Review | Witchblade #185 [2015] Ron Marz Final Issue

In 1995 the first issue of Witchblade premiered with artist Michael Turner who brought the character to life. The series begins and ends with the same Michael Turner cover. In 1998 Wizard Magazine brought Witchblade #500 where Sara had two children followed by a TNT television series which lasted two seasons between 2001 and 2002. Now writer Ron Marz brings twenty years of Witchblade stories to a close with a final issue. 

The finale begins with Sara who is now 45 years old and the bearer of the Witchblade for twenty years. We recap the last 185 issues as Sara looks for a suitable bearer for the Witchblade. Every time she gives it to a new host the Witchblade returns back to her until one day it goes missing. The issue is light on story but it is a wonderful dedication to Michael Turner who brought the book to life in an era where DC and Marvel books were hot. The Witchblade will live on in the form of Switch which is a teenage book by Image Comics. When Witchblade does return it would most likely be with a brand new first issue followed by a 200th anniversary issue when the fifteenth issue is released.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

E82: Witchblade #181 | Chrononauts #1 | Red One #1 Reviews [Devil Comics Entertainment]

Witchblade #181 sees both the Darkness and the Witchblade battle it out. Jackie tells Sara this is his world and his rules and he will release the Ancient Ones so the Darkness can suppress the light. Aram the previous wielder of the Darkness arrives with a magic sword from the first world and scroll to contain the Darkness. Sara severs Jackie’s head and using the words from the scroll the Darkness vanishes. Aram promises to take care of Jenny and Hope however he also plans to destroy the Witchblade when the time is right.

Chrononauts #1 Doctors Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly develop a means of time travel for Nasa’s Temporal-Observational Program. Quinn travels into the portal but gets off course due to a glitch and lands in 1504 so Reilly goes after him. Reilly gets shot by invaders as the issue ends. The comic series is going to be developed into a movie by Universal. Overall the issue is light on plot but the Sean Murphy artwork is worth the price of the issue.

Red One #1 begins as Soviet spy Vera heads to the United States undercover to stop Pastor Jacky Core from winning an election by creating a super hero to rival the current one the Carpenter. The art and story are fantastic however the plot is a little slow. Sometimes we get over 10 panels on a single page which is very rare these days. A great first issue for a low price. 

Witchblade: Darkness Falls: The Death of Jackie Estacado [2015] David Hine | Gabriel Raerte

 

Witchblade #180 ends the story that began in the Artifact series. Jackie Estacado remade his world by sacrificing his daughter and bringing her back along with his long dead girlfriend Jenny. Now Jackie has allied himself with the Ancient Ones to bring the Darkness to Earth. Now Sara Pezzini must convince or stop him permanently with the help of Aram the former Darkness. However Sara confronts her former daughter Hope only to realize that Jackie did not bring back Hope but only a new Hope out of Darkness. The ending of the issue is strong as it simplifies the events of the Artifact series confirming Jackie didn’t bring back his daughter Hope at all.

E64: Darth Vader #1 | Divinity #1 | Witchblade #180 Reviews [Devil Comics Entertainment]

The first issue of Darth Vader begins with him paying the price for his failure of unsuccessfully preventing the Rebels from destroying the Death Star in Star Wars Episode IV: The New Hope. Vader is now under General Tagge who he choked during Episode IV. He is sent to Tatooine to negotiate with Jabba the Hut however he forces him to give him what he needs. Vader hires Boba Fett to track down the X-Wing pilot who destroyed the Death Star and is also Obi-Wan’s apprentice. 

Divinity #1 begins with Abram Adams being born in 1945 and growing up in Russia. He is chosen to travel to the edge of the galaxy. We are also introduced to David Camp who meets Abram Adams. The first issue is shrouded in mystery giving the first issue enough push to warrant finishing the rest of the series. 

Witchblade #180 ends the story that began in the Artifact series. Jackie Estacado remade his world by sacrificing his daughter and bringing her back along with his long dead girlfriend Jenny. Now Jackie has allied himself with the Ancient Ones to bring the Darkness to Earth. Now Sara Pezzini must convince or stop him permanently with the help of Aram the former Darkness. However Sara confronts her former daughter Hope only to realize that Jackie did not bring back Hope but only a new Hope out of Darkness. The ending of the issue is strong as it simplifies the events of the Artifact series confirming Jackie didn’t bring back his daughter Hope at all.

Progeny Volume 1 TPB [2013] by Ron Marz

   

   

PROGENY VOLUME 1 TRADE PAPERBACK

Following the original 13-part Artifacts which established a new status quo in the Top Cow Universe, the consequences from that storyline reaches a head as the Artifact bearers confront Jackie Estacado who made the world in his image. The Progeny story arc is a sequel to the events of the original 13-part Artifacts arc. Tom Judge the bearer of the Rapture confronts Jackie along with other bearers including the Angelus, Magdalena, and the Heart Stone. Tom has also allied himself with the previous Darkness – Aram.

The bearers realize the new world Jackie created also brought the Ancient Ones which are forces older than the Darkness. Now these forces are coming together to destroy the world. However Jackie is not alone as he has joined with Balakov who is one of the Ancient Ones. Tom and his Artifact bearers are defeated and they realize they need allies including the Witchblade.

The one-month crossover had little effect on the whole Top Cow Universe. It would have been nice to see lasting repercussions of the story moving forward instead of a jumping-the-shark issue.

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

- Tom Judge reveals to Sara that the universe is remade by Jackie Estacado

- Jackie reveals to Sara that she was the one who killed Hope in the previous universe

- Jackie has been replaced by a doppelganger while Tom and Tilly head to Jackie’s estate

- Tilly decides to set things right by killing the lynchpin of Jackie’s universe: Jenny

- As Tom Judge attempts to kill Jenny, Sara arrives and saves her life

- Sara joins Tom Judge to stop both the Darkness and the Ancient Ones

This trade paperback collects

Artifacts #25-26

Witchblade #164

The Darkness #111

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Artifacts Volume 3 TPB [2012] by Ron Marz

ARTIFACTS VOLUME 3 TRADE PAPERBACK

A previous universe was collapsing so the society brought 13 artifacts together however it only hastened its destruction. The Survivor is revealed to be the codex of the previous universe and wants to replace the current codex Hope so his universe will be reborn. Meanwhile Tilly Grimes, Tom Judge, and Danielle Baptiste convinces Ji Xi who is the bearer of the 13th Artifact to join them against those who wants to bring an end to the world. Ji Xi reveals he killed his master who murdered his brotherhood of monks and took the artifact.

Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado finally find their missing daughter Hope who was kidnapped by the Survivor. A short battle erupts with the Survivor and his team of Artifact bearers which end with both Sara and Jackie defeated and unconscious. The Survivor removes the Witchblade from Sara and attempts to remove the Darkness from its host Jackie.

Writer Ron Marz sets a new status quo for the Top Cow Universe by bringing characters back to the way things should be. An interesting twist to revive the titles again with new directions and stories beginning with Witchblade #151, The Darkness #101, and Artifacts #14.

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

- Michael Finnegan retrieves his artifact and fights Ian Nottingham once again

- Nottingham defeats Finnegan as Angelus and the 13th Artifact bearer arrives

- Tom Judge and Tilly Grimes are captured by an army of Aphrodites

- Tom Judge rescues both Sara and Jackie and retrieves all the missing Artifacts

- Jackie strikes at the Survivor before the universe becomes unhinged

- Sara gives up her child hope so the universe is restored

- Jackie kills the Curator in the next world before he starts the cycle again

- Patrick Gleason and Detective Dani Baptiste investigate the Curator’s murder

- Jackie is married to his lost love Jenny who is the mother of Hope

ARTIFACT ORIGINS

- Sabine becomes the bearer of the Wheel of Shadows

- The history of the Glacier Stone begins with the Frost Giants of Jotunnheim

- The chaos of the Pandora’s Box is bonded with Alina Enstrom 

- The last surviving monk Ji Xi becomes the bearer of evil carrying the 13th Artifact

- The origins of the Demon Mali and the Heart Stone are told

This trade paperback collects

Artifacts #9-13

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

  

    

Artifacts Volume 2 TPB [2011] by Ron Marz

ARTIFACTS VOLUME 2 TRADE PAPERBACK

Act II of Artifacts begins as two sides are preparing themselves for battle following the kidnapping of Sara Pezzini’s child Hope by the cyborg assassin Aphrodite IV. Sara is united with Jackie Estacado, Dani Baptiste, Tom Judge, Abby Van Alstine, and Magdalena. Jackie, Sara, and Dani confront the Curator for answers however someone has gotten to him first as he is blow up from the inside out. The team continues to search for Aphrodite IV who kidnapped Sara’s child Hope.

Meanwhile Aphrodite IV working for the Survivor unites the other Artifact bearers Alina Enstrom, Sabine, Mali, Glorianna Silver, and Ian Nottingham. This team searches for the bearer of the 13th Artifact while Aphrodite IV infiltrates Cyberforce base to ask for help against Sara and the other Artifact bearers. All-out war erupts as Aphrodite IV and Cyberforce take on Sara and the other Artifact bearers while the final 13th Artifact bearer Ji is found.

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

- Witchblade rips into Aphrodite IV and takes her the Coin of Solomon

- The Survivor assembles his army of Aphrodites lead by Glorianna Silver

- Survivor wants to destroy this universe so he can remake his own the Codex

- The 13th Artifact bearer escapes as the Survivor is revealed to be the Curator

- Glorianna and her army of Aphrodites take Cyberforce, Hunter-Killer, and the other bearers

- Sara and Jackie secretly search for their daughter Hope and finally kiss

- Tilly Grimes, Tom Judge, and Dani track and find the 13th Artifact bearer

ARTIFACT ORIGINS

- Glorianna Silver is the bearer of the Ember Stone controlling fire as well as her form

- Patience as Magdalena wields the Spear ofDestiny against supernatural enemies

- The Survivor placed the Coin of Solomon inside Aphrodite IV for unknown reasons

- Fallen Priest Tom Judge is the bearer of the Rapture bringing hope to the hopeless

This trade paperback collects

Artifacts #5-8

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Witchblade #144 [2010] by Ron Marz

WITCHBLADE #144

The title series celebrates its 15th anniversary issue as it approaches its 150th issue. This issue begins as Lieutenant Phipps of NYPD Internal Affairs unit investigates the suicide of Detective Jake McCarthy. Lt. Phipps opens a safety deposit box belonging to Jake McCarthy which retells the origin of the Witchblade from his point of view. Now Lt. Phipps is opening an investigation on Sara Pezzini to discover more about her and the Witchblade. The back-up tale brings the secret origin of Patrick Gleason.

Writer Ron Marz and artist Stjepan Sejic brought back memories when the series was first drawn by the late Michael Turner. The up-and-coming artist brought attention to the book as well as the Top Cow Universe. Ron Marz began his glory days by replacing Hal Jordan and introducing Kyle Rayner as the new Green Lantern. After reading his Artifacts mini-series, I can say the writer has matured as he brings together and introduces 13 fairly new characters to new readers into

one coherent story.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

The Darkness: Four Horsemen #4 [2011]

THE DARKNESS: FOUR HORSEMEN #4

The first issue was released on August 25, 2010 and the pacing of the story suffers as the third issue was released in February 2011. Now five months later David Hine reaches the conclusion of his Darkness story. This is a terrific story with a final twist bringing the story to an unpredictable ending.

Lucio Franchetti sends Jackie Estacado to take out the Demon Riders who killed two of his brothers in the sixties. The Demon Riders are possessed by the Four Horsemen as the Darkness has no effect on them since they cannot be killed because they are Death. Now the Dark Magnus arrives ready to unleash their powers and bring Apocalypse to Earth. The Darkness holds back the Dark Magnus just as the Light Magnus arrives in Ginsberg to save the day. However the Light Magnus wishes to bring the Apocalypse while the Dark Magnus wanted to contain the Four Horsemen in their vessels.

The Horsemen Pestilence saves the day as the Darkness destroys her body and her soul is lost for now. Jackie talks to the Charlie who hosts the Horsemen Pestilence and he reveals Lucio Franchetti was the one who hired the Demon Riders to kill his brothers. Charlie is freed from hosting the Horsemen Pestilence as he is trapped within Lucio Franchetti. The afterword reveals David Hine’s view of how he constructed the story of The Darkness: Four Horsemen and playing on the twist within the final issue of the story.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

The Darkness: Four Horsemen #3 [2011]

THE DARKNESS: FOUR HORSEMEN #3

Jackie Estacado faces the wrath of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse who cannot be killed and they cannot kill him. However the Darklings now suffer as they cannibalize themselves to protect Jackie Estacado like an immune system. Now the Horsemen await the arrival of the Magnus who will unleash their powers and bring Apocalypse to Earth. Once the Magnus arrives the bikers would be free from the Four Horsemen. The origin of the Four Horsemen is revealed as the Magnus arrives to Ginsberg followed closely by the Light who with the Darkness bound the Horsemen in the past.

Writer David Hine has poetic words to describe the feeling Jackie goes through as he suffers from the Four Horsemen. We really see threat level increase with the arrival of the Magnus. Thought the only threat within this series was from the Four Horsemen however having the story elevated to another level brings out the characters within the story. Such has the origin of the Four Horsemen and the suffering they have felt being imprisoned. Looking forward towards the conclusion.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Artifacts #4 [2010] by Ron Marz

ARTIFACTS #4

Two sides are formed as the 13 Artifacts are slowly coming together for the ultimate battle within the Top Cow Universe. One side currently consists of the Witchblade, Darkness, Angelus, and Tom Judge. While the other side of artifact bearers is assembled by the cyborg assassin Aphrodite IV consisting Alina Enstrom, Sabine, the Demon Mali, Glorianna Silver, as well as Ian Nottingham who seized his Blood Sword away from Michael Finnegan.

Following the events of Witchblade #139, both Sara and Jackie search for their missing daughter Hope. First they find another artifact bearer Necromancer, Abby Van Alstine, who can speak with the dead. Meanwhile the church sends Magdalena to investigate the deaths of 3 priests who she believes was committed by Tom Judge. Sara, Jackie, and Abby arrive just in time to stop the escalating conflict between the trio of Magdalena, Tom Judge, and Angelus. Everything hinges on the thirteen bearer and the side that he/she will chose so they travel to see the curator to find answers however someone has gotten to him. The back-up story tells the origin of the Blood Stone by Artifacts writer Ron Marz and artist Whilce Portacio. Act I has ended as the sides are chosen and the mystery deepens as we head into Act II of Artifacts.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

  

Artifacts #3 [2010] by Ron Marz

ARTIFACTS #3

The Witchblade, Darkness, Angelus, fight off demons that have been following ex-priest Tom Judge, the current bearer of the Rapture. While Tom Judge gathers the forces of good Aphrodite IV assembles her forces for her master. She meets with the bearer of the Pandora’s Box, Alina Enstrom, Sabine the Angelus warrior bonded to the Wheel of Shadows, the Demon Mali, and Glorianna Silver the bearer of the Ember Stone. Aphrodite IV meets with Michael Finnegan who has two Artifacts: the Glacier Stone and the Blood Sword. Ian Nottingham breaks out of prison to meet with Aphrodite IV and takes the Blood Sword from Michael Finnegan. Now the bearers have begun dividing themselves up as two separate forces as we approach the end of Act I next issue. The back-up presents the origin of the Angelus drawn by veteran artist Bart Sears!

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Witchblade #139 [2010] by Ron Marz

WITCHBLADE #139

Sara Pezzini speaks to a police psychiatrist to see whether she is fit for duty after the murder of her sister and the kidnapping of her daughter. The psychiatrist allows her to return to duty on the account that she is also a mother. She visits her sister’s grave which is in the same cemetery as Kenneth Irons. Sara breaks into his tomb however Jackie stops her and makes her realize that without the Witchblade Hope would never have existed. They both work together to find out who took Hope.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Artifacts #2 [2010] by Ron Marz

ARTIFACTS #2

Sara Pezzini sister is shot dead by Aphrodite IV and her child Hope is kidnapped. Both the Darkness and Angelus arrive to console and offer support for Sara as well as the mysterious Tom Judge. The dialogue and artwork is excellent as it provides the storytelling method necessary to reintroduce of the characters that will be taking place within this series. No need to go back and familiar yourself with these characters as all the bio is provided within this hearty issue.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

The Darkness: Four Horsemen #2 [2010]

THE DARKNESS: FOUR HORSEMEN #2

Jackie Estacado is asked to even the score with a biker gang possessed by the Four Horsemen. The book opens up as the town of Ginsberg is suffering from the mayhem of the Horsemen. The Darkness confronts the Horsemen head on however with no avail as they are Death and cannot be killed. Now the Four Horsemen touch Jackie Estacado and he screams into the darkness.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Witchblade #138 [2010] by Ron Marz

WITCHBLADE #138

Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic take the present day tale of various Artifact bearers and present them in a fairy tale form. It was a brilliant way to tell the history of the Top Cow Universe in a unique and fresh form. We got a subtle reintroduction of Kenneth Irons who may have hired Aphrodite IV to kidnap Hope. The book is presented in splash pages similar to Superman #75 featuring the Death of Superman. The final page brings us to the present as the story is told by Sara’s sister Julie who was killed within the pages of Artifacts. Terrific issue retelling the history of these characters.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

The Darkness: Four Horsemen #1 [2010]

THE DARKNESS: FOUR HORSEMEN #1

Jackie Estacado is asked to even the score with a biker gang possessed by the Four Horsemen: Death, Pestilence, War, and Famine. While two other unknown players will be entering the playing field soon who have yet to reveal their true intentions.

David Hine (Detective Comics) introduces the Four Horsemen in the form of a sadistic biker gang terrorizing a small town called Ginsberg. Hine presents the havoc these Horsemen present and the challenges that the Darkness will face. This is a terrific first issue presenting the characters in an action-packed setting that kept up with the pace of the story.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5