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

The Darkness #80 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer & Artist), Andre Parks (Inks), and Sakti Yuwono, Arif Prianto, and Admira Wijaya of IFS (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The last issue of The Darkness brought the familiar “team building” storyline to the series. And you know what? It worked really well. I look forward to seeing Jackie’s team in action now that everyone has been introduced.

The Story: Jackie’s got interest in some swampy land. Unfortunately for him, the Sovereign has some business interests in the same area. Oh yea, and there’s an ancient bog monster in the swamp that both may have to deal with in some way.

What’s Good: It’s not often that I get to review a comic that’s both written and drawn by the same person. It can’t be an easy task and I give all the credit in the world to Phil Hester for taking on the challenge. The Darkness #80 proves that he was definitely up to the task.

The first chapter of “Bog” has all the trappings of a classic swamp monster story. There’s shady businessmen, a reluctant lady who knows of the areas secret, and a likeable rogue that isn’t going to be dissuaded from getting what he wants. Hester’s story is simple, effective, and just plain entertaining. It’s also got personality to spare (though some of it is delivered in a heavy-handed way) and that goes a long way towards making up for how odd the story feels following The Darkness #79. But I’ll get to that in a bit.

Hester’s artwork in the latest issue of The Darkness is solid and gets the job done. It’s stylish and delivers in the areas that matter the most. While a few panels look a little awkward, for the most part the action’s exciting, the storytelling compliments the dialogue, and the color work/heavy inking keeps things clear and uncluttered.

What’s Not So Good: This may sound something like a nitpick, but, simply put, “Bog” is a strange way to follow up the team building stuff that’s taken place over the last few issues of The Darkness. It’s particularly strange considering that “Bog” sort of seems like a filler story that could almost be told at any point in the series. Yeah, the Sovereign character is involved so you could argue there’s some sort of storytelling window “Bog” must take place in, but the monster comes first and foremost. Jackie Estacado’s people seem to completely disappear in The Darkness #80 and it leaves me wondering why Hester didn’t decide to let the team establish itself more first before moving ahead with the “Bog” arc.

Conclusion: It isn’t perfect, but you really can’t go wrong with The Darkness #80. If you like The Darkness, monster stories, and entertaining dialogue, be sure to pick it up.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Rest Of The Stack

Superman: Secret Origin #1

Geoff Johns (Writer), Gary Frank (Pencils), Jon Sibal (Inks)

The Good and the Bad: Superman: Secret Origin is a near perfect “jump-on point” for those who haven’t picked up a Superman book in a long time. In this new mini-series Geoff Johns and Gary Frank don’t offer us a mere summary of how Superman came to be, instead they give us a funny and moving coming-of-age story of a small town boy that transitions from adolescent to a young man aware of his capabilities. However, since this is a story about Superman after all, Johns and Frank waste no time jumping straight to the superhero scenes. Right away they gives us the superhero puberty scenes, showing Clark realizing his powers in the most common teenage boy ways. From realizing his bone-breaking strength on the field, to his premature heat discharges with Lana, Johns and Frank win big in drawing the similarities of a hero in the making and the familiar and awkward moments of a young boy. Even though the pacing may be unfolding a little too quickly, we get a much-needed background on how Superman came to be. This is definitely worth checking out.

Grade: A-

-Raymond Hilario

Avengers: The Initiative #28

Christos N. Gage (Writer), Rafa Sandoval (Pencils), Roger Bonet (Inks), and Edgar Delgado (Colors)

The Good and the Bad: Avengers: The Initiative is one series that’s definitely making the most of the whole Dark Reign thing. As the Avengers Resistance assembles to help some like-minded Initiative members in need, it’s hard not to smile as the whole Marvel sandbox concept gets used to full effect. On a technical level, Avengers: The Initiative #28 is a winner. Christos Gage does a fine job of cramming in some really nice character work among all the clever action. The artists prove that they are certainly up to the task of handling anything (and anyone) that Gage throws at them in an entertaining, slightly chaotic way. That said, it’s unfortunate that the impressive artwork, as a whole, doesn’t really fit the surprisingly dark script all that well. Simply put, it’s too lively and vibrant for the story being told.

Grade: B

The Darkness/Pitt #2

Paul Jenkins (Writer), Dale Keown (Pencils & Inks), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

The Good and the Bad: I never would have considered the likeable Jackie Estacado to be a racist homophobe until reading The Darkness/Pitt #2, but, Paul Jenkins’ questionable character work aside, the Top Cow mini-series is proving to be a fun, violent romp. The dialogue between Pitt, Estacado, and Timmy is mostly entertaining in that “odd couple” type of way and Dale Keown’s slick, polished artwork is elevated by Frank D’Armata’s moody, dark colors. If you don’t mind a generic, forgettable plot, give the mini-series a look at some point if you are in the mood for something with that special “90s” vibe.

Grade: C+

No Hero #7

Warren Ellis (Writer), Juan Jose Ryp (Art), and Digikore Studios (Colors)

The Good and the Bad: Whoa! That’s the word that comes to mind when I think about the conclusion to No Hero. Warren Ellis throws a very cool curveball into the plot that makes main character Josh Carver infinitely more interesting as a character. The downside is that the brutal, violent ending pretty much puts the kibosh on any more exploration of the very character that you’re probably going to want to follow a bit more (though a prequel might work…). Oh well. At least Ellis ends things with one hell of a finish, mostly thanks to the incredibly disturbing, disgusting, detailed artwork provided by the talented Juan Jose Ryp. Whether you want it to or not, because of Ryp’s work, No Hero #7 will stick in your mind for quite some time.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #79 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Jorge Lucas (Art), and Felix Serrano (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I was casually flipping through The Darkness #79 when, all of a sudden, I yelled… “Triple-H!?”

The Story: Jackie’s got a new team to work with…

What’s Good: Phil Hester sticks to a very familiar “team-gathering” formula with The Darkness #79 and it works surprisingly well. Each member of Jackie’s team is introduced and given an entertaining (slightly seedy) back-story in a way that wouldn’t feel out of place in an Avengers title. As you probably know though, The Darkness isn’t your average superhero book and it’s for that reason that the latest issue of The Darkness stands out. While Hester doesn’t do anything new with the formula he’s working with, he doesn’t really have to because the style and tone of The Darkness is enough to make his story feel fresh.

Jorge Lucas’ gritty, dark work is a perfect fit for the new Darkness arc. There’s times when a more exciting style works for the series (Michael Broussard’s comes to mind), but this is not one of them. Hester is building a story that’s a bit more grounded and Lucas’ work adds a lot to the tone Hester is going for.

What’s Not So Good: The whole “HHH” thing is a bit of a distraction. I don’t mind referencing if it’s done right, but the WWE star’s appearance really took me out of the story. While HHH is certainly a solid choice for the character his likeness is used for, Vike will always be HHH rather than Vike.

Conclusion: It’s a bit formulaic, but The Darkness #79 is entertaining as hell. I look forward to seeing what Jackie Estacado’s team can do.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #78 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Nelson Blake II (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Arif Prianto of IFS (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m glad that it looks like Phil Hester is about to get The Darkness back on track. While I’ve enjoyed the re-launch of The Darkness quite a bit, there’s no denying that something has been missing.

The Story: Jackie wants to regain some measure of control and power. To do so he must take out the Sovereign…

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The Darkness #78 tells a cool little story that not only works well as a (temporary) conclusion to the Sovereign arc, but also as a standalone story about Jackie Estacado being a total badass. It’s clever, it’s brutal, and it’s written/framed in a way that effectively adds to Estacado’s mystique as someone that’s not to be messed with. In addition, The Darkness #78 does a nice job of setting up the near future of the series which, from the looks of it, seems to be all about getting back to what made Jackie’s story such a hit to begin with.

Nelson Blake II is the big surprise of the latest issue of The Darkness. I’ve seen Blake’s pencil work before, but I don’t recall it ever looking quite as good as it does in The Darkness #78. Thanks to Ryan Winn and Arif Prianto, Blake’s work is bright, clean, and stylish in a way works far better than you’d expect; considering what an issue of The Darkness normally looks like. While the art isn’t really a prime example of the typical “Darkness” style, it still proves to be a nice change of pace for the series.

Conclusion: The Darkness #78 isn’t groundbreaking or particularly exciting, but it delivers as a solid piece of entertainment. The art impresses and the writing effectively sets the stage for the next chapter of The Darkness.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Witchblade Darkness Angelus Trinity Blood On The Sands – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Even though they tend to be ultimately forgettable in the larger scheme of things, I enjoy the random Darkness/ Witchblade one-shots because they always manage to enrich the mythology or characters of the Top Cow universe in some way.

The Darkness: Diyafa by Philip W. Smith II (Writer), Sheldon Mitchell (Pencils), Joe Weems V (Inks), and Arif Prianto (Colors)

Witchblade: Assahiya by Philip W. Smith II (Writer), and Admira Wijaya & Sunny Gho (Art)

Angelus: Chermera by Philip W. Smith II (Writer), Tom Grindburg (Pencils & Inks) and Sunny Gho (Colors)

The Story: In “Diyafa,” a young man seeks out “The Dark Wyrm” that uses the Darkness in order to rescue a loved one. In “Assahiya,” the Witchblade’s balance is divided between two sisters. In “Chermera,” a man must kill a lover that has been corrupted by the Angelus.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The visually impressive Top Cow one-shot Blood on the Sands amounts to more than the sum of its parts. That said, I’m not really sure how much more because I’m certain that Blood on the Sands would have worked better as a mini-series as opposed to a single one-shot. Taken individually, each short story is simple, rushed, predictable, and, truthfully, not all that interesting. But, taken together, each short story weaves together with the current Darkness/Witchblade/Angelus situation surprisingly well.

The artwork is easily the highlight of Blood on the Sands. Each story is done in a specific, (mostly) fitting style that makes up for some of one-shot’s shortcomings. I would love to see each art team given a full issue to work on.

Conclusion: Blood on the Sands is a solid enough fix for fans of the Top Cow universe, but it’s far from an essential read.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #77 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Arif Prianto (Colors)

The Story: Jackie fights the lady with the red ribbon’s guardian and comes to learn the secret of the curse… and of his break with the Darkness.

What’s Good: The battle between Jackie and the sand guardian feels adequately epic thanks to the exciting, dynamic visuals and the dialogue that flows along with the action. In addition, it’s nice to see what (initially) seems like a throwaway battle used as a springboard for getting the series back to doing what it does best. While I don’t want to spoil anything, let’s just say that it’s good to see Phil Hester move the story away from the Sovereign and back towards the Darkness. I wish I could say more about the issue, but the best stuff is saved for the end (in other words, spoiler territory).

What’s Not So Good: While it’s not a huge distraction, Jackie and the lady with the red ribbon are drawn rather inconsistently. Jackie, in particular, looks like a completely different person at times. Having that irregularity throw you when following the character.

Another complaint I have is that some of the dialogue is a bit too heavy-handed and melodramatic. While it fits the story quite well, it’s still a bit silly from time to time.

Conclusion: The Darkness #77 is just solid all around. The visuals look good, the storytelling is pretty compelling, and the ending is sure to please all fans.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity: Aftermath – Review

“Paying Debts” – By Ron Marz (Writer), Jorge Lucas (Art), and Felix Serrano (Colors)

“Lessons” – By Bryan Edward Hill (Writer), Tyler Kirkham (Pencils), Sal Regla (Inks), and John Starr (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Broken Trinity, the action-packed event that promised to shake things up the Top Cow universe, proved to be a very solid piece of entertainment. While the storyline ultimately did little more than introduce two new characters and set the stage for an epic fight, the spectacular visuals by Stjepan Sejic made the event worth investing in. In addition, the new characters were interesting enough to be considered worthy additions to the Witchblade/Darkness mythos. I looked forward to seeing more of them. That’s where Broken Trinity: Aftermath comes in…

The Story: “Paying Debts” tells the story of Finn’s rescue of/ reunion with Jackie Estacado (The Darkness). It also sets Finn’s story truly in motion as he talks with Jackie about his newfound power and the information he’s learned. “Lessons” is about Glorianna’s situation following the Broken Trinity battle and what the future may hold for her and her power.

The Good and The Not So Good: As a whole, Broken Trinity: Aftermath works quite well. Short, but sweet, both stories in Aftermath do a nice job of better establishing the characters in charge of the recently introduced ice and fire artifacts. And really, that’s all they need to do. I really look forward to seeing more of the characters in the future (though I’m not sure how much more of Glorianna there is to show…I’ll get to that in a moment). Now, onto the technical stuff…

“Paying Debts” is the more enjoyable read of the two thanks to the way Ron Marz handles Finn. As he did during Broken Trinity, Finn comes across as an extremely likable guy who knows he’s in over his head but is more than willing to make the best of it. Heck, even when killing people as a ice giant, Finn’s personality manages to make an impact. If Finn’s story has a low point, it’s that the visual’s don’t really sync up all that well to the character. While the dark, gritty style works initially, it’s mostly unfit for handling Finn’s ice giant form. With the exception of a striking panel or two, the visuals of the ice giant disappoint.

“Lessons” is told almost entirely through the attractive visuals, but the dialogue that is there proves to be rather compelling in regards to Glorianna’s place in the Top Cow universe. Now as for those visuals…well they mostly involve Glorianna being naked. Before you roll your eyes, the nakedness does fit the story and contributes to one extremely impressive full page shot of her naked body in the center of a giant dragon outline in the melted snow to kick things off. That said, it still comes across as rather gratuitous.

Conclusion: Broken Trinity: Aftermath is a worthy addition to any Top Cow fan’s collection. While the stories included in the one-shot are short, they are each worth a look. Especially considering that Finn and Glorianna may be major players in the universe sooner rather than later.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #76 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Benny Fuentes (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I bailed on the third volume of The Darkness following the end of the first story arc. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it was the different art team or perhaps it was the less than engaging previews I had checked out. Whatever the reason, I decided to jump back on board after the series hit number seventy five and celebrated with a one-shot that offered up a pretty compelling glimpse of a possible future for the Top Cow universe.

The Story: While attempting to walk away from the Sovereign’s orders, Jackie Estacado falls under the spell of a beautiful woman with a red ribbon in her hair. Jackie quickly finds out that there’s more to the woman than meets the eye, and he finds out that there is quite a bit he has yet to learn about the legacy of the Darkness. And it could cost him his life.

What’s Good: For an extremely fast read, The Darkness #76 does quite a few things right. The artwork, though not without flaws, is pretty quite striking at times and does a nice job of visually carrying the story forward when there is little dialogue or narration to help out. The woman’s red ribbon is particularly worthy of note because Michael Broussard and his team do a great job of making it stand out in any panel it’s present in. And the effect helps to create a sense of uneasiness about both the woman and the desperation that drives Jackie toward his destination. As for the writing, Phil Hester effectively adds wrinkles to both the mythology of the Darkness and the character of Estacado. While the conflicted anti-hero is something of a cliché (and has been for some time), Estacado manages to remain compelling regardless of the baggage that the characters of his type tend to carry.

What’s Not So Good: While I didn’t feel ripped off, there is no denying how quick the latest issue of The Darkness ended. Whole pages went by without any dialogue, which really accentuated the inconsistent (sometimes silly) visuals. I mean, Jackie Estacado’s face seemed to change repeatedly throughout the book. At times, his particular case of moody angst seems to give him pouty Angelina Jolie lips. As it turns out, the unintentional hilarity really breaks the somber tone Hester and company seem to be going for.

Conclusion: While the wonky artwork proves at times, distracting, it doesn’t hurt the quality of an otherwise enjoyable comic too much. There is something about the fairly simple story and effective use of color that kept me glued to the pages. It definitely could have been better, but nonetheless, I liked it well enough.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness: Lodbrok’s Hand #1 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Avon Oeming (Artist), and Val Staples (Colorist)

The Story: A one-and-done comic set sometime long ago in The Darkness universe, Lodbrok’s Hand is a cautionary story about a man’s (good-intentioned) strive for power and the cost that it carries. Lodbrok, his sister, and some others are the few that remain of a village following a brutal raid lead by the tyrant Grimur. The group goes off in search of the legendary Forbidden Horn in the hopes of summoning The Black Captain and his twisted crew in order to even the odds against the might of Grimur. As with similar stories, there is a price to be paid for the powers called forth by the Forbidden Horn, regardless of the success or failure they bring.

What’s Good: I consider this one-shot to be such a success because the creative team manages to make a very familiar story feel like something fresh and almost brand new. First off, Phil Hester’s script effectively captures the feeling of a tale being spoken aloud by a master storyteller; something that is crucial to the book considering how the story told in Lodbrok’s Hand is framed. Secondly, the artwork by Michael Avon Oeming (colored by Val Staples) does a great job of capturing the dark, foreboding nature of Lodbrok’s quest. From the blood-drenched action scenes to the bizarre, supernatural nature of The Black Captain and his ship, Lodbrok’s Hand is a visual treat.

One other thing worth mentioning is how the story can really be enjoyed by anyone. While Darkness fans will no doubt get a kick out of seeing the captain’s crew and a creature from Top Cow’s Broken Trinity event, those unfamiliar with that stuff will still find a lot to like. Simply put, Lodbrok’s Hand is a great example of a one-shot done right.

What’s Not So Good: To be honest, the most negative thing I can say about the stand-alone saga is that it is fairly predictable from beginning to end. While the script and visuals do wonders for freshening up a story told many times before, it is still a story told many times before. That said, it is a story told many times before given impressive visuals and an epic script. While a twist or two would have been nice, I can’t complain too much considering how technically sound the whole thing is.

Conclusion: Definitely give The Darkness: Lodbrok’s Hand a shot if you are a fan of the series or just good stories in general. It doesn’t exactly break any new ground, but then again it doesn’t need to. Easily one of the better one-and-done comics I have read this year.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity: Witchblade #1 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer), Nelson Blake II (Pencils & Inks), and Dave McCaig (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I found Broken Trinity to be a pretty successful event for the Top Cow Universe. A fairly important character was killed off and a few new elements were introduced into the ever-changing mythos of the universe that opened up the doors for a number of new storytelling possibilities. In short, it left me satisfied and ready for the future.

The Story: Broken Trinity: Witchblade is the first story to explore the new status quo that exists following the tumultuous event that set the course for the future of some of Top Cow’s major players. And to be honest, not a whole lot really happens outside of some character work. Sara meets Dani at the grave of Celestine, the person that was possessed by the Angelus, and then heads over to give Jackie Estacado some time with his daughter. Also, Jackie takes care of some unfinished business left over from his own Broken Trinity one-shot.

What’s Good: As usual, Ron Marz does some real nice work with the characters in this issue. While not a whole lot happens as far as plot development goes, Marz doesn’t waste any space thanks to his continuing effort to add depth to the characters that he works on. He definitely has a good handle on them.

What’s Not So Good: While the artwork looks nice throughout the book, the style really isn’t to my liking. It just doesn’t seem to fit the characters or the world all that well. That said, I really don’t have any specific complaints on a technical level. The characters look nice, the colors pop, and the emotions on display are well done.

Conclusion: I would consider Broken Trinity: Witchblade to be something I’d recommend only to the bigger fans of either Witchblade or The Darkness. I enjoyed my time with it and came away impressed by the character work. However there really isn’t anything about it that screams “must read.” Base a purchase around how much emotional investment you have in the Top Cow characters.

Grade: C

-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

The Darkness #6 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Sheldon Mitchell (Colors)

The Story: After embracing the Darkness in order to survive being blown to bits, Jackie Estacado faces off against his child, a being borne of nothing but pure Darkness. It is a battle of revenge-fueled rage versus primal, ancient evil as the Empire arc comes to an explosive conclusion.

What’s Good: Pretty much everything. Jackie Estacado continues to be one of the most compelling comic characters around, and this issue of The Darkness is a prime example of why. For a book that focuses almost entirely on the action, this one has a surprising amount of depth. And as far as action is concerned, it doesn’t get much better than this. The epic battle is visually stunning, full of entertaining banter, and it all resolves in a surprisingly clever fashion.

Phil Hester does a fantastic job laying the groundwork necessary to give this battle some emotional impact, and the payoff hits all the right notes. It plays off everything that makes The Darkness such an entertaining series. The main character is at his best, the artwork is better than ever, and the Darkness (both the power and the nature of it) is given a chance to shine.

What’s Not So Good: For as much as I enjoy Phil Hester’s writing, it comes across as a bit melodramatic or pretentious from time to time. His style works to great effect for the most part, but every once in a while a phrase will pop up that elicits a roll of the eyes. It is as if he is trying too hard to add weight to the story.

Conclusion: The Darkness #6 is easily one of the strongest issues of the long-running series. It is sure to please fans and action-junkies alike. Highly recommended in every way.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #5 – Capsule Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Sheldon Mitchell (Colors)

I am generally not a fan of shock-value, but the latest issue of the Darkness shows how it can be correctly delivered in service to a compelling story. All things come to a head this month as Jackie and his “team” come face to face with the Darkness born (and Darkness carrying) Elle. Telling anything more about the story would spoil things so let me just say that this one left me shocked, awed, and ready for more. For an action-horror story, things really don’t get a whole lot better than this.

Phil Hester, along with Michael Broussard and his art team continue to completely reinvent an idea that, quite frankly, was getting a bit stale. The new direction for Jackie and the new uses for the Darkness concept elevate a fairly basic storyline into something much more exciting than it has any right to be. If you aren’t reading the Darkness, you should be. (Grade: B+)

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity: The Darkness #1 – Review

Phil Hester (Writer), Jorge Lucas (Art), and Lee Loughridge (Colors)

I’ve always felt that The Darkness works best when it brings Jackie Estacado’s moral code into the equation and that is exactly what the bulk of this Broken Trinity prequel does. Jackie goes on the warpath when he finds out from The Butcher that some people that used to work underneath him accidentally killed a five year old girl they were holding for ransom. To complicate things (or make the issue feel uneven), some Angelus soldiers are hunting Jackie in what is yet another attempt to destroy The Darkness. The storyline involving the dead little girl is compelling, brutal, and extremely well written. The appearance of the soldiers, however, feels extremely tacked on and seems to force the extremely strong stand-alone Darkness story into being something that it isn’t. That said, as a whole, this is a well done prequel because it gives Jackie a reason to want to be with his daughter, Hope.

As for the technical stuff, Broken Trinity: The Darkness is really the complete package. The dark, gritty artwork by Jorge Lucas and Lee Loughridge fits Phil Hester’s mature, well written story perfectly. My only complaint really is that this serves as an event tie-in and not just a stand-alone one-shot. I would have gladly traded in the Angelus stuff for a more fleshed out narrative about the unauthorized botched ransom job because it focused on Jackie the character as opposed to Jackie the supernatural Darkness wielder.

I highly recommend this one to Darkness fans (or those interested in a good comic), but don’t feel that it is a necessary chapter for those solely interested in the Broken Trinity event. It is an enjoyable read, but fans who have any knowledge of the Darkness/Witchblade/Angelus saga will find that the tie-in aspects of this book feel incredibly familiar (rehashed, even). (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity #1 – Review

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

As I have come to learn since becoming a comic book critic, the first part of an event or a new creative run is tough to review. It must hook the reader in some way while at the same time going through the (possibly boring or redundant) motions necessary to set up the story arc. Things can really get off on the wrong foot if the set up (a necessary evil) isn’t sufficiently compelling (check out Uncanny X-Men #500 for proof). I mention this because I feel that Broken Trinity #1 is a great example of how to properly set up a new storyline without making it feel like a boring chore to read.

There are two storylines at work in this issue, both of them serving to bring the elements of this event together. One of them, a visually striking Viking skirmish that quickly escalates into an epic battle between supernatural forces, serves up the action while establishing new elements in the Top Cow Universe. The other storyline works to bring almost all of the main players together in a way that feels both logical and natural given the continuity. While I honestly have no idea as to where things will go from here, the set up is solid and full of enough combustible elements to make for a great event. One thing is for sure, the creative team working on this series set quite a high bar with the First Born event, so they have their work cut out for them if they hope to clear it.

As for the writing, Ron Marz does a great job in this issue. The dialogue during the Viking battle is suitably epic and the characters drive the story well in the present day scenes. While I wish he would have spent a touch more time establishing the Celestine character, I have a feeling more will be explained sooner than later. Marz deftly puts the pieces in place while keeping a sense of mystery about what exactly is going on and, honestly, he’s got me hooked. While this story could really go either way at this point (since so much is still up in the air), it is off to quite a start.

I expected some nice work from the team of Stjepan Sejic and Phil Hester, but I’ve got to say that they really exceeded every expectation. The Viking scenes are absolutely stunning, a display of what I suppose I’ll call beautiful brutality. The supernatural characters look fantastic as well, though I will readily admit that they are nothing more than extremely impressive looking fantasy clichés. My only true complaint is that, like nearly all of Sejic’s books, there is a noticeable drop in detail/quality from time to time, but I can excuse that considering it must take quite some time to create the more impressive stuff. A book needs to get out at some point, so I can overlook that for the most part.

Overall, I’m really enjoying the first part of the Broken Trinity event. It manages to avoid getting bogged down by the necessary set up while creating the hooks that make me want more as soon as possible. (Grade: A)

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #4 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Matt Milla (Colors)

Since the third volume of The Darkness began earlier this year, I have been consistently entertained by Jackie Estacado and his rule over the people of Sierra Munoz thanks to the production of a Darkness spawned drug. Phil Hester has done some nice work crafting a story that feels familiar, yet original. The art team, lead by Michael Broussard, continues to craft some impressive visuals to help tell the story. While not the deepest book on the stands, The Darkness is always a solid, visually impressive, action-packed comic.

With this latest issue, Jackie Estacado finds his link to his Darkness powers fading because a woman he created purely out of the Darkness has been manipulated by a backstabbing scientist to harness it for his own uses. With his powers close to useless, Jackie is shot and falls right into the hands of the very rebels that have been seeking to overthrow his reign. It is in this situation he finds out more about the nature of the Darkness and his sense of revenge kicks in. As he says “My partner f—ed me and when I get f—ed, I f— back.” I’ll levae the rest of the story for you to discover, but needless to say, the stage is set quite nicely. Yes, I know it sounds a bit confusing, but the recap will catch you up if you haven’t been on board since the first issue. This is a good read all around and the ending ratchets up the stakes to a whole new level. If you are fan, or looking for something new, you can’t go wrong with this issue.

Phil Hester’s writing is entertaining as always and he does a great job making Jackie a guy worth rooting for (even though he is far from heroic). The monologues throughout the book, while occasionally a bit over-dramatic, give an interesting glimpse into Jackie’s head and the dialogue. They’re plentiful, while never feeling excessive. The interactions between Jackie and the attractive rebel, Marisol Yanez, have a charm to them and, while it is nothing you haven’t seen before, it adds a bit to both characters. Hester, while occasionally writing some wonky dialogue, always manages to make this book a dark and fun read.

Broussard and the art team, as usual, make The Darkness one of the better looking books on the stands. There are a couple of really impressive scenes in this issue almost worth the cover price, especially a Darkness induced hallucination in which Jackie speaks to a Darkness created wolf-hawk hybrid thing. There are some inconsistencies with faces from time to time and Estacado has some awfully pouty lips in a few scenes, but as a whole I couldn’t be much happier. The colors jump off the page and the use of shadow and darkness creates just the right mood for the book. Broussard’s work may not appeal to you if you aren’t into the Marc Silvestri style, but I think it fits perfectly.

The Darkness scores again with another entertaining issue as Hester and Broussard continue their run on one of the more under appreciated series out there. Give this book a look, you’ll be glad you did. (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny