First reviews of the new year! Hello, 2012!

We're almost going on four years here at the Basement. It's still

American Vampire #22 Written by Scott Snyder Art by Rafael Albuquerque and Dave McCaig Lettering by Jared Fletcher Published by Vertigo Review by Lan Pitts 'Rama Rating: 9 out of 10 Twenty-two issues in and almost two years later, American Vampire is still one of my go-to books that I recommend to a person looking to get into reading comics, and this issue is a prime example on why that is. If you haven't been following the book since it came out, there's nothing to really stop you here. It's the beginning of a new arc, new characters, but adds to the mythos of what the American vampire really is. Here, we have Travis Kidd, a greaser-type nineteen-year-old that just happens to be quite adept at killing vampires. Of course his past comes to light and a certain vamp has wiped out his family and everyone he loves. Travis is a bit different from the slayers we've seen before. He's quick, agile, and a slight bit eccentric. He's a troubled youth, but his narration shows he is wise beyond his years. Set in the 1950s, which is almost where I thought a book like this would thrive as it was the beginning to American pop culture. There are some minor clichés here, but the set up is so clean, you can't help but root for Travis in the other three issues to come in the arc. Agent Hobbes sneaks in and his presence is the one thing that ties everything mostly together. There's no Pearl, Henry, Skinner or Felicia, but there doesn't need to be. Snyder has taken the concept of vampires here and taken them nationwide, and not just pigeonholed into any one part of the country. Everything in this issue feels self-contained and would be easy on a new reader's brain. Having Rafael Albuquerque back in the artistic driver's seat is like watching one of your favorite movies and falling back in love with it. While Jordi Bernet effectively did his thing and worked out some of the best visuals the book has had during its run, Albuquerque almost seems like he was born to recreate Smalltown, USA with a slice of macabre. His art has never been more kinetic here as the level to detail on everything from hot rod game of chicken to an old-fashioned rumble in a diner, nothing comes across as mundane. Dave McCaig's colors here with his usual pallet, but concentrates more on blues and purples, rather than the warmer choices he's more prolific with. It adds a certain layer of moodiness that fits right in Albuquerque's heavy shadows. With the original dream team that first made this book the hit it is back together, it makes you wonder how comics could get any more perfect. As mentioned, if you've heard all the buzz about this book but not sure where to start and intimidated by books in their double-digits, fear not. American Vampire #22 reads just as good and strong as it were a first issue. So hop in, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.

Witchblade #151 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 6 out of 10): Imagine you're going to see a sequel to a movie, and you're hyped. You loved the first one and even though there is a different director, you remain hopeful that the vision and characters stay intact. However, you notice that the characters you've cared about have a different voice and direction and it deviates from what you had expected, leaving you slightly deflated. That's how I felt after I put down Witchblade #151. Having molded Sara Pezzini and the Witchblade galaxy into something mature and intelligent for the past six or so years, Ron Marz has left the book, and in his place step up writer Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) and artist Diego Bernard (know from his work on Dynamite's The Man With No Name). I'll give it to Seeley, as he does play to his strengths with a throwback to the Michael Turner-era of Witchblade, but it felt very by the numbers. I think the first-person narrative is a bad idea; it's overwritten, and at times almost comes off as parody of hard-boiled narrative. The story's direction isn't bad, but it feels overcomplicated, like a completed puzzle that still has a few extra pieces. Bernard's art, though, is top notch. It's still weird to see Sara in this light again, but his attention to detail is strong and Sara's new world looks pretty good. I know it will probably take a while for Seeley to find Sara's groove, but this wasn't the first impression I had wanted.

Mid-May update. Reviews and interview, ahoy

Last Mortal #1 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts): When an opening scene for a comic is a man committing suicide, it really sets the stage for the rest of the issue. The story is told through the point of view of Alec King, a good for nothing hoodlum that takes a job with his friend, Brian, to assassinate a mayoral candidate, Robert Callahan. However, when the job gets botched, Brian is killed and Alec is on the run. Faced with the guilt of Brian's death, Alec tried to kill himself, only finding out he can't die. Written by John Mahoney and Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik, Last Mortal comes across as one part noir, and one part mystery. The black and white art by Thomas Nachlik, gives off an Alex Maleev vibe that seems fitting for the story. I liked the gritty, etchy look to it. The story itself has me intrigued, but sometimes the dialog felt a bit flat, but provided a proper set up that left me wanting to be around for the second helping.

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The past year and a half has not been kind to Daredevil, having been possessed by a demon and manipulated by the Hand in the Shadowland event, and turning away from his friends. Leaving Hell's Kitchen in the hands of the Black Panther and recovered, he is trying to find himself again, as a man and as a hero. Back in March, it was announced that Daredevil was slated for a relaunch in the summer. Little has been announced with what direction the title will take, besides having Matt Murdock getting back to his roots.

Along with contemporary legend Mark Waid, it was revealed that Paolo Rivera he would be part of the creative team with the relaunched title. Paolo Rivera has built quite the name for himself in the past few years. Having worked on numerous Marvel projects in the past (Mythos, Amazing Spider-Man, Fear Itself, The Twelve). Newsarama sat down with Rivera to talk about what lies ahead for Matt Murdock and what's like working on such a classic character.

Newsarama: You've worked on Spider-Man, produced some Daredevil covers, an original story Mythos that was published by Marvel, so who made the call to put you on Daredevil?

Paolo Rivera: That would be Steve Wacker. He was my editor since about 2007, we started working together on Mythos, and Amazing Spider-Man and he mentioned Daredevil to me about last year, but we weren't sure when everything was going to fall into place with everyone's schedules. As soon as he told, I said I was in. Just say when and where and I'll be there.

Nrama: On Andy Diggle's recent run on Daredevil, you did most of the covers. In this new volume, will you deviate from what you've done before?

Rivera: Well at least for the first three issues, the covers will be fully-painted as I usually do. As for the interiors, I will just be penciling while my dad will be inking, and I believe Javier Rodriguez on colors. As for the actual art work, I don't have a particular goal, except do what I normally do and try to make the best comic book I can. I've done some character sketches of Daredevil that I'm going to redesign, like his billy club, I also have a extra surprises in store that I was talking to Mark Waid about the other day and he seemed to like them...so I'll leave it at that.

Nrama: The other individual on the art team is Marcos Martin, what is it like collaborating with him?

Rivera: I've been a fan of his work since the first time I came across his stuff for The Oath. The second time I came across his stuff was on Amazing Spider-Man just before I started working on it myself. His issue with, what I think is, the Paperdoll, I saw that on the stands, thought that was a beautiful cover and he quickly became one of my favorite artists. So when Steve came to us and said it's going to be you two doing three issues on, three issues off it was perfect. I mean I couldn't ask for anything better. I love his work and it's a bit of some friendly competition [laughs].

Nrama: Were you always a big Daredevil fan growing up?

Rivera: I wasn't a huge Daredevil fan, but I slowly came around to him. I was a big fan of Joe Quesada and when I came across his "Guardian Devil" story with Kevin Smith, that is when I think that was the first book I ever read with Daredevil in the starring role. Other than that I haven't read that much, but I have read the big ones so to speak. "Man Without Fear" and "Born Again", with "Born Again" being the main thing when I think of Daredevil.

Nrama: Mark Waid has mentioned that Daredevil has gotten a little too dark and he wants to try and bring Matt out of the darkness a bit to have some old-fashioned Daredevil adventures. Do you think this direction will effect how you present your story artistically?

Rivera: I think automatically between me and Marcos we already sort of have a, I don't want to say "cartoony" feel-

Nrama: [laughs] I think "cartoony" is completely okay to say.

Rivera: [laughs] Good! We love cartoons and our styles are more conducive to the type of story we're going for. Steve knew that and knew what Mark's take on Daredevil was going to be. I mean, it's still going to have crime with a noir edge with him fighting the mob and drug dealers, in addition to that, we're going to have him fight supervillians, and major ones at that. You know what? Superheroes, too. In issue 2, he'll fight a major superhero as well. A famous one.

One of Mark's things is with Matt coming back to New York is that he needs to get past [Shadowland] and so he's just going through his life he needs to and whatever is necessary. However, not all of his friends and colleagues in New York are ready to let him do that. He did some pretty bad stuff and not everybody is ready to forgive him.

Nrama: Shadowland took Matt to a dark place, some say as far as he has ever been, which reflected in Billy Tan's style with the heavy inks and lots of shadows. How will your story differ from that?

Rivera: We're not going to do full left rudder here, just slightly in a different direction from where he is now, but still having the classic stuff in there as well. We're bringing Matt back to basics. You know, when talking to Mark and we want to make it our own book and at the same time, we don't want to completely change Daredevil. We just want make a solid book month after month. It's going to be the Daredevil you know and love, but it's also going to be our book.

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Starborn #6
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Khary Randolph, Matteo Scalera, and Mitch Gerads
Lettering by Ed Dukeshire
Published by BOOM! Studios
Review by Lan Pitts

I never thought I would see the words "Space Hitler" in a comic, yet here we are.

I've been feeling that Starborn has needed a little something plot-wise to really detour what has been almost the same thing in each issue, though I have been praising the pace that Roberson has had. I was more than just surprised as the story takes a slight dark turn here with the ambiguity of the Benjamin's quest. The issue primarily consists of Benjamin fighting off aliens and learning more about the oversuit's abilities, and what the symbol behind what he actually possess.

While Roberson may have hinted something isn't exactly benevolent about Benjamin's suit and gauntlet, Benjamin himself obviously has been fighting the good fight, at least in his mind. It adds another level of characterization to him as to see that even not knowing the full story, he wants to be the good guy. I guess the real challenge here is how the rest of the series will play out, now that Benjamin knows his family history and what his proclaimed destiny is all about.

Roberson sticks to his use of narrative that has been used since the beginning, but it's lessened since and I feel that's a good thing as we finally have a sense of who Benjamin is. Roberson has also set in motion another subplot with, what looks to be, an invasion angle on Earth. Khary Randolph and Matteo Scalera really dive into their full potential here and just all around solid. Randolph's angular style really heightens the fight scenes and goes perfectly with the alien technology. The panel layouts are strong and intense that really use different points of perspective, and he's really hit his stride. Mitch Gerads is another part of the equation here as he adds great depth to the background that adds so much to the environment. I love the use of warm colors and how he puts a little something extra here and there that makes the alien technology feel real.

Starborn started off reminding me of The Last Starfighter that is turning out more than what I think anybody thought it would be. Benjamin Warner and company have been a great cast thus far, and as I mentioned I'm curious on where this where lead next. For those who have been thinking it's been lacking action, give this issue a peep.

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Witchblade #144
Written by Ron Marz and Filip Sablik
Art by Stjepan Sejic and John Tyler Christopher
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

This issue takes a step back from the current Artifacts event and goes back in time to take a peek inside what it was like working with Sara Pezzini, via her old partner, Jake McCarthy's point of view.

This is actually a layered issue, with the main story featuring Lieutenant Phipps, the troublesome IA officer who has been looking into Sara for a while now, finally has access to Jake's lock box, which contains a detailed note explaining what it is like working with Sara, and the Witchblade. Considering this is Witchblade's 15th year anniversary, it's nice to see a bit of a refreshing course in Witchblade 101.

Jake's memo is sweet and enduring. He gives the impression that before she took the possession of the mystical gauntlet, she was still a kick-ass cop, who did not take any garbage from thugs, to her captain at the time. Which, let's face it, she's still the same person. I've often compared Sara at times to Vic Mackey from the Shield, only less corrupt. This issue had me reminiscing about the show and I found it on par with the tense drama of Sara's secret being found out, and the cliffhanger at the end.

Stjepan Sejic really rolls out the memories here. Even taking on her infamous red dress. The layouts are impressive, if a bit subdued, since this feels more like a one-shot, but still gives us a glimpse of the bigger picture. Sejic never really draws Sara and Jake's early years, so this was fun to see him do something a bit different.

The best thing about this issue is that Marz has crafted a great jumping on point. Sara's background is explained and a brief history of the Witchblade itself is mentioned. One thing holding it back, I feel, is the back up feature by Filip Salbik and John Tyler Christopher. It's a short story involving Sara's current boyfriend and partner, Patrick Gleason. I guess it's only relevant since the book covers Sara's former partners and it seems fair to talk about where she's from to where she's at. It just wasn't clear it was Gleason until his name was mentioned.

Witchblade #144 opens the doors for new fans with a sense of understanding of the world of Sara Pezzini, and at the same time gives them a story to follow up on. Sounds like a good anniversary gift to us fans.

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Courtney Crumrin Tales: The League of Ordinary Gentlemen
Written, illustrated and lettered by Ted Naifeh
Published by Oni Press
Review by Lan Pitts

It's been a while since we've seen a story from the world of Courtney Crumrin. Creator Ted Naifeh recently collaborated with Spiderwick Chronicles author Holly Black to create the young adult graphic novel series, Good Neighbors, he had a brief stint on the Teen Titans back up featuring the Black Alice, Traci 13, and Zach Zatara, as well as wrote another chapter to his series Polly and the Pirates. So needless to say, he's had a lot going on, and its good to see him return to this macabre world.

Like the previous installment of Courtney Crumrin Tales, this too, is a story involving a young Aloysius Crumrin's, Courtney's uncle, early years. This explores more of his relationship with Alice Crisp, as well a bit of the history of the town of Hillsborough. We see Aloysius, undercover for the Anti-Sorcery Society, working with Alice Crisp, who soon finds out his secret. We also see a bit more of Aloysius' heritage and how magic works in this world.

Naifeh's art is distinct and you can definitely see he his back to what he knows best. Scenes with elaborate gowns, and goth architecture. Characters who just seem and look out of this world. His use of facial expression is different from what I'm used to seeing from him in the past. Fans of the series, now almost a decade old, will enjoy a delightful cameo from a certain goblin.

I thoroughly enjoyed "League", as it added another chapter to a series, and explored a bit more of the world. Naifeh really hit his stride here, and was able to be a bit darker than earlier stories. Portrait of a Young Warlock, the previous issue to this story came out about six years ago, so new fans who are trying to jump on to this, might want to hold off. It's not necessary, but even the title comes from "Portrait," and they may want the whole story. I know I would.

The Devil and the Witch: Daredevil: Reborn #1 and Witchblade #141 two-for

Daredevil: Reborn #1 of 4
Written by Andy Diggle
Art by Davide Gianfelice and Matt Hollingsworth
Lettering by VC's Joe Caramagna
Cover by Jock
Published by Marvel Comics
Review by Lan Pitts


"Doesn't take a genius to figure this town has secrets, but it's not my problem. I can't help them. I can't help anybody." -- Matt Murdock


Matt Murdock is a man without a city. Possibly without a purpose, but trying to find one.


It's interesting to see Matt Murdock in a more "waffle house" sort of environment, and taken out of the urban jungle of Hell's Kitchen. It seems very en vogue to have super heroes on nomadic journeys of self-discovery, though, if anybody really needs a sabbatical, it's definitely Matt Murdock. The Shadowland event took its toll on Murdock's soul as he found himself fighting against other heroes and losing himself to the darkness that was the Hand. I guess after making myself the jerk of the year, I'd want to leave town as well. In the vein of the Incredible Hulk television series, we find Matt struggling with his past and figuring out the next move, like an author who just finished the last chapter of a long book, and has no clue what to write next.


Of course, even in a small backwards town, it doesn't take long for trouble to find Matt. After he takes a beating from a few white trash hoodlums, Matt figures something isn't right when even the police don't help him out and try to get him out of town. Being the detective that he is, Matt decides to investigates, and the shocking mystery about the town has just begun. When the police shrug off Murdock as not being a threat, they are in for quite the surprise.


Andy Diggle threw me for a loop in Shadowland, and in the worst way possible. I had enjoyed his run on the main Daredevil title, but for all the hype and my personal excitement invested, I was left, for a lack of a better word: bored. Boredom turned into complacency, and then borderline resentment. Daredevil: Reborn is another story. It's the Matt Murdock I enjoy reading. He's not Marvel's answer to Batman, he's not trying to be. He's not trying to be the hero he once was, but the man under the costume. Diggle provides the right words, and a great set up.


Now, I'm new to Davide Gianfelice's art, but I have to say, I am more than impressed. His line work lies somewhere between Cully Hamner and a hint of Scott Kolins and Chris Samnee. His figure construction is solid and use of facial expressions and body language complete the storytelling along with Diggle's dialog. Matt Hollingsworth rejoins the fray as colorist, and is in a class all by his own. The desert landscape seems barren and adds the depth of Murdock's solitude. Hollingsworth meshes with Gianfelice well as he doesn't step over his inks, and Gianfelice doesn't over ink the pages, giving Hollingsworth room to breathe.


We've seen "rebirths" before in comicdom. Some of them haven't been rebirths as much as they have been rehashing. Daredevil: Reborn (so far) seems like a restructuring of the character, and I'm not sure where this will lead. Black Panther may be the man without fear for the time being, but Matt Murdock will always be fearless.

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Witchblade #141
Written by Ron Marz and Saurav Mohapatra
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

Some children just have to have a good spanking to keep them inline. The Nuemann children, Monica and Tripp, has Sara Pezzini after them, and that's more startling than anything my parents threatened.

Last issue we found out the two Nuemann younglings have the power to create whatever Trip would put on paper into the real world. Unfortunately, Trip's imagination mainly concentrated on demonic beasts that would dismember unlucky doormen. When Sara and Gleason approached the children, they wasted almost no time in trying to get rid of them by creating a small horde of monsters.

From the start of the issue, it's an almost non-stop massacre of Sara just laying waste to these oragami-gone-wrong creations. The chemistry between her and Gleason is still in top form, even in the heat of battle. When Gleason pulls out his pistol, Sara quips, "Really, Gleason? That's going to help?" "Can't hurt, right?" The two eventually split up, with Sara handling the creatures and Gleason out to stop the children from making the situation worse. The resolution came to bit of an interesting twist, and works in the situation. Though I wonder what Ron Marz's thing is with demonic children, as there is one haunting around in Magdalena.

As is the usual scenario, Marz, with assistance from Saurav Mohapatra, and Stjepan Sejic deliver a great read that doesn't contain too much backstory to get bogged down in. Sejic really does a wonder on a two page splash and panel construction splitting up the adventure with Sara and Gleason's own confrontations. Sara's armor looks great and the monsters are incredibly rendered and come out horrific. I mean that in the best possible way.

"Paper Monsters" developed into a pretty good read, that I'm sure almost anybody can get into.

Review Haul

The Darkness: Four Horsemen #2
Written by David Hine
Art by Jeff Wamester, Jason Martin, and Felix Serrano
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

"I can feel it. The hunger, the rage, the burning fire of terminal disease running through my veins. The awful emptiness of death, opening a void in my soul...and the Darkness screams.

I guess I should make it clear that going into this, I was a bit weary. I am not David Hine's biggest fan. I found his recent arc on Detective Comics to be a bit stale. However, him taking Jackie Estacado's reins and running wild with them had me floored. Essentially, Jackie is up against the Biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who are re-interpreted as Hell's Angels biker types. Jackie isn't sure at first if these guys are the real deal, but soon gets a taste of their medicine.

The Darkness that is one of those characters that few writers "get", in my opinion. Either he sounds like the Punisher on steroids, or Batman possessed by Satan. He is neither of those things. He is a hitman who is cursed by his birthright. Hine gives Jackie the proper voice here, with a sarcastic tone in his voice, but somebody who understands that he is the embodiment of shadow. He comes across as the anti-hero he is billed as and not some demonic jerk.

Hine's dialog for the Horsemen is just as sharp as Jackie's. They play games with hostages and curse people randomly. The idea behind Famine, or Ronnie as his name is here, is interesting. Usually Famine is envisioned as a frail individual, but here he's loud, boisterous and quite rotund. The thing about Famine here is not that you are starved to death, it's that he controls your hunger and you never stop eating and you eat yourself to death. The imagery alone was something I wasn't expecting.

Speaking of imagery, Jeff Wamester soars on art. He handles the Darkness armor with precision and doesn't over-render the look or ruin it. It comes across as slick, but still gives the impression it offers protection. The Horsemen's designs are superb and they come across as a valid threat. How Wamester shows each of the Horsemen using their abilities is horrific and doesn't come across as pointless. The violence displayed is their big "hello, world, we've arrived" message to the population.

Darkness: Four Horsemen is one of those books where anything can happen. The Top Cow universe has seen apocalyptic scenario after the other, but can Jackie fight off the heralds of the end of the world by himself? I'm not the world's biggest Darkness follower, but this series has me hooked.

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Okko: The Cycle of Air #3 (Published by Archaia; Review by Lan Pitts): I went into this book blindly, knowing little to nothing about the franchise. As a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I knew I'd be drawn to something of this nature. Boy, was I right. While there's no way to tell what's been going on in previous installments and the book just sort of happens, but once it gets going, it gets going. Some parts of the dialog seem a bit forced and out of place. The villain of the story, the demon hunter Kubban Kiritsu, is the most fleshed-out by comparison. The art by Hub and Emmanual Michalak is absolutely gorgeous that flows wonderfully on the page. There's an intense battle scene that just moves as smooth as a Japanese ink brush and the colors are just dynamite. If you can find the other two previous installments, please do, because if you're anything like me who is enamored with oriental mysticism and Samurai history, you'll love this series.

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The Incredibles #14 (Published by BOOM! Studios; Review by Lan Pitts): If you aren't picking up this book for yourself, or for a young reader trying to get into comics, for SHAME! Landry Walker's snappy character work and dialog is pure aces. While there is typecast as a mere "kids" book, it packs a lot of punch. Ramanda Kamarga and Marcio Takara give us some amazing art, with a minimalist style that delivers time and time again. The visuals come across as crisp and clean as you can get and convey each of the characters' powers and abilities. A great book that is a mix of adventure, fun, and a hint of danger.

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The Green Hornet: The Golden Age Remastered #3 (Published by Dynamite Entertainment; Review by Lan Pitts): Color me enthusiastic on this novel idea. Take some old Green Hornet comics from the 40's, dust them off, re-master them and publish them for this and future generation to enjoy. The original art is intact, with the coloring spruced up. Four classic tales that anybody who is an old-school fan of the Green Hornet or somebody just getting into the character can easily enjoy. Any fan of old style pulp comics will surely get a kick out of this as well. The Fran Striker stories have never looked better.

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Vampirella #1 (Published by Dynamite; Review by Lan Pitts): Vampirella has one of those iconic comic book looks. Whether you know little or a lot about the character herself, her costume is easy recognizable. That being said, I guess Dynamite is in the business of pulling a Wondy and deviating from the popular bathing suit design to something a bit more contemporary, or as I like to say, TV-friendly. The thing about it though, is that the wardrobe change doesn't phase me in the slightest or hinder the story. Writer Eric Trautman (DC's Mighty Crusaders) gives Vampi here a Batman-like voice. Lots of inner dialog that moves the story along, while getting an idea of who this revamped (pun not intended) Vampirella is. The real star in this book is Wagner Reis. His panel layout reminded me of older Batman books and the George Perez era of DC. It's not crammed to the teeth with panels, and he keeps things interesting with great use of angles and such. I love the heavy inking in the book and the play with shadows. If you're looking for a flat-out origin story, don't look here. If you're looking for an entertaining read that's also pretty to look at, check out Vampirella #1.

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Magdalena #4 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts): It looks like Patience has gotten herself in one hell of a pickle yet again. While following the trail of the so-called Antichrist, Patience and Kristof are ambushed and tricked by demons, and the young Antichrist, Anton. Of course things get even worst for our heroine as her spear is taken from her. The cover for the next issue looks incredibly foreboding. It's no secret that Ron Marz wanted to get on this book the moment he got into Top Cow, and in his patience (pun intended) we are rewarded with one fine book. Nelson Blake II does an excellent job showing Magdalena's fighting skills while expressing her grace that I think a descendant of Christ would possess. Also, great detail on the architecture around Paris. Marz's style has always been show and not tell, there's not that much inner dialog as usual and you get a sense of realism with the characters with their vernacular. Top Cow just keeps churning out with these great titles and if you're checking them out, you are REALLY missing out.

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Witchblade #140
Written by Ron Marz and Saurav Mohapatra
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

"Come on, Gleason...like we didn't see this coming." -- Sara Pezzini, Witchblade

I'm sure it's been said that nothing is more powerful than an imagination of a child. Or something along those lines. However, it's hardly said that a child's imagination could form the horrors that Sara and Gleason end up facing in Witchblade #140. If you haven't been following the events of Artifacts, first of all, for shame, and second of all, no worries. This issue concentrates more on the standard operations of two of New York's finest solving unknown mysteries and dealing with strange occurrences. So you won't be left out of the dark when you pick this up.

The issue starts off pretty standard from what we've seen before: Sara and Gleason investigate a brutal crime scene of some nightmarish creature and nothing but question marks emerge. A night doorman was horribly slaughtered, which is found unusual since the part of town was quite lavish. Sara and Gleason have a viewing of the security camera footage and it's not pretty what they find. Eventually they take to door-to-door questioning and run into a pair of some very, very odd children. The children like to draw and Gleason finds a comparison of one of the children's pieces to the creature that slaughtered the doorman. Of course we find out the real origins of the creatures and the two detectives find themselves surrounded.

From beginning to end, it reads like a classic set up. I love the little winks and nudges to fans. The paper the doorman is reading has hints of Dragon Prince. Also, the children's art work were really done by children, including two of Marz's kids. Marz delivers more of the police side of Sara, and a bit of her humanity in a sincere moment in an elevator. While she admits it's not easy being her partner to Gleason, Marz shows that Sara needs him in her life. Stjepan Sejic conveys that emotion through his great use of facial expressions.

It is still a mystery to me on why Witchblade is not on everybody's pullbox. This is a good jumping point for new readers that have been curious about the buzz. It's engaging, accessable, and feeds that supernatural need that you might not be getting elsewhere.

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Starborn #1
Created by Stan Lee
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Khary Randolph and Mitch Gerads
Lettering by Ed Dukeshire
Covers by Gene Ha, Humberto Ramos, Khary Randolph, and Paul Rivoche
Published by BOOM! Studios
Review by Lan Pitts


Imagine The Last Starfighter, meets the Never Ending Story, and you get Starborn.

Benjamin Warner appears to be your average wannabe hard sci-fi author that just can't seem to catch a break. His first book was rejected as it was too close to an existing author's work he was unaware of. I can't even tell you how many times that has happened to me. Yet, he continues to strive and write and do his best to get noticed in the world of literature. When he gets rejected again, that's when story starts really coming into motion. Benjamin comes face to face with one of his own creations at work and one of his childhood friends comes to his aid, for she is not what she appears as well.

Immediately, the striking style of Khary Randolph will hit you Not quite Humberto Ramos or Eric Canete, but his art represents the best of what I love about both of those artists. The way the characters move across the page from the simple motion of checking the mail, to dodging a would-be knock out punch, it just comes at you. And fast. The character design for the aliens and other out-worldy creations look stunning and unique. Adding the colors of Mitch Gerads to it and it's kicked up to another level. The look to creatures' skins or the wonders of the majesty of outer space look tremendous. Seriously, a great combination.

The script itself hearkens back to classic Stan Lee stories of the everyman thrown into a not-so-everyday situation. Chris Roberson excels here as I can empathize with the character and has set up an intriguing story, that I hope get its time to tell.

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Rainbow in the Dark #1 and 2 (Published by KaBlam!; Review by Lan Pitts) Talk about a do-it-yourself project. Written, art, and lettering by indie sensations Comfort Love and Adam Withers comes another one of their unique tales that is a mix of fantasty, with Bohemian philosophies with a drop of Rainbow Brite. Donna White is your average teen, who lives in a normal world of black and white, that's not bad, or really exciting. That changes on her way to school when colorful creatures break through into her world, as well as even a more colorful band of freedom fighters that take rescue Donna and take her back to their world, full of feelings and emotions she hasn't felt before. Or dangers she's ever faced. At first readthrough, it feels a lot like the Wizard of Oz meets the forementioned Rainbow Brite. The character designs resemble rock and roll and rave fashions, and one of the characters even reminds me of Andre 3000 from OutKast. The story is intriguing enough to where I felt hooked and fell into the second issue where the world and the "Gloom" is explained. The dialog is thought out and sincere and the art truly fits the story being told. You might have seen this couple at numerous conventions across the country, and Rainbow in the Dark can be available online at their site, with .99 per issue. So if you're looking for something really different, I can easily recommend this title.

Artifacts #1

Artifacts #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Michael Broussard, Rick Basaldua, Sal Regla, and Sunny Gho
Letters by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts
Click here for preview

"...One of the thirteen. Listen to me. You must know this. Separately each artifact is an immense power. All have bearers, chosen by fate to carry those burdens." -- the Curator

This is it.

For months now, Top Cow has been giving us hints, teasers, and even a #0 issue that came out on Free Comic Book Day this year, and it's all lead to Artifacts #1, and by George, it is glorious.

Much like with most things he does with Top Cow, Ron Marz has made it accessible to new readers without them worrying about who's who and what's what. It's right there, in black in white. Well, not exactly black and white, but you get the gist. There is a character dossier, a two-page origin of the Witchblade (written by Marz and drawn by Marc Silvestri), and so much more. With all of that, you would never feel lost even in the slightest.

The story itself is dramatic and heavy. Then again, when you're dealing the notion of a possible apocalypse, it damn well better be. With a strong opening scene, new readers could grasp who Sara Pezzini is and what she is about. We already have some of the major characters in action: Sara Pezzini, the mysterious Curator, fallen priest Tom Judge, and android assassin Aphrodite IV, as well as a peek of the rest in a wonderful two-page spread displaying all the artifact bearers. All the while Marz's narrative keep steady and never overwhelming. It's a big first issue, but it doesn't feel heavy. It reads wonderfully and is quite effective in conveying the danger and emotion of the Top Cow universe.

The artist on board, Michael Broussard, definitely has a visually striking style. Sort of in the vein of Neal Adams with his cross-hatching and layouts. The inking duo of Basaldua and Regla keep the lines small, thus keeping Broussard's great level of detail intact and brings these characters and events to life.

With the Artifacts event being thirteen issues long, this is the most ambitious event for the Cow to date. I'd like to think such an event like this will make new believers out of fans who have dismissed this publisher as nothing more than soft-core porn. True, while it is more "adult" it's not anymore so than what you're seeing in the Big Two. If you've been curious about getting into Top Cow, I advice you consider this issue.

The Best Books of 2009, what to watch for in 2010

It was difficult as a reader and a reviewer to narrow down three choices for my "best of..." list, but I really think these were the books that really shined this past year and hope to continue to in 2010

Bronze: Witchblade

Talk about a series that has seen some highs and lows in the past decade. Once thought of just something pre-pubescent boys can drool on, Ron Marz has really put a new stamp on this book as easily one of the best. Supernatural hero, meshed with elements of a cop drama, with a lead character who is the mother of an infant makes for a great read with solid stories. Now, in 2009, there was "War of the Witchblades", with both bearers of the fabled gauntlet try to kill one another, with one almost succeeding. While artist Stjepan Sejic really soared with the best of them on some of the more horror/mystical elements, he stumbled here and there more often than not with the more quiet moments. Even with that minor hiccup, Witchblade is excellent and events coming in 2010, makes this a book not to be missed.

Silver: "Elegy" arc in Detective Comics

I know, I know. I did a 'Tec arc last year for the Silver Medal, but this book has just had great teams, and this year it went from already amazing to just down right the best "Bat" book on the shelves. Greg Rucka is nothing short of a great story-teller, but add his words to J. H. Williams' avant-garde style that echoes something out of Steranko-land, you've got one hell of a book. While the story of a bat-themed hero going after a pale-skinned villain might seem familiar, but Rucka and Williams wove something unique and different and set the bar for other super-hero books. You have my sympathies if you've been missing out on this one.

Gold: The Unwritten

Please tell me you've at least heard of this book. Now, I know the common concern is that most Vertigo books are so heavy and dense that it makes it difficult to just pick up a random issue and follow along. I can understand that, and this book is no different. However, what Mike Carey and Peter Gross have done here is just incredible and my favorite book of the past year. Unwritten is just so...just by itself and creative, it's hard to fathom that a lot of people are ignoring this work of art. The story is deep and rich with literary allegories, and is just damn smart. Let's see, it's the story of Tom Taylor, whose father was a prolific and famous children's book author best known for his Tommy Taylor series (think Harry Potter). Tom's father goes missing and it turns out Tom may actually be the boy wizard from the book series. With a Harry Potter-like character, you might think this is kid-friendly, well that's not exactly the case, just so you don't go running out and buy this for a young reader. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Sandman of this generation and my pick for best book of 2009.

What to watch for in 2010: Moon Knight
Yeah, I know he's not the center of any universe or anything like that. There's not a ton of MK merchandise out there or no Saturday morning cartoon (do they still even make those?). However, I've been having a blast reading "Vengeance of the Moon Knight", and there's been a slow build on Spector's lunacy (pun intended) and it's only a matter of time before he does finally snap, but if that moment comes, can he be find redemption? The weird thing is that the title of the book has the word vengeance in it, yet he hasn't really taken revenge out on anything yet, it's mainly his rogue's gallery going after him. Also, I just love what Hurwitz and Opena are doing and I'm just captivated by each page. Sure, there are some heavy events for all major companies lined up for next year, but I think this character will catch you by surprise.

double review! Moon Knight and Witchblade ahoy!

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #4
Written by Gregg Hurwitz
Art by Jerome Opena
Colors by Paul Mounts
Letters by VC's Joe Caramagna
Published by Marvel Comics
Review by Lan Pitts

"In ancient times, the Pharoah slew his enemies and cut out their hearts. He burned them on the altar -- a sacrifice to me. The Pharoah. And you? A mere avatar and you won't grant me a single heartbreak?" -- Khonshu

This is slowly becoming my favorite Marvel book on the shelves these days. I understand that some people just shrug Moon Knight off as a C-lister at best, or a wannabe Batman or a half-ass Daredevil. His history is a bit, shall we say, convoluted. His powers seem to change on a whim. Also, is he Marc Spector, or going by another alias? It can be confusing at times, but man oh man, this book is just stellar. Gregg Hurwitz has spun himself something great, and an interesting note on this issue is that there's not a lot of dialog, but it is heavy on the fast-paced action.

MK is outnumbered after Ravencroft asylum inmates have been basically made into a small army, and are used to drive him out. Needless to say it works and MK does his best to take down as many of the inmates as possible, even going to lengths with him using Frenchie to pilot his jet as a sort of broom to sweep up a huge gathering. Of course, he goes hand-to-hand eventually, all the while not killing a single one much to the devil on his shoulder Khonshu's chagrin. Though with some creative plotting, the villains actually get the upper hand, leaving MK defenseless for Round Two.

That's one of the main reasons this book is as great as it is. Hurwitz wants you to keep coming back. It's a simple formula, but works all the time. Like I mentioned, there's not a lot of dialog, Opena's art does most of the "talking", and it speaks volumes. This is surely one of the characters, books, and creative teams to look out for in the coming year. Hurwitz and Opena have given us four great issues so far with a great set up, and there's no doubt the pay off will be worth the wait.


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Witchblade #133
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Stjepan Sejic and Jeffrey Spokes
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

"My name's Sara. I'm a detective with the NYPD. But that doesn't really matter...I want to talk." -- Sara Pezzini

There's actually two stories going on in this issue. One being the resolution to the missing children from the previous issue, as well as a sort of "welcome back" for Aphrodite IV. As usual, Marz nails the dialog and brings subtle mystical elements to the story with an addition to a real-world problem. There's no intergalactic threat or demonic hellgate that will unleash an unholy terror...this time anyways, and the villain is not who you think at first. Much like the story of the "Three Billy Goats Gruff" there is a troll under the bridge, but Marz didn't take the usual route and the real monster is in plain sight.

Sara and her boyfriend/partner Patrick find the missing kids, and after a bit of a brawl with the troll, Sara learns his true purpose: to protect innocents. Sara is informed of a nearby child molester and things don't go too well for him. The conflict from the "War of the Witchblades" isn't mentioned, but I wonder how long Sara will walk this darker path, that almost has her taking on a more of a Vic Mackey persona. Of course, after that ordeal, we see a set up for events to come with a couple pages of Aphrodite IV.

Now, I've discussed before that Sejic has trouble handling quieter moments of the book, but grand slams things like trolls and the imagery of Hell. In this issue, you can see improvements in how he does with figure construction and facial expressions. I love what he did with the countryside scenery, and it's a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the New York cityscape he's done for a while.

This has been one of my consistently favorite books since I was reintroduced to the series earlier this year. With recaps at the beginning of each issue, it makes it easy to pick up and dive in. I say, take the plunge.

Top Cow talks about what lies ahead in 2010

At the beginning of this month, Ron Marz talked to Newsarama about the new mini-series coming out this week, Angelus, which showcases Dani Baptiste and the new direction her life is headed. However, Angelus is merely the start of a larger epic. Shipping in February, Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box tells the next chapter, centering around some familiar faces. Then comes the big event in April: Artifacts, which will take the Top Cow universe to a place it's never been before.


Newsarama talked to Top Cow scribe Ron Marz and publisher Filip Sablik to give us some insight on things to come with the upcoming events, starting with a quick sum up of Angelus:

"The story is definitely balanced between Dani's personal lilfe and her role as the Angelus. There's a lot going on in Dani's life during the series," said Marz. "She moves back to New Orleans, she has to sort out whether she's going to be in a relationship with another woman. And all of that is going on while she adjusts to her role as the Angelus, which includes a coup attempt by those who serve her, as well as a conflict with the Darkness, in the person of Jackie Estacado."

"One of the things Ron and I talked about when we were working on "War of the Witchblades" is that in a way, that story was the birth of a new hero in Dani becoming the Angelus," publisher Filip Salbik replied. "It was the origin story, if you will. In my mind, the Angelus limited series is Dani's 'Year One', the events that will define her as a hero and a character."

So, with that series in the works, Top Cow is about to unleash a new chapter in the "Broken Trinity" saga. Marz and Sablik explain it as something more than a standard Witchblade adventure.

"Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box is being written by Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill, who I like to think of as the "I Spy" team of the 21st century, except without the tennis pro cover," Marz joked. "It's very much set in the real world, like a globe-hopping big-budget action movie. It continues the stories of Finn and Glori, the characters we introduced in the "Broken Trinity" event I wrote last year. So Finn, who can become a frost giant, and Glori, who can transform into a dragon, are the fantasy elements, but they're placed in the real world. I think that's a really intriguing contrast."

Sablik went on to saying, "Yeah, I would describe Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box as more of a globe-hopping big-budget action movie. In tone and spirit, it takes inspiration from things like "Alias", "Indiana Jones", "James Bond", and "Tomb Raider". There are certainly supernatural, mystical elements to the series but it fills a very different space than Witchblade and The Darkness.


Marz explains that Artifacts was first talked about two years ago, and has been on the horizon for a while, but they're getting down to the nitty-gritty. "Issue #1 will be out in July, which sounds like it's far away, but it's really right around the corner in terms of publishing."

One of the big questions was about readers being able to understand the full story of Artifacts if they decide not to read Angelus or Pandora's Box. Marz has stated that Artifacts won't be like most crossovers where there are 3 dozen threads or anything like that, so Artifacts will be self-contained.

"Yeah, Artifacts will be a ground-floor read. Noobs will get everything they need to know within the story. So if someone is not reading Angelus or Broken Trinity, or heaven forbid even Witchblade and The Darkness, the story in Artifacts will still be completely accessible," said Marz. "The story is going to very literally redefine the Top Cow Universe, so part of my job early on is to establish who's who and what's what in the Top Cow Universe. You have to show the readers what's at stake in order for them to care."

"That's definitely one of the key things Ron and I talked about very early on when we began discussing the structure of Artifacts. We really want to make this the kind of event that if you've never read a Top Cow title, but you've been curious, you can walk into our biggest storyline to date and immediately be immersed," Sablik added. "It will hopefully make you want to go back and read the issues of Witchblade or The Darkness or other series that led into it, but it won't be necessary to understand what's going on in the series. My favorite part of the story Ron has come up with is that it has a very human element at its core. Even if you care nothing about the large Universe ramifications with the Artifacts, I think you'll be able to enjoy the journey the main characters go on."

Now, Top Cow has been around for a while now, but never has done this sort of "ultimate crossover event" and marketing this event is no easy task. "I've been amassing blackmail photos of all of the top one thousand direct market retailers for the last 3 years and it's finally time to make use of them. I'm kidding, of course," Sablik jokes. "We are going to be putting the full weight of our marketing behind this event series. You can actually already see teaser ads our monthly comics in the last month or two. The main thing will be building the excitement over the course of the next six months, releasing little bits of information a little bit at a time without spoiling the story. One of the other things we'll be doing is building towards the series in titles like Witchblade and The Darkness as well as limited series like Angelus and Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box. All of this hopefully will crescendo into a fever pitch around Comic-Con next year.


He goes on to say, "It is the must read title for 2010 in Top Cow. And I think I can say it's a must read for us because we've never done something like this before. And of course, there are difficulties in trying to pull something like this off."

Though, Sablik is confident in his team. "Fortunately, we have Ron Marz at the helm. Not only does he have experience in world building and writing sweeping epics like this, but he's also been the driving writing force in the Top Cow Universe for the last five years or so. We have other writers like Phil Hester, Rob Levin, and Bryan Edward Hill essentially acting as support for Ron and these are guys that Ron knows and already has relationships with. Marc Silvestri is providing his insight as well and adding to the big ideas at play here."

Sablik feels comfortable moving foward with this project for numerous reasons, but one stands out, "This isn't something we're doing because we need to fix continuity problems or capitalize on a trend. This story is a natural outgrowth of where the story of the Top Cow Universe has been going. It has evolved from the stories that Ron and Phil and others have been telling."

Witchblade #128 review

Witchblade #128
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow

In Part 4 of War of the Witchblades we don't get another showdown between Sara Pezzini and Dani Baptiste. No, this more like the calm before the storm. When we left off, it looked as though Sara had been skewed by the Angelus Sabine, but of course the Witchblade has healing properties and Sara is brought back from certain death, if not still a bit psychotic. To make things worse, Dani has formed a sort of truce/alliance with Sabine and her companions. I'm forseeing some pretty big throw-downs in future issues to come.

The issue has some strong story points and great dialogue. It starts off with Sara's sister Julie getting out of prison and waiting for Sara, who of course never shows and she can't wonder why. Little does she know she has just been impaled and thought dead by fierce Angelus warriors. With Sara dying and Dani unconscious, the Angelus nab them and plan on taking the Balance, aka the Witchblade. All seems pretty smooth until Sara's boyfriend Patrick Gleason shows up and gives a clean headshot to one of the warriors. Gleason attempts to threaten them more, but the Angelus quickly get the ball back in their court by telling Gleason he can only take one wielder, while the other stays with them. Gleason of course chooses the woman he loves, and the Angelus take Dani off. Once the Angelus departs, Gleason wastes no time trying to resuscitate Sara. When she revives, all she can think about is getting the other half of the Witchblade. She is cruel to Gleason and abandons both him and her daughter to go find Dani and restore the Witchblade that she thinks is rightfully hers.

Meanwhile, Dani wakes up and she finds herself surrounded by the Angelus. They lie about why she is there and they assume the role of saviors, explaining if they had not been there Dani would have been killed by the possessed Sara. Dani tells them to stay out of the way of Sara and herself since this is their war. Sabine gives her word that she and her warriors will do so, unless it looks as though Dani would need any assistance. Yeah. Right. People should know by now, just because the Angelus look like "the good guys" does not mean they are.

Cut to the Curator and him receiving an unlikely visitor, Tua'ma. Apparently they are brothers, but we really don't know the full extent or what that really entails. The Curator tells Tua'ma that he will not stop him this time from doing what he feels must be done. Sort of mysterious happenings going on, but the art is especially strong in the last few pages. There are a lot of hints and possibly foreshadowing going on in this issue and it has a lot of steam and build-up. If you haven't picked up this arc yet, give it a try. It's self-contained to the Witchblade universe, so no worries about having to buy a plethora of books, and it is a solid read. Ron Marz is creating a slow burn with this issue that has tons of dialogue that I'm sure will have an explosive conclusion.

Witchblade #127 review

Witchblade #127
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Letters by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow

Conflict is inevitable. Here we have a continuing installment of the ongoing saga "War of the Witchblades." Last we learned, aspiring dancer Dani Baptiste (daughter of Sara's police captain) has the light half, while Sara Pezzini wields the dark half, possessed by an entity known as Tau'ma (pronounced TOWW-MA). The issue opens up with a man praying to God for help, however Sabine (one of the Angelus) shows up and toys with the man's faith, for mere amusement no less. She is quickly informed that Sara is alone and without the "aid" of Tau'ma. So Sabine and her cronies fly out looking for Sara.

Meanwhile, back at Sara's apartment, Dani uses her key to get in and finds Sara's boyfriend/partner Patrick Gleason waking up on a recliner. After a quick "hi/how are ya," they discuss Sara and how she's changed and how they're both worried. Dani tells Patrick that the Curator told her that she has to take the Witchblade from Sara. That's pretty direct coming from a guy who speaks in riddles. Just as Dani goes to check up on Hope, Sara walks in.

*cue dramatic music*

Right off the bat, there's something. . . off about Sara. She's short with Patrick, she can't remember where she was last night, she's even ruder to Dani. Hell, even her baby daughter knows something is wrong as she wails when Sara snatches her from Dani. Then, Dani tries to talk to Sara and explain that there is definitely something wrong and the only way to fix it is for Sara to give her the rest of the Witchblade. Needless to say, Sara isn't having any of that. She lunges at Dani out the window and the two bearers have a brief skirmish. Sara, goes on rants of hate and violence, while Dani is trying to calm Sara down and assure her that something is terribly wrong. It ends on a pretty good cliffhanger, but I won't give away the details.

Ron Marz continues to hammer out solid story with great pacing and flow. Stjepan Sejic's art has grown on me since I was first introduced to it. The detail from the Angelus' armor to Sara and Dani's Face/Off pose, it's all pretty immaculate. I was really impressed with the fast pace of the fight scene at the end. There is one minor hiccup with the paneling structure, but nothing to take you out of the story, it just may have you scratching your head. This issue is nearly flawless and gets the ball seriously rolling with this arc.

Witchblade Annual 2009.

Witchblade Annual 2009
Written by Jay Faerber
Pencils by Eric Basaldua
Inks by Rick Basaldua, Dulce Brassea, and Alix Minjarez
Colors by John Starr
Published by Top Cow

After a bit of a delay Top Cow's Witchblade Annual 2009 is hitting comic store shelves this week. Though Sara Pezzini and her magical gauntlet has been around for about 15 years, I was surprised to know that this is their first annual. The almost 40 page issue is actually two stories, one a backup story about Ian Nottingham and his new cell mate, written by Joshua Cozine and Joe Henderson and penciled by Sheldon Mitchell.

The primary story has Sara and her partner/boyfriend Patrick Gleason chasing after beautiful women who suddenly have psychotic breakdowns and killing random people. After they catch the first murderer, who tries to severe Sara's arm off with a meat cleaver, she is taken into custody and questioned. She can remember her name, but not the events of the past few hours, so that takes care of the total amnesia theory.

Later, while Sara and Gleason are discussing the case, a fellow officer congratulates them and compares the girl they brought in to a girl he caught. At one table over, another officer says something similar about a gorgeous young woman bashing in some random guy's head in. And doesn't remember it.

Sara uses her detective skills which leads herself and Gleason to an unusual place: a plastic surgeon's office. Later, there is a scene that I don't think you would see on nip/tuck (then again, knowing that show, I wouldn't put it past the writers). I liked this issue for a plethora of reasons. Namely, how the readers get to see Sara as a detective, which echoes perfectly what Ron Marz has been doing on the title.

There is plenty of dialogue and Eric "Ebas" Basaldua could have turned a "talking heads" book into something bland, but he nailed the panel construction magnificently. The angles are exciting and doesn't make one feel they're looking at just boxes on a page. There is some action in the issue, but it's mainly at the end.

Fans of the series will no doubt want to grab this when it hits stores Wednesday.

War of the Witchblade Begins Now.

Witchblade #125
From: Top Cow
Writer: Ron Marz
Art: Stjepan Sejic
Covers: Chris Bachalo, Stjepan Sejic

For more than a year now, the Witchblade has been split between two bearers, NYPD Detective Sara Pezzini and aspiring dancer/Police Captain's daughter Danielle Baptiste. They have coexisted peacefully, becoming almost like sisters, however Witchblade #125 is the beginning of the end. Starting with this issue, the six-part “War of the Witchblades” arc will change Sara, Dani and the Witchblade forever. Sara has been Dani’s friend and mentor, but now she becomes her bitter enemy. By the end of the storyline, only one bearer will remain.

Once again, I am floored with Sejic's art style. His attention to detail and overall presentation is just immaculate. Ron Marz's run on Witchblade continues to be one of my favorite run in comics and this upcoming arc looks to be one of the big events of the year. If you haven't been reading, this is a good place to start to see what you've been missing. There's even a sort of "Previously in Witchblade" note that catches you up on things. More comics today desperately need things like that.

Though I have to advise you, readers. There is not a whole lot of action and fighting scenes going on in this one, but the set up has been planted. There is a lot going on though: Sarah visits her sister in jail, Dani may have had an epiphany, and Patrick Gleason is trying to figure out his place in all of this. Oh, and of course the Angelus and the Curator are around to do their mystical business.

There is also a backup story written by Rob Levin and art by Marco Castellio which serves more of a quasi-backstory for Patrick's Character. Though it only leaves more questions and more mysteries to be solved. That's a good thing, trust me. Witchblade #125 hits stores on March 18th.

Witchblade #121..."Crown Heights" begins.

Witchblade #121
Story by Ron Marz
Art and Cover by Stjepan Sejic
Published by Top Cow

This issue kick starts the three-part "Crown Heights" storyline, in which partial Witchblade wielder(Dani Baptiste, the other half-wielder, is missing in this issue)/NYC Detective Sara Pezzini enters the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn to get to the bottom of some mysterious and gruesome deaths. Sara is also being followed by a mischievous reporter, who is close in finding her proof and revealing Sara's secret to the world. Though after a brief encounter, Sara investigates a nearby house and notices the door cracked open. Inside the women discover, what appears to be, a golem.

Stjepan Sejic is slowly becoming one of my favorite artists. The way how he works panels is almost like film direction. There are some panels that don't have any words or sound effects, but you hear the eeks and creaks of the alleyway. You can feel the steam from the shower and hear the water running full blast. His attention to detail make this issue all more the enjoyable. There's a sense of "being there" when he adds little things like reflections on the car windshields and his use of light is incredible. My only question is, when did Sara start looking like Denise Richards?

Ron Marz continues his legacy as modern master. Honestly, there is not a lot of action or fast-paced fighting in this issue. Though, Marz works his magic to build a story that is character-driven and captivating. The exquisite words and stellar art mesh well to start this event. Marz even treads on somewhat controversial matter with the Jewish and African-America communities and contempt they have for one another. I haven't picked up a Witchblade comic since the hype in the late 90's, though Marz's story-telling brought me back to Top Cow, and Sara just seems more intellegent and realistic since he took over. I'm intrigued to where Marz and Sejic will take this and if it's any indication from this first issue, I cannot wait.