCROFT #1 Deserves Solitary Confinement

Daniel Gehen
January 29, 2020
Big Two, Big Two Reviews, Marvel Comics, Reviews

Marvel Comics

(w) Frank Tieri (a) Angel Unzueta (c) Rachelle Rosenberg & Dono Sanchez-Almara

If you could point to one weak spot in Marvel’s catalog, it would be the horror genre. Sure, there are a couple of characters that dip their toes into it, like Blade or Morbius, but overall the Marvel Universe just does not lend itself to that genre. However, with The Immortal Hulk’s foray into body horror as well as the surprisingly quality storytelling of the Absolute Carnage event, it would seem that the industry’s biggest publisher would try their hand at a genre that, to be frank, several publishers do much better. However, Ravencroft #1 proves that when it comes to things that go bump in the night, Marvel is probably the last place to go.

As a character drama, Ravencroft does a decent job shining a light on its two leads, Misty Knight and John Jameson. The creative team must be commended for giving these two – normally bit-players in Marvel’s books – a chance to try and carry a title. Frank Tieri finds both of their voices right away, making them familiar for longtime readers and allowing new reader to understand them from the get-go. Ditto for artist Angel Unzueta, who uses their body language to not only convey how they typically are, but also how they may be feeling in a given moment. This extends to the expressive faces, which enables readers to engage with the two emotionally. Unfortunately, this is where the praise ends.

If Marvel’s marketing team hadn’t billed Ravencroft as some sort of haunted house horror title, it’d be easy to chalk this issue up as a success. Or at the very least, it’d be seen as an average book. However, the solicitation uses language like this: 

But will Ravencroft return the mentally unstable villains of the Marvel Universe to upstanding citizens and give John the redemption he’s looking for, or will they fall prey to the hospital’s seemingly sinister nature?

That sinister nature ends up being the Kingpin. Yes, Wilson Fisk is a great character, but to make him the driving force of conflict is a rather uninspired choice. Tieri and Unzueta do include a brief snippet featuring some creepy monsters lurking in the vents and underneath Ravencroft, and they really should have been the focus of the issue. Perhaps they’ll pay a bigger role in coming issues, but don’t hold your breath.

Visually, Ravencroft appears too sterile and clean cut, a far cry from intimidating visage of the institute’s exterior. On a couple occasions, the art team show flashes of the building looking more like DC’s Arkham Asylum, but those moments are fleeting between pages of high-tech computer rooms, television monitors, gray and silver board rooms, and brightly lit cell-blocks. Ravencroft is almost a complete visual disappointment. Again, there is a bit of visual dynamism in those few glimpses of the horrific monsters lurking in Ravencroft’s underbelly, but it is too little to make this book anything other than bland.

Ravencroft #1 is a disappointment for readers looking for a bit of horror from the House of Ideas. Sadly, there is nothing spooky about this book beyond a fantastic (and deceptive) cover. The use of Kingpin – who is already well saturated in Marvel’s books – leaves readers wanting more. When you consider that their distinguished competition has an imprint (Hill House) and subimprint (Sandman Universe) dedicated to the genre, and that even Archie Comics is able to put out effective horror books, it makes Ravencroft’s shortcomings maddening.

Review: RAVENCROFT #1 Deserves Solitary Confinement
2.0Overall Score

Angel UnzuetaFrank TieriRavencroft

Share On:
Tweet
Image Goes Berserk in April With LUDOCRATS
Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

About The Author

Daniel Gehen
Editor-in-Chief

Dan was introduced to the 1960s Batman show at a young age, which developed into a lifelong passion for comics. When he's not grinding out his day job, he can be found reading about Scarlet Speedsters, Web-Heads, or Sagas just about anywhere. If it's good he'll read it. If it's bad... there's a chance he still might read it.

Related Posts

  • What Looks Good for the Week of January 29, 2020

    Daniel Gehen
    January 27, 2020
  • Exclusive Marvel Preview: “Black Knight” #2

    Michael Bettendorf
    December 3, 2015

Support Us!

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Friends of the Site

  • SOLRAD
  • Your Chicken Enemy
  • Psycho Drive-In
  • Women Write About Comics
  • The Beat
  • Loser City
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders