Now you wonder why I say introduced in my title for this review of Witchblade #144? This issue is a story that while it sets up the next storyline it’s also is a look back to the history of the Witchblade and Sara Pezzini as the holder of said Witchblade. If any of you are stumbling upon this review and going well what the heck is Witchblade in the first place? Witchblade has been one of the flagship characters of Top Cow Productions/Image Comics created by Marc Silvestri, David Wohl, Brian Haberlin, and Michael Turner.The holder of it is Sara Pezzini being a New York detective who carries this mystical weapon to fight the general evils of the world. While as Sara Pezzini keeping up the good fight as a Detective for the N.Y.P.D. Ron Marz as he’s been working on this title has had it for a few years now and in that time has found a balance between the Supernatural and Normal world of Witchblade balancing Cop Drama and Supernatural action all at the same time. It’s been a bit since I’ve looked in on this title so let’s begin our reviewing adventure.
The issue starts out with a framing device of the internal affairs officer Lt. Phipps looking into the safe deposit box of Sara’s old partner Jake McCarthy to figure out what happened to him. What follows is one flashback into what’s gone on in the early days of the book and it’s handy for the new reader to get to see where this character came from. For the book has gone through a lot of evolutions over the year and this issue shows you where it all came from in a nice way. I love how Marz shows you Lt. Phipps in this bank as concerned yet you can tell the nice hint of mild sliminess to the character yet from me not reading the book in a bit not sure how this will play out. It’s interesting from the two points of user friendly story, history of character, and in general just being a good read.
Oh and dare I forget Stjepan Sejic on this issue just absolutely rocks the pages of this issue. I’d always thought he was good but this issue is fairly mind blowing in what he pulls off with a lot of these pages. For you get to see him illustrate the history of the Witchblade in all the different periods at one point and from the early pages in how she meets her original partner Jake. I would say this is one of his finest showings on this book. For he’s one of those that can make from the real world settings look great to the supernatural realm and making it all look fantastic. He’s just that good of an artist. Amazingly enough he still manages to keep up a nice monthly schedule too and that’s even more impressive considering what he puts into his art.
There’s also a nice story involving her current partner and boyfriend Patrick Gleason written by Filip Sablik and drawn by John Tyler Christopher that’s also a nice done in one story to give you history on his character for the first time reader. Overall one nicely done celebration of Witchblade and giving you a glimpse into what the future is going to hold. With this issue it looks like Witchblade is going to be in my pull for a bit just to see how this plays out. I can’t help but say that my interest has been piqued a bit again by this title. First time since vol. 6 of the trades and I find myself wanting to leap back into the Witchblade universe again. The character has been on one heck of a journey and it’s nice to be back along for the ride. Definitely worth buying.
