Witchblade #131 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer), and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: With the War of the Witchblades all wrapped up, I look forward to seeing where Ron Marz takes the series next. Will he dive right into another event or let the series go back to being about supernatural crime solving for a while? Time to find out.

The Story: Patrick Gleason and Sara Pezzini’s sister discuss Sara’s current situation while taking care of Hope. Meanwhile, Sara saves a child’s life and says goodbye to Dani.

What’s Good: Witchblade #131 serves as a great jump-on point for readers looking to check out the Witchblade series. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that it does gives readers a taste of pretty much everything the series offers. The conversation between Sara’s boyfriend and her sister that frames the entire issue is realistic, written well, and does a nice job of filling the reader in on everything that needs to be known about the state of the series going forward. In addition, the Sara Pezzini action scene does a nice job of giving readers a feel for what the series is like when it’s not focusing on an epic, universe altering event (which it seems like it has been doing more often than not as of late).

What’s Not So Good: While Witchblade #131 is a great jump-on point, it’s also a pretty boring read for series regulars. Nothing new happens, no real story seeds are planted, and the brief action scene is pretty tame and underwhelming for the most part. In addition, the flaws of Stjepan Sejic’s style are really noticeable considering that most panels are made up of little more than “a day in the life” type stuff. The characters occasionally look mannequin-like, some details look smudgy, and the action scene only has two notable panels. The artwork certainly doesn’t look bad, but it doesn’t have the “wow” factor Sejic’s work usually has.

Conclusion: There really isn’t anything more to say about the latest issue of Witchblade. As a place to jump on board, it works great. It just doesn’t have a whole lot to offer series regulars.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #130 (War of the Witchblades) – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Sjepan Sejic (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: A dead main character, a powerful artifact once again made whole…yep, the War of the Witchblades has definitely brought changes to the series.

The Story: The War of the Witchblades concludes…

What’s Good: While some parts of the War of the Witchblades arc felt a bit drawn out, Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic make every page of Witchblade #130 count. The script is tight, nearly every panel aides the storytelling in some way, and the changes promised breathe some new life into the Top Cow Universe. In short, as a conclusion to a “game-changing” storyline, Witchblade #130 delivers in a big way.

The biggest problem I’ve had with the recent direction of the Witchblade series is that too often individual issues lacked balance. A book was either the Ron Marz show (a slow read, loaded with exposition/dialogue/narration and maybe a montage for flavor) or the Stjepan Sejic show (a really pretty, but very fast, read). Witchblade #130 truly gives readers the best of both worlds. Ron Marz’s War comes to a satisfying close as some new story doors open up, while Stjepan Sejic is given enough epic action to really show off what he’s capable of. And let me tell you what… Stjepan Sejic is capable of a whole hell of a lot. From the dynamic panel layouts and shapes to the level of detail that’s on display, Witchblade #130 is one great-looking comic. It can definitely be a negative thing when a book is loaded with large panels, but Sejic makes the absolute most of every single bit of page space that he’s given.

What’s Not So Good: You know what tends to bother me? When a storyline feels like it wraps up in a way that’s almost too neat and tidy. While the War of the Witchblades’ ending satisfies, it also veers pretty far into ” clean, happy ending” territory that seems out of place considering how dark the overall arc is.
My only other complaint is a familiar one. Stjepan Sejic’s characters occasionally look plastic and doll-like due to the techniques that he uses. A bit more facial detail would really go a long way towards eliminating the plastic look in my opinion.

Conclusion: The latest issue of Witchblade looks great and brings a solid story to a satisfying close. Pick it up.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #129 (War of the Witchblades Chapter 5) – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: One big problem that I have with events is that once one gets rolling, I can’t help but think about what’s going to happen after it. Is the Witchblade going to become whole again? Is one of the main characters going to die (for real this time)? Is the event leading towards something much bigger? With the War of the Witchblades winding down, I have to imagine I’ll find an answer or two to the questions I have in Witchblade #129.

The Story: Dani confronts Sara with the intention of ending the War of the Witchblades. Meanwhile, the Angelus force hovers outside of Dani’s place, intently watching Finch.

What’s Good: Witchblade #129 is driven by the action that Ron Marz uses to shake the status quo of the series. The battle between Sara and Dani is intense, questions are answered, and the future of the Witchblade series is made a little bit more clear. In other words, the latest Witchblade delivers where it matters most with an event like The War of the Witchblades going on.

Artist Stjepan Sejic does his best work when there’s a lot of supernatural stuff going on. So, needless to say, Witchblade #129 is one hell of a good looking book. The dark and light Witchblade armor looks fantastic, Sara’s Darkness-powered bridge/lair thing is awesome, and a few pages of the fight between Sara and Dani are truly epic-looking (I’d mention my favorite image, but I don’t want to spoil anything).

What’s Not So Good: Since it’s so full of action, Witchblade #129 is an extremely fast read. Dialogue is a bit sparse and since large images dominate the book, the pages just fly by. The only other negative I can think of is that occasionally Stjepan’s characters look plastic, unnatural, and, in all honesty, a bit creepy. That’s a minor complaint about the artwork though, since most of the character work is quite good.

Conclusion: Witchblade #129 is a must read comic for fans of the series. It looks great, packs some nice surprises, and will leave you wanting more.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #128 (War of the Witchblades Chapter 4) – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: “The War of the Witchblades” event got quite a jolt from the last issue, thanks in part to the (possible) deaths of not one, but two main characters. While I’m sure that at least one of the Witchblade bearers will turn out to be at least somewhat ok, it all made for a very nice cliffhanger.

The Story: The Angelus warrior Sabine sees an opportunity to make the Witchblade whole again, but needs to manipulate Dani in order for the plan to work…

What’s Good: Let me just say this this section is going to look a bit misleading because I actually like Witchblade #128 quite a bit… Anyways, “The War of the Witchblades” continues to intrigue, thanks to the mystery surrounding some of the elements of the mythology that the story has introduced. Ron Marz is doing a nice job of crafting a memorable event and handling the characters; the latest chapter of the story reads rather well. And thanks to Stjepan Sejic’s unique painted style (the artist’s work is as strong as ever in Witchblade #128), the event is as compelling to look at as it is to read.

What’s Not So Good: The problem with the latest issue of Witchblade is that it doesn’t do a whole lot to move the Witchblade war forward. See the story summary above? That’s pretty much all that happens in the issue outside of the (now standard) mysterious old shop owner appearance. Sure it sets the stage for what looks to be a classic battle, but that doesn’t feel like enough when it seems like more could be happening. It’s always frustrating when a good event is bogged down by pacing issues.

Conclusion: I know that’s not much of a review written above, but there just isn’t a whole lot that needs to be said about Witchblade #128. On a technical level, it’s a pretty standard issue of a good series. What that means is that the book reads well and looks absolutely spectacular at times (the “to be continued” page is poster-worthy for sure). As part of an event though, the latest chapter of “The War of the Witchblades” is a bit weak because not enough happens to make Witchblade #128 as satisfying as it could be.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #127 (War of the Witchblades) – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The War of the Witchblades got off to a solid start. Now that the stage is finally set, it’s time for the War to truly begin. I for one, can’t wait to see what happens.

The Story: Tensions between Sara and Dani erupt into a battle between the light and the darkness.  Meanwhile, an Angelus warrior named Sabine looks for the opportune moment to make a claim for power…

What’s Good & What’s Not So Good: Thanks to both the artwork and the writing, the fight between Dani and Sara plays out really well in Witchblade #127.  Ron Marz’s “fight” dialogue is effective and Stjepan Sejic’s work (especially the “Dark Witchblade” design/powers) makes the battle between the Witchblade bearers something to remember.  I must also point out that the limited use of dialogue keeps the focus on the visual storytelling, the use of color, and the rather impressive panel layout which, this case, is a good thing.

The biggest negative about chapter three of War of the Witchblades is that occasionally Sejic’s artwork makes people look a bit…off. Dani in particular looks so computer generated in a few panels that it proves to be a distraction until the fight breaks out. It’s a fairly minor complaint, especially considering how nice the majority of the book looks, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.

Another complaint I have is the way the events in the issue escalate at a wild pace, especially considering the fact that a baby is caught up in the middle of the clash. While I like the concept of Sara losing control, she seems uncharacteristically mentally weak in a way that says “plot device” in a very quiet voice. Maybe more will be explained next month.

Conclusion: I wish I could say more about Witchblade #127, but I’m sort of at a loss for words.  It features an entertaining, well-executed fight scene and ends in a way that will leave fans begging for more. The dialogue is solid all around, the visuals look mostly great, and the storyline is playing out in a way that should please new and longtime fans alike.  If I said much more, I would be ruining the surprises of the issue, so just go pick it up if you are a fan of the series.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #126 (War of The Witchblades) – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: With the Witchblade artifact divided between two owners, it was only a matter of time before some sort of conflict emerged. That’s where the War of the Witchblades event comes in. The first chapter showed a break in the friendship between Witchblade owners Dani Baptiste and Sara Pezzini and then left things hanging with the introduction of a few new creepy characters. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

The Story: The War of the Witchblades heats up in what can best be described as an expository chapter. The situation with the Angelus is explained, as is the reason for Sara’s sudden mood swing. In addition, the issue sets the Witchblade conflict up in a very clear-cut manner.

What’s Good: For an information dump, the second chapter of War of the Witchblades is surprisingly entertaining. Ron Marz’s handling of Sara Pezzini manages to be both unsettling and, in short, quite funny. He also does a nice of laying out the basics of the Witchblade situation in a way that is simple, yet quite elegant. The story looks to be a classic showdown in many ways and, in short, it works quite well.

As for the artwork, Stjepan Sejic does a great job of presenting the cast in a way that visually represents the upcoming war. It’s clear as to which side a particular falls on and it definitely adds to the mythology of the story in some ways. And speaking of the mythology of the story, it really allows for Sejic to showcase his talent, making Witchblade #126 one good-looking book.

What’s Not So Good: Because I knew an issue heavy on exposition was going to drop sooner than later, I really only have one negative thing to say about the writing. It disappoints only because the overall plot doesn’t move forward a whole lot. Understandable in ways, but it still makes the issue as a whole feel less than satisfying. The artwork disappoints only in that a few facial inconsistencies pop up and occasionally Sejic’s work looks a bit too computer generated.

Conclusion: The latest Witchblade is a must read for fans looking to pick up the rest of the series event. While some of the exposition might feel a bit dull, it’s vital to the story and is coupled with some really nice visuals.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #123 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m honestly a bit worried about the latest issue of Witchblade. I’ve really enjoyed the supernatural murder mystery arc that’s been going on the last few issues, but I can’t shake the sinking feeling that the conclusion might end up being less than satisfying. And why is that? Because the big “January War ” (or will it be “March War” because of the delays?) storyline  that Top Cow has been hyping up is on the horizon. And it leaves me thinking that some of Witchblade #123‘s story might feel a bit rushed through just to make room for any set up that might be needed for the next arc. I hope I’m wrong, but I’ve definitely talked about Ron Marz rushing to conclusions before…

The Story: Sara Pezzini goes head to head with an entity known as Marinette, a strange and powerful voodoo spirit known as a “loa.” The battle reveals that there are forces at work possibly more powerful than the Witchblade and more sinister than the loa. Meanwhile, the journalist Gretch mulls over what to do with her photos of the Witchblade in action, considering that Sara saved her life. Also in the issue, Dani decides to confront the person responsible for the stress plaguing one of her students.

What’s Good: As it turns out, the latest Witchblade is about as far from a conclusion as you can possibly get, even if it does bring about a few satisfying plot resolutions. And that readers, is a good thing. I’ll tell you why. The storyline (and battle) involving the voodoo spirit is surprisingly engaging since it seems to only scratch the surface of the bigger plot being developed. In addition, the developments in Dani’s portion of the issue are somewhat surprising, given how she is usually relegated to second fiddle status. Couple that with some great visuals, courtesy of the always impressive Stjepan Sejic, and you have one heck of an entertaining issue of Witchblade that works well in service to both the present and future of the series.

What’s Not So Good: A few things bother me in Witchblade #123. The first thing is that Dani’s reaction at the end of the book seems a bit uncharacteristic, seeing as how she is usually written. While I wouldn’t be surprised to find that something else is going on in that plot thread, it feels somewhat odd for the time being. The second thing that bothers me is that Ron Marz seemed to push the engaging murder investigation by the wayside in order to make way for more action. Now don’t get me wrong, I always like seeing Sejic given time to shine, it just left me feeling as though things progressed at a pace that felt far too fast, considering how the story has been something of a slow burn up until this latest chapter.

Conclusion: I consider Witchblade #123 to be a very pleasant surprise. It managed to exceed my expectations while successfully sowing the seeds for the future in a very interesting way. I look forward to seeing what happens next. As such, consider Witchblade #123 to be well worth picking up.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #122 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Stejic (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: There is no question about it, Witchblade #122 is a bit overdue. It is understandable though, especially considering the work Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic did for the Broken Trinity event. The current Witchblade arc, if I recall correctly, got off to a promising start with a grisly murder, a nagging reporter named Gretch, and the appearance of a magic golem. I look forward to seeing what happens next now that the Witchblade ongoing series is back on track.

The Story: Sara Pezzini, with Gretch in tow, continues her investigation into the mysterious murder that took place within a Jewish community. As forensics turns up new surprising evidence that puts an unexpected twist on an already strange case. Sara begins to feel that the Witchblade might come in handy. Meanwhile, Dani Baptiste takes time to meet with a beautiful, troubled student looking for some help as she experiences a surprise of her own.

What’s Good: While a bit predictable, the latest issue of Witchblade does a great job of weaving a story for both Sara the cop and Sara the artifact bearer. On one hand, you have an intriguing police procedural tinged by the possibility of the paranormal (think X-Files meets C.S.I.). On the other, you have the story of a cop with the ability to go above and beyond the call of duty as only a hero can, dealing with some of the baggage that comes with the territory. Both work extremely well and continue to show how far the series has come under the direction of writer, Ron Marz.

Also good are the visuals but, chances are you already knew that. Stjepan Sejic’s work routinely make Witchblade one of the best looking books on the stands and this issue is no exception. There are a few full page images so exceptional I consider them to be worth the cover price alone.

What’s Not So Good: I find it surprising that the other Witchblade bearer, Dani, continues to play such a low key, second fiddle role to the overall plot. I understand this arc is more Sara-centric, but Dani’s segment almost feels like an afterthought. Sure, it is interesting enough to make me look forward to how she handles the situation, but I continue to feel like she should play a bigger role in the overall scheme of things. Also disappointing is the fact that the current arc is going to conclude in the next issue. I can’t help but worry about a rushed conclusion considering how the story has been told so far.

Conclusion: You really can’t go wrong with this one. It features fantastic artwork, a well-written paranormal police story, an interesting cliffhanger, and even a little bit of fan-service. Check it out.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity #3 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer), Stjepan Sejic (Art), and Phil Hester (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: In a market crowded by event books, I have found myself pleasantly surprised by Top Cow’s Broken Trinity crossover. It has proven that an epic, satisfying crossover event can be told in under six months and without dozens of tie-ins. That said, after reading Broken Trinity #2, I couldn’t help but feel that the story would have been better told in four parts as opposed to three. Everything about chapter two felt rushed, so I come into the “fatal conclusion” with my expectations a bit lower than they were, following the excellent Broken Trinity #1.

The Story: As it says on the cover, Broken Trinity #3 is all about bringing the Top Cow crossover to a “fatal conclusion.” The stakes have never been higher as the Witchblade bearer, the Darkness host, the Angelus, and the two new artifact bearers (Finn and Glori) battle it out in New York City. And for those of you wondering, the story actually makes good on the tagline’s promise, as a major player in the Top Cow universe is killed in this issue.

What’s Good: Broken Trinity #3 delivers in pretty much every way; especially with an action-packed conclusion to a crossover event. The artwork by Stjepan Sejic and Phil Hester is extremely impressive throughout the book and at times, simply stunning. It adds a weight and intensity to Ron Marz’s epic clash of powers. As for the story, it proves to be both a fitting conclusion and an interesting launching point for the future of the Top Cow universe.

What’s Not So Good: The nagging feeling that the event should have one more chapter never truly went away while reading it’s conclusion. There is a ton of information crammed in between all the fighting, and I can’t help but feel it could have been introduced in another way. Also, it is worth mentioning that it is clear which scenes gained the lion’s share of the artistic attention, an unfortunate trend in Stjepan Sejic’s work. That said, I can nearly forgive that complaint entirely, since even at its worst, the art is quite a bit more visually pleasing than almost anything else on the stands.

Conclusion: Consider this a must read if you have any interest at all in the future of the Top Cow universe. The battle is epic, the conclusion is indeed fatal, and the future is shown to be loaded with potential.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade #118 – Review

Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Sejic (Artist)

With Witchblade #118, the first arc of Ron Marz’s reboot comes full circle and I am happy to report that all signs are pointing to a successful run. While I have some complaints, I have no problem recommending this series for anyone looking for something outside of the superhero norm.

When I reviewed issue #117, which actually happened to be my writing debut with this website, I expressed concern that drawing on long passed continuity might alienate some readers who jumped on the series when a new direction was offered in Witchblade #116. Thankfully, this latest issue explains enough to keep the story rolling without forcing the reader to do any continuity research. What this issue has to offer is the introduction and history of a new threat to the Witchblade bearers, some nice action scenes, and closure to the mystery surrounding the religious murders being investigated by Sara Pezzini.

While a solid story overall, I couldn’t help but feel that things have been rushed. Everything works well enough, but I think I would have enjoyed this story more had it been allowed to build up through another issue or two. This issue packs a lot into a little over twenty pages and it suffers a bit as a result. We are introduced to a new threat, have a religious murder hanging over everything, a stolen Witchblade, and yet, surprisingly, all is seemingly resolved by the end of this issue. On top of all that, the last page shows the direction the next arc will take. I have no problem with resolving things quickly, but things wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste.

So I have some issues with the story, but, as a whole, the writing here is pretty tight. Marz does a nice job getting readers up to speed with the threat and his family ties, which could have easily come across as a convoluted mess of an explanation. Sara comes across as a suitably tough woman, though I wish the other Witchblade bearer, Dani, brought more than just self pity to the table. The villain represents a good use of continuity and he comes across as both threatening and ambitious. Special mention should be made of the dialogue as well, as it continues to be a strong point of this series. An exchange between the villain and the religious murderer in particular stands out as a good example of how to elevate a fight scene through the use of dialogue. This is good stuff for the most part, I just wish Marz would have given the story more room to breathe, building both tension and the epic conflict at hand.

As for the art, it is nearly perfect. I absolutely love what Stjepan Sejic is doing with this series as it gives Witchblade a very unique “feel”. Simply put, there is not another book out there that looks quite like this. If I have any complaint at all it’s that you can clearly tell which panels and scenes got the most time. The level of detail seems to vary throughout the book. While this inconsistency is most likely due to the need to hit a deadline, it is slightly distracting from time to time. One thing I must also note is the level of violence in this issue. There are some fairly disturbing images throughout, so I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. With that said, I’ll conclude my rundown of the artwork by saying that this is, a whole, an incredible looking book.

Witchblade #118 disappoints mainly because I expected more from this arc. The storyline seemed rich with opportunity for more depth and complexity, but instead, we get a fairly basic, far too tidy conclusion a bit too early. That said, solid writing and excellent, unique artwork still makes this a good read. On a side note, The teaser for the next arc has gotten me intrigued so I hope Marz gives it a bit more room to breathe. (Grade: C)

-Kyle Posluszny