Ten Grand #1 – Review

By: J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Ben Templesmith (art) and Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: A hard-boiled PI gets involved with a demonic cult.

Review (with very minor SPOILERS): There’s not a whole lot to say about this comic.  The story is derivative and not reason enough to buy the comic, and while Templesmith’s art is pretty strong, you can get Templesmith art from various collected editions because he’s not really breaking new ground (for him) here.

So what makes me call the story derivative?  Well, the main character is a private investigator or hit man or something.  I guess most people would call him “hard boiled” because that’s a shorter word than “unshaven, dirty, rumpled clothes, heavy drinker, no family”.  Of course, this dude works out of the seedy side of town where he gets approached by a young woman who wants him to do a job. And (of course) she is earnest and (of course) she can only barely afford his fee and (of course) the case has some past connection to the PI.  It’s just very cliche and since it happens in the first few pages of the comic, your attention is already beginning to wander.

Witchblade #148 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Stjepan Sejic (artist), Troy Peteri (letters)

Ahead there be (small) spoilers. Consider yerself warned.

The Story Angelus comes in to provide backup when Tiamat proves to be a little too strong for Sara and the Witchblade to handle alone. Lieutenant Phipps continues to make a rather large nuisance of himself, and we also learn that Mr. Marz has not forgotten Tiamat’s mythological lineage as a creature of the sea.

What’s Good: Although I’ve almost always loved Witchblade and Ron Marz’s work on it, this arc has me ready to start a kickstarter campaign just to keep him on the book. Not that a new direction will be a bad thing (and I’m certainly looking forward to an Artifacts ongoing!) but it will definitely be the end of a wonderful era for Sara and company–and I’m not sure I’m ready to embrace that yet.

This issue handles the various plot threads a lot more smoothly than the last one did, which is very nice to see. Although the plot is still moving forward, this issue seems much less cramped. (Bringing in LT Phipps at the end did feel like a bit much, but then again–given the last page–could also help bring a quick and expeditious end to Sara’s issues with Internal Affairs!)

Witchblade #147 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Stjepan Sejic (artist), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: Don’t you hate it when problems seem to hit all at once? Sara does. First she gets investigated by Internal Affairs (who now seem to know way more than they should about the Witchblade), David Irons is being his usual obtuse and unhelpful self, and an ancient Babylonian goddess of chaos is trying to kill her. Some days, eh?

What’s Good: The more I read Witchblade, the more I realize that Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic are one of my favorite creative duos of all time. My love of Sejic’s work is already extensively documented but-aside from just being beautiful–one of the consistently best parts of his work on this series is just how well Sejic complements Marz’s work, and how vividly he brings to life the fantastic and outlandish creatures and situations that Sara encounters every month.

It is also quite refreshing that Marz and Top Cow are sticking to their guns when it comes to keeping Witchblade totally separate from the Artifacts event. While that does make for some slightly odd continuity for someone like me who is completely invested in the TCU, it’s easy to see that the benefits far outweigh any minor hiccups that might be encountered. Allowing both titles to stand completely on their own is a great decision for people who only care to read one or the other. (I will say that, once Artifacts goes from an event to an ongoing after issue ##13, I hope we’ll see a bit more crossover happening.)

Artifacts #9 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Jeremy Haun (art), Sunny Gho of IFS (colors), Troy Peteri (letters)

Warning: small spoilers ahead

The Story: Finally, one of the biggest pieces of the elaborate puzzle that is Artifacts falls into place as the main villain behind the plot to unmake the universe reveals his ultimate motivation. Can Sara and the good Artifact Bearers convince the mysterious 13th Bearer to come to their side–and where does Sara and Jackie’s daughter fit in to all this?

What’s Good: I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve loved Artifacts since issue #0–and that said, THIS is the issue I have been waiting for almost a year! Our main villain finally has a cohesive motivation, and it is far more unique and interesting than I would have expected. On top of that excellent and important revelation, though, was the phenomenal scene with the 13th Bearer–the final panel of which was easily the biggest stand-up-and-cheer moment this series has had for me so far.

 

What’s Not So Good: As I’ve stated several times before, I’m no expert on artwork (although a slowly growing original art collection is helping to remedy that.) Now, to my eye the art in this issue looks quite a bit less detailed than I’m used to seeing in a Top Cow book; under the circumstances, I would usually lay the dubious credit for that at the feet of artist Jeremy Haun. However, it just so happens that I was able to look through Mr. Haun’s original page portfolio at SDCC, and I had the privilege of studying quite a few original pages from this issue. Every single one of them was beautifully detailed (I very nearly bought one, as a matter of fact.) I’m not sure if so much of that work was lost in the shrinking process or the coloring, but it’s a damn shame–and it makes me really, really understand the popularity of “artist’s editions” of books that have just the original pencil work. There really is something that is lost in the translation from pencil to final product.

Witchblade #146 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Stjepan Sejic (art) and Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: An artifact is stolen, its power is unleashed, and an ancient enemy of the Witchblade rises to seek out the current bearer of the Balance.

What’s Good: Is there anything better than to open a comic book and be greeted by Stjepan Sejic’s artwork? Not for me there isn’t. Whether it’s the rough, gritty streets of New York, the Cthulhuesque features of some new hellspawn or (as here) the rich and beautiful details of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh’s throne room, Sejic’s jaw dropping talent provide enough eye candy to keep even this story-and-character obsessed reviewer happy irrespective of the rest of the book’s content.

Happily (VERY happily) Sejic’s work is only further enhanced here by a very promising story. This is Marz and Sejic’s last hurrah on Witchblade (at least for the foreseeable future), and it looks as if they’re planning to go out with a thoroughly epic bang. Ancient gods, monsters, and not a little Witchblade lore all look to be involved and woven together into a massive tapestry of history and drama.

The Last Mortal #2 – Review

By John Mahoney and Filip Sablick (writers), Thomas Nachlik (art), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: His name is Alec King, born into a life of crime, violence and betrayal on the streets of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania. And he cannot die.

What’s Good: Thomas Nachlik’s dark, rough and sketchy art continues to be one of the highlights of this series for me. Although the story and characters are plenty engaging on their own, the book would be a lot poorer without this art to sell the gritty, noir-ish nature of the story. Not only does it look fantastic, it helps establish the dark urban environments and lends a strong sense of place and reality to what is, after all, ultimately a fantastical story. Although Image Comics uses thicker, high-quality glossy paper for many of their book, it serves this art style particularly well, as the extra glossiness emphasizes and highlights the contrast in the stark black and white images.

The story itself remains very strong, as we learn more about the (more and more tragic) figure of Alec King and his doomed friendship with Brian. The character growth feels organic and natural as the story progresses (despite the fact that it’s not told in a totally linear fashion), although now that the major ‘hook’ of Alec being immortal has been established, it will be hard for the series to top that moment of drama and revelation.

Artifacts #8 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Whilce Portacio (pencils), Joe Weems (inks), Marco Galli & Mike Odle (ink assists), Sunny Gho (colors), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: The second chapter of the Artifacts saga comes to a close with a huge struggle to gain control of the mysterious 13th Artifact and its wayward and unpredictable bearer. Underneath this larger battle, too, several individual rivalries are pushing themselves to the forefront. How will this ultimately affect the fight for control of the power to re (or un) make reality? Only time will tell.

What’s Good: While I’m very much looking forward to what Jeremy Haun will bring to the table for Artifact’s final chapter, I’m going to miss the detailed and epic job Whilce Portacio does, especially on the bigger and more fantastical monsters and set pieces. (In this issue, the throwdown between Glorianna Silver and Michael Finnigan–bearers of the Ember Stone and Glacier Stone respectively–is particularly impressive.)

From a storytelling standpoint, this issue represents the nadir for our team of heroes–the odds are impossible, hope (both literal and figurative) seems remote, and they have just angered the one being in the universe with the power to single-handedly destroy them. Marz handles this very well, imbuing Sara’s team with the perfect combination of tough determination and cynical, graveyard humor.

What’s Not So Good: The only complaint I can really voice about the series at this point is that, when taking the last 3-4 issues as a whole, it does feel like things are being more drawn out than necessary. While this is undoubtedly an excellent and game changing story for the TCU, I get the feeling that 13 issues were decided on more for the cute ‘matching up with the number of Artifacts’ factor than because of actual storytelling necessity. Since this is still easily the best event book to come out in a long, long time though, complaining about having more than necessary seems somehow ungrateful. 😉

Conclusion: This issue shows that Artifacts is still going as strong as ever. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how this story plays out, and to learning more about the nature of that mysterious #13.

Grade: A-

-SoldierHawk

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Witchblade #145 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Stjepan Sejic (art), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: Intrepid reporter Gretchen Fullmer is on the trail of a hot story: a female knight in armor (or was it a female superhero in tights?) was spotted fighting a dragon (and/or evil robot) in the sewers of New York. ‘Gretch’ is determined to get to the bottom of the reports, but will Sara help or hinder her quest for the truth?

What’s Good: Stjepan Sejic back on a regular Witchblade issue? That makes me want to do the Happy Snoopy Dance, especially since this outing is not disappointing in the slightest. In addition to capturing Sara’s voice in his usual excellent manner, Marz does a great job of giving Sejic some fantastic set pieces, action sequences, and splash pages to go nuts with. (The two full-page spreads of Sara-as-knight and Sara-as-superhero are particularly impressive.)

Deadlands One-Shot – Advanced Review

Main Story by: David Gallaher (writer), Steve Ellis (artist), Troy Peteri (letterer)
Backup Story by: C. Edward Sellner (writer and colorist), Oscar Capristo (artist)

The Stories: An inventor has made a deal to build a gun that can kill the devil, and he’s been given a ghostly stone to help him do it. In the second feature, a new patron at a saloon means trouble.

The Reviews: This book identifies itself on the cover as a weird western and delivers on that promise on page one. Not only that, the story itself is a coming of age story in the Hero’s Journey mold, mixed with a deal with the devil. The opening about the young inventor who loved his family and turned to building guns pulled me in right away. Lots of grist for the mill, so to speak. And the arrival of Tygian, with his strange offer, is the hero’s call. He reluctantly accepts and is thrust into a strange world. He’s given the hero’s talisman (in this case, the ghost stone) and the challenge to “build me a gun that will kill the devil.” That’s a pretty strong challenge and it grips the ambitions of adulthood, leaving our hero to attack his task with enthusiasm. The story was fun and while I didn’t guess the ending in its detail, the arc of the story was pretty clear from the beginning. I wasn’t surprised that a deal with the devil would go sour. The second story was a bit more of an O. Henry piece, with a smaller scope, but a sharp snap of surprise at the end.

Shinku #1 – Review

By Ron Marz (story), Lee Moder (art), Matthew Waite (inks), Michael Atiyeh (colors), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: A badass female samurai? In modern Tokyo? Who hunts vampires for a living? By doing a drive-by katana beheading? Yes, please!

What’s Good: If you’ll indulge me with a personal reaction right off the bat: this was the most fun I’ve had reading a comic in quite some time. I’m a sucker for origin stories, especially the origin story of a new and interesting character, and this issue felt in the exact center of that sweet spot. Ron Marz–best known for his Witchblade and other Top Cow Universe work–has created a new character that I’m really looking forward to following. While none of the elements of the story are especially new and original, Marz is able to re-purpose many of these familiar tropes and blend them in a way that ends up feeling like more than the sum of its parts.

Lee Moder handles art duty, and does a fine job. The visuals taking place in the modern day are extremely serviceable, and I quite enjoyed the anime-like touches he included (especially in the look and feel of Shinku herself.) Where both Moder and colorist Michael Atiyeh really shine, however, is in the flashbacks to feudal Japan. The level of detail in those scenes is extremely impressive, and the slightly hazy, water-color effect of the coloring gives the whole sequence a fantastic dream-like quality in addition to making the pages just plain beautiful to look at. Put this art team on a book set during this time period and let them lose like this, and I will HAPPILY pay Image a full $3.99 cover price.

Last Mortal #1 – Review

By John Mahoney and Filip Sablik (writers), Thomas Nachlik (art), Troy Peteri (letters)

[Small spoiler warnings in effect–this review will give away the ‘twist’ at the end of the story, though it’s nothing that will surprise anyone even passingly familiar with the premise of the book.]

What’s Good: The idea of immortality has fascinated human beings for much of our history. It’s a gift associated with heroes and gods–either a result of divine birth or (occasionally) granted as an ultimate reward for a great deed.

But what if immortality wasn’t given to anyone godly or heroic at all? What if immortality just…happened?

That’s the situation that small-time crook Alec King finds himself in, following a disastrous attempt to help his best friend commit a far more heinous and complicated crime than either of them are used to. Interestingly, this first issue doesn’t deal with the consequences of Alec’s immortality at all yet, and instead serves as both an origin story, and as a primer to get to know our main character and what makes him tick. While I was surprised by the lack of…I guess…”immortal-ness”…in the issue, I wasn’t at all disappointed. The book sets up the characters (and Alec in particular) so well, and the action is so taught, intense and well-paced, that I was perfectly happy to let the story carry me along. When the denouement finally happens in the last two pages, it feels like a natural outgrowth of the story established to that point–and it’s impact is much stronger for it.

Witchblade #144 – Review

“Origin Secret” by Ron Marz (writer), Stjepan Sejic (art) and Troy Peteri (letters). “Secret Origin” by Filip Sablik (writer), John Tyler Christoper (art) and Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: In the main story, we are treated to a wonderful Ron Marz re-telling of Sara Pezzini’s origin story, and a recap of the high points of her history with the Witchblade. Filip Sablik’s backup story revolves around Sara’s partner and boyfriend, Patrick Gleason, and his significantly more down to Earth (though, in his own way, no less heroic) past.

What’s Good: Fifteen years is an impressive milestone for any comic. For an independent book that follows a female heroine, it’s downright astonishing. This issue is a fitting tribute to that outstanding accomplishment, as well as a celebration of the characters and mythology built over those years. Marz’s retelling of Sara’s origin is a great deal of fun, as well as a wonderful jumping on point for readers who may not be familiar with Sara, the Witchblade, or their perpetual nemesis Kenneth Irons. Part of me thinks that the framing story–in which an Internal Affairs agent reviews the secret notes of Jake McCarthy, Sara’s late former partner–was unnecessary, and that the space would have been better used by fleshing out this version of the origin even more. Then again, it also serves the story well by establishing this as a single character’s perspective on the origin story, and by reinforcing IA’s interest in Sara’s activities. Since it is all very well written, and since the transitions are handled so smoothly, it’s hard to find fault with it.

PREVIEW – The Darkness II (FCBD)

2K Games, Top Cow Productions, Inc., and the Free Comic Book Day Committee announced today that they have teamed up to produce The Darkness II: Confession, an exclusive comic tie-in for The Darkness™ II video game, for Free Comic Book Day. The 32-page, full-color comic will be a prequel to 2K Games’ upcoming video game, The Darkness II. Produced by Top Cow’s lead artists and writers in partnership with 2K Games, The Darkness II: Confession will be distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors to thousands of independent comic book stores worldwide on May 7, 2011.

The Darkness II: Confession introduces comic fans, video game fans, and new readers to Jackie Estacado, the bearer of The Darkness, an ancient primal force which acts a blessing and a curse for its bearer, allowing him access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons that dwell there. The Darkness II: Confession takes readers from Jackie’s origins in the first video game, through his rise to power, and the events leading up to The Darkness II.

Witchblade #143: Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Matthew Dow Smith (art), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: Guest stars Mulder and Scully–er, that is, Detective Patrick Gleason and Sheriff Kate Rooney–find themselves under a ghostly siege. Only one person, convicted hitman Vince Petramale, seems to be able to offer any hope of survival.

What’s Good: Ouch. This isn’t usually the difficult part to fill in on an issue of Witchblade, but this month I’m kind of at a loss. Although it held my attention longer than the previous issue–which was mainly setup for the action and payoff in this one–it still felt quite…uninspired, I guess, is the word I would use. While the guest star idea is actually a very good one, especially putting Gleason front and center, and MOST especially at this time, while Sara is (in theory) off dealing with the fallout from Artifacts, the execution just doesn’t work out the way I think anyone intended.

Artifacts #5 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Whilce Portacio (pencils), Joe Weems and Marco Galli (inks), Jared Liffreing (ink assist), Sunny Gho and Arif Prianto (colors), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: While the good guys continue to try and sort out their various personality issues, Aphrodite takes one giant leap for cyborg kind by infiltrating the HQ of Cyberforce, and leading them in a big 9if hopefully not yet climactic) assault on Sara and her friends.

What’s Good: First and foremost, a fond farewell to Michael Broussard and the absolutely superlative job he did bringing the last four issues of Artifacts to life. I love Ron Marz, and I love this series, but it was Broussard’s art that put it a cut above almost everything else on the stands.

That said, a hearty welcome to Whilce Portacio, who steps into this issue (and the next mini-arc) quite admirably. While it is different (and while I would just as soon have every Top Cow book ever printed drawn by Stjepan Sejic because everything his pencils touch turn to gold), the new look ends up being rather refreshing, and nicely sets this chapter apart from its predecessor. Considering the way this issue ends–with our team of heroes and team of villains face to face for the first time–I think that’s a very good thing indeed.

Witchblade #141 – Review

By Ron Marz and Saurav Mohapatr (writers), Stjepan Sejic (artist), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: Sara and Gleason continue their investigation of the two creepy children. And by “investigate,” I mean that they kick the snot out of the giant, Lovcraftian nightmares that pour forth from the children’s unholy imagination.

I so, SO love this comic.

What’s Good: Have I said lately that I love Stjepan Sejic’s work? I have? Last month? Huh. Maybe that’s because he continues to churn out jaw-droppingly beautiful art on a disturbingly regular basis. The two-page spread alone is worth the cover price of the book, and I absolutely love what he does in a couple of panels, trading his usually hyper-detailed style for a flat, black-on-red, almost photo negative kind of look. It was jarring at first, but–since it was limited to only a few panels–it ends up as an enhancement and highlight rather than a detraction.

The story is a lot of fun as well; the team of Marz and Mohapatr have a knack for action, and they pull off the extended battle scene (which is essentially what this issue is) with aplomb. Their vision gives Sejic’s more than capable pencils a great workout, and the pithy one-liners our heroes throw out serve to break up the tension (in a good way), as well as emphasizing that battling giant, nightmarish creatures is not something they’re new to. (Their almost blase attitude towards the encounter contrasts quite hilariously with the childrens’ father’s reaction.)

Artifacts #4 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Michael Broussard (pencils), Chris Johnson (background assist), Rick Basaldua, Joe Wee,s. Jason Gorder and Sal Regla (inks), Sunny Gho and Felix Serrano (colors) and Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: Events are happening quickly now that (nearly) all the Artifact Bearers have chosen sides. All that remains is the discovery and recruitment of the unknown Thirteenth Bearer, on whom the outcome of the fast-approaching final confrontation hinges.

What’s Good: Marz and company continue to deliver the goods as the slow-burn buildup of Artifacts gets set to explode in the second act. This is not a big, flashy issue, however–its beauty (and meat) lies in smaller character moments and confrontations (Magdalena coming face to face with Tom Judge was easily the highlight for me), and that works very well indeed. Although the looming fear of Armageddon still hangs over every word and action, its nice to see the characters interacting on a more personal level, and doing something besides fret about the fate of creation. It was a much-needed break, and very well handled. It also goes to show the tenuous nature of the alliances on both sides (although our heroes do seem to be in a slightly worse spot than the villains on that count.)

All the discussion about the Thirteenth Artifact Bearer has me very, very curious as well. Fan speculation right now is leaning towards the notion that Sara’s daughter Hope is the Thirteenth Artifact…but not only would that be a little TOO clichéd and convenient (I hope) for what Marz seems to have in mind, it also seems to be, if not disproved, at least made far less likely by the fact that the villains do currently posses her. If Hope does turn out to be the Thirteenth Artifact itself (or something similarly important), it’s going to make the villains look awfully, awfully stupid. Like I said though, I don’t think that’s the direction this is heading…. at least I hope it isn’t.

Also: art is still outstanding. Feel free to cut and paste the gushing from my previous reviews here. Broussard and company are continuing to knock this thing out of the park.

Warlord of Mars #3 – Review

By: Arvid Nelson (writer), Lui Antonio (artist), Adriano Lucas (colorist), Troy Peteri (letterer)

The Story: Continuing one of the classic sci-fi stories of all time, John Carter wakes up on Lowell’s dying Mars of canals, deserts and the warring races struggling to survive. John Carter meets the awesome Tharks.

What’s Good: Where the frak has Lui Antonio been hiding? OMG you *have* to check out his Martian cities (starting at the double splash-page about a third of the way through). I’ve looked at Michael Whelan’s Barsoomian art, seen Gil Kane’s take on Barsoom, but Antonio blew me away. The architecture is *weird* (in a great way), almost like Jack Kirby mixed with John Byrne’s Attilan. The level of detail in the cities (always high on my rating system) was fantastic, with ornate geometric decorations and a soaring stadium for Lorquas Ptomel’s council chamber. The brilliance of the scenery goes on. Antonio drew an entire tiled mural (Greek Byzantium style) just to give the right feel of awe to a single panel. And the lurid red of the night sky outside of Carter’s window was captivating. I was ready for the draftsmanship on the bodies and faces to be a little less than stellar. That was absolutely without reason. Antonio draws a *very* muscular, proportioned (for comics) John Carter, with a very assertive jawline, and evocative expressions to carry the story along. The fight scene (where Carter clocks his first Martian) was surprisingly brutal, with the consequences drawn out (no pun intended).

Witchblade Annual #2 – Review

“Stalingrad” by Ron Marz (writer), Tony Shasteen (pencils and inks), Jo Mettler (colors) and Troy Petreri (letters). “Interlude” by Ron Marz (writer), Matt Haley (pencils), Jason Gorder (inks) Michael Atiyeh (colors) and Troy Peteri (letters). “The Devil’s Due” by Matthew Dow Smith (writer and illustrater)

The Story: Like most annuals, this one contains multiple stories. Unlike other annuals, this one actually has a through-line running through (the comic portion) of the stories that ties them together with a broad, overarching theme (in this case, past bearer’s of the Witchblade.) We get a tale of a Bearer who uses the Witchblade to excellent effect during World War II (the Battle of Stalingrad, natch), a story about Joan of Arc, and a non-historical Bearer related prose tale that can’t quite make up its mind what it’s trying to be.

What’s Good: I really enjoyed this issue! I’m always a sucker for putting things (especially ancient, mystical artifacts like the Witchblade) in some sort of historical context, so I love hearing tales of the past Bearers, and the ways they chose to use its exceptional power. Marz does an excellent job bringing his two stories to life (although the Joan of Arc interlude was criminally short…more on that later) and Smith’s prose story was well written and entertaining.

“Stalingrad” is clearly the centerpiece of the book, and it serves that purpose very well. The visuals are appropriately dark, with the occasional otherworldly flare that fantastical stories set in the real world need to be effective and believable. The present-day scenes that bookend the piece are strange (in a good way) and throw the reader just off balance enough to sympathize with Sara without losing the overall thread of the story.

Witchblade #140 – Review

By Ron Marz and Saurav Mohapatra (writers), Stjepan Sejic (artist) and Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: Leaving the emotional turmoil of Artifacts behind for at least a little while, Sara and Patrick go back to doing what they do best—uncovering (and kicking the ass of) supernatural creatures lurking in and around New York. This arc’s Monster of the Week: two very creepy children with extremely overactive imaginations.

What’s Good: As much as I adore Artifacts and all of the awesome character work and earth-shaking storylines coming together therein, I think an issue like this—completely removed from all that action and quite simple and straightforward in its storytelling—is exactly what the doctor ordered. All of the importance and emotional baggage of the crossover was starting to wear a wee bit thin with so much time being devoted to it, and a straight-up, no holds barred, monsters-are-gonna-bite-your-face-off arc is a breath of fresh air I didn’t even know I wanted, and a great way to kick start the reader’s interest in another direction.

And quite the direction it is! (A warning for those who care: this paragraph gets a wee bit spoilery.) I don’t think there’s much I can say about Stjepan Sejic that I haven’t already said in a dozen different places, but for those keeping score at home: yes, he is still unbelievably brilliant. The panel layouts are varied and visually interesting without ever distracting from their primary function (storytelling), and the monster designs—both the actual monsters and the children controlling them—are properly unnerving. Fantastic, fantastic work.

Artifacts #3 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Michael Broussard (pencils), Facundo Percio, Stjepan Sejic, Paolo Pantalena, Sheldon Mitchell and Nelson Blake II (additional pencils), Rick Basaldua, Joe Weems, Sal Regla (inks), Sunny Gho and IFS (colors), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: The prolog is over, and the two sides of the great battle are starting to take shape as both Aphrodite and Tom Judge start recruiting. Sara finds herself caught in the middle of this great war to come, when all she wants is to get her daughter back.

What’s Good: It’s redundant to say it at this point—and I have a feeling this redundancy will continue through all 13 issues of Artifacts–but Marz and Broussard continue to put out a fantastic product. Broussard (and company’s) pencils are beautiful and evocative, and Marz’s writing is dynamic and immensely satisfying. Marz’s expertise is well documented at this point, but special kudos need to go to the penciling team who not only helped things get back on track in terms of release dates, they do a fantastic job not of copying Broussard’s style exactly, but creating extremely complementary styles that mesh well and create an excellent story and a very visually appealing product.

This is a particularly important issue, in that it ends the setup for the Artifacts event, and begins the action that will drive the story forward. This is a delicate transition, because rather than focusing on the singular emotional event of Hope’s abduction, or reviewing the motivations of a few characters, the series must now shift into dealing with huge, globally-scaled events and dozens of characters. This issue makes a good start, even throwing in one final review of the 12 known Artifacts and their bearers, but it does remain to be seen how such an all-encompassing event will unfold in subsequent issues.

Witchblade #139 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Michael Gaydos (guest artist), Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: After the exceptionally traumatic events of the last few issues, Sara is ordered to see her Department’s psychiatrist. Following the appointment, she makes a trip to the cemetery to visit her sister’s grave, but runs into the master of the Darkness in the process.

What’s Good: As much as I absolutely loved last month’s one shot, it felt rather ill-timed and I’m very glad the focus is back where it belongs—on Sara’s quest to find and recover her daughter. Or at least her attempts to deal with the emotional and psychological fallout from the event.

Ordinarily the lack of actual action and plot progression in this issue would bother me, but Marz does such a fantastic job with the characterization, and his dialog sounds so real and is so moving, that keeping the action part of this story (at least temporarily) confined to the Artifacts title doesn’t do either book any harm. I’m not sure how long my patience will hold out on that front, but as long as Marz keeps his writing at this level, and as long as Artifacts continues to deliver solid plot progression, I don’t think I’ll have much to complain about.

I have to give special props to Michael Gaydos. I was extremely disappointed when I heard this issue would be drawn by a guest artist–especially after Stjepan Sejic’s bravura outing on #138—but Gaydos knocks this one out of the park. While his art is nothing like the hyper detailed, cover-worthy panels that are Sejic’s signature, Gaydos’ rough but expressive pencils and colors are perfect for this story. (His full page splash of Ground Zero in New York is one of the most beautiful and haunting renditions of that famous image I’ve seen.

Abattoir #1 – Review

by Darren Lynn Bousman (creator), Michael Peterson (concept), Rob Levin (writer), Troy Peteri (writer & letterer), Bing Cansino (art), and Andre Pervukhin (colors)

The Story: Real-estate agent Rich Ashwalt finds himself tasked with selling a house stained by a horrific, bloody massacre. Enter Jebediah Crone, a creepy guy who seems weirdly eager to purchase the place…

What’s Good: I’ve often felt that the best horror stories are those that feel realistic in its setting and its characters.  The closer to reality, the more unsettling the injected disturbance is.  Abattoir seems to get this.

Main character Rich Ashwalt is a strong one if only because of his normalcy.  His marital discord with his wife feels natural, as it never comes close to reaching over the top histrionics.  There’s a sense of distrust, tension, and loss, but also love.   Similarly, Rich’s relationship with his daughter is tender and paints Rich instantly as a good father, yet it never veers close to feeling saccharine or picturesque.  In many ways, the same goes for his friendship with his work buddy Patrick, which, while their back-and-forth dynamic is fun to read, feels common.  All of this makes Abattoir’s world relatable.

This makes the more mysterious horror elements all the more menacing.  There’s a constant tension and a sense of something encroaching.  In some ways, it mirrors the tension in Rich’s marriage; it’s there, roiling beneath the surface and becoming increasingly anxious to break the surface.  The gory massacre that haunts the town’s memory plays a big role in this; it’s a bubbling over of the horror and insanity that lurks below all the every day normalcy of this setting and its characters and now, in Abattoir’s world, it continues to linger.  The town and its characters are forced to confront, and unable to forget, this ugliness, no matter how much they want to.  That, in itself, is quintessentially Gothic.

Warlord of Mars #1 – Review

By: Arvid Nelson (writer), Stephen Sadowski (illustrator), Adriano Lucas (colorist), Troy Peteri (letterer), Joseph Rybandt (editor), created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Story: John Carter, former confederate cavalry officer, is in Arizona, trying to prospect for gold, but he gets caught up in a tangle with some US cavalry types who have an axe to grind with ex-rebels. On Mars, a green warrior, Tars, the future friend of John Carter, is introduced in pitched battle with the white apes of Mars.

What’s Good: This book really hit all the right buttons for me. From the opening lines (pulled pretty much from A Princess of Mars) to the narrative, and dialogue, Arvid Nelson caught the mood and flavor of Edgar Rice Burroughs. So despite the new scenes, Nelson’s vision was faithful to the original. Did Nelson find some cool moments? Hell, yeah! I’d love to talk about what was cool for me, but we have a no spoilers policy at WCBR, so I’m kind of stuck. Just buy the book…oh, wait. I just spoiled my review!

Artwise, I’m really, really surprised by the quality on the page. Dynamite has been putting some great art to paper for some time now, but I guess I had in my head my fond memories of the old 31-issue John Carter of Mars series as my default. The art there was quite good, but other than Rudy Nebres, had a pretty super-hero feel to it. You could tell it was out of Marvel. Not so with Sadowski and his art team. The realism of 1866 Arizona, the evocativeness of the clothing (the suspenders!), the texture on the riding gloves, the subtle touches like the antlers on the wooden walls, all made frontier Arizona come alive. Sadowski made me feel the same way on the opening scene on Mars. The crumbling rock palace, abandoned under a lurid red sky, was haunting. The savagery of the white apes and the muscled menace of the green men were awesome. But you know what most hit me visually about the book? John Carter’s face. From his first cross-ways look at the cavalry types, full of disdain and irritation, to his straining expression in the fight, to his smile as he leaves, I felt that John Carter had finally been drawn in the way Burroughs had imagined. I’ve seen the Michael Whelan covers. I’ve seen Gil Kane, Rudy Nebres and Carline Infantino draw Carter as well. But they never captured the warmth and wry humor of the eternal fighter who always seems to be thirty years old. I then realized that I’m really going to enjoy Sadowski’s John Carter.

Artifacts #2 – Review

By Ron Marz (writer), Michael Broussard (pencils), Rick Basaldua, Joe Weems and Sal Regla (inks), Sunny Gho of IFS (colors) and Troy Peteri (letters)

The Story: The bearers of the thirteen Artifacts begin to take their place and forage alliances as Armageddon approaches. In the meantime, two bearers in particular—Sara Pezzini, wielder of the Witchblade and Jackie Estacado who contains the Darkness—must deal with an additional, and very personal, crisis: their daughter has been kidnapped.

What’s Good: What a fantastic story Ron Marz is building here. Well written, perfectly paced, and new-reader friendly without insulting the intelligence and knowledge of people who have been following the Top Cow Universe for some time. This is what a major comic book event should look like. I don’t need a bunch of crossovers, I don’t need every single huge big-name character in the company worked into the first issue, and I don’t need the entire plot spelled out for me. Especially in issue two of a 13-issue event, all you need to do is hook me with good storytelling, and give me a general sketch of where you’re going with the event. This is exactly what Marz delivers. He doesn’t flood us with information, but he doesn’t hold back and play coy either. It is very, very effective, and falls squarely within my own personal Goldilocks Zone.