Best Shots Reviews Witchblade #133

Witchblade #133
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Stjepan Sejic and Jeffrey Spokes
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

"My name's Sara. I'm a detective with the NYPD. But that doesn't really matter...I want to talk." -- Sara Pezzini

There's actually two stories going on in this issue. One being the resolution to the missing children from the previous issue, as well as a sort of "welcome back" for Aphrodite IV. As usual, Marz nails the dialog and brings subtle mystical elements to the story with an addition to a real-world problem. There's no intergalactic threat or demonic hellgate that will unleash an unholy terror...this time anyways, and the villain is not who you think at first. Much like the story of the "Three Billy Goats Gruff" there is a troll under the bridge, but Marz didn't take the usual route and the real monster is in plain sight.

Of course, after that ordeal, we see a set up for events to come with a couple pages of Aphrodite IV.

Now, I've discussed before that Sejic has trouble handling quieter moments of the book, but grand slams things like trolls and the imagery of Hell. In this issue, you can see improvements in how he does with figure construction and facial expressions. I love what he did with the countryside scenery, and it's a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the New York cityscape he's done for a while.

This has been one of my consistently favorite books since I was reintroduced to the series earlier this year. With recaps at the beginning of each issue, it makes it easy to pick up and dive in. I say, take the plunge.

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The Quarter Bin Previews/Reviews Witchblade #133

The conclusion to “The Bridge” happens this week in Witchblade #133. Read the full review for Quarter Bin's thoughts on the issue.

Witchblade #133
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Cover Artists: Sejic, Jeffrey Spokes

In the last issue of Witchblade, Sara Pezzini and Patrick Gleason were taking a break from their hectic New York City lives and vacationing at a charming bed and breakfast in the country. They soon found themselves swept up in a modern-day version of the tale of the troll under the bridge, trying to find both the creature and the local children that had gone missing. The story concludes this month with “The Bridge, Part 2″, and I’m glad that Ron Marz didn’t take the predictable route, instead taking the issue in an unexpected direction within the first few pages.

What’s interesting about this issue is that even though Sara’s recent struggles with the Witchblade aren’t directly addressed (she’s a little too busy with ancient creatures and missing kids for that), it’s obvious that there is still a little bit of darkness within her. It’s subtle, but I can’t help but wonder if being overtaken by the dark side of the artifact during “War of the Witchblades” will have longer-lasting consequences than I originally thought. The Witchblade may be whole again, but is she?

Stjepan Sejic is, as usual, on top of his game here, and it’s nice to see him get the opportunity to branch out a little, depicting more than the usual New York City sights. In particular, the single page in which the beast explained his origin was handled masterfully, with very little words needed; the panels told the story.

I was wondering what would be next for Sara after wrapping up this case, but Witchblade #133 also sets up the next storyline, which will begin in the new year. This issue will be in comic shops tomorrow, December 23.

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CBR Exclusive Preview of Witchblade #133

STORY BY: Ron Marz
ART BY: Stjepan Sejic
COVER BY: Stjepan Sejic, Jeffrey Spokes

NY Police Detective Sara Pezzini, the current bearer of the Witchblade, and Patrick Gleason have a horrifying turn to their romantic New England weekend when they discover a group of missing children held captive by massive troll! Featuring a cover by series artist Sejic and a variant cover by illustrator Jeffrey Spokes (Broken Trinity, Galveston)!

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ANNOUNCES BROKEN TRINITY LITHOGRAPH BY JEFFREY SPOKES

BROKEN TRINITY LITHOGRAPH BY JEFFREY SPOKES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR SALE

BROKEN TRINITY LITHOGRAPH

Limited-edition litho features Spokes' stunning interpretations of Witchblade,
The Darkness and The Angelus

Top Cow Productions, Inc. announced today it will make available a limited number of lithographs of Jeffrey Spokes' triptych image created for the company's Broken Trinity summer event. The image features the Trinity of the Top Cow Universe – Witchblade, The Darkness and The Angelus.

The image was broken into three parts and initially appeared as alternate covers for the Broken Trinity tie-in issues published by Top Cow. Broken Trinity is a three-part mini-series with three tie-in books in which at least one established character dies and new characters with permanent ramifications for the Top Cow Universe are introduced. The three main books are by the Witchblade team of Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic with Phil Hester providing layouts, while the three tie-in books include work by writers Marz and Phil Hester (The Darkness), and artists Jorge Lucas (The Darkness), Brian Stelfreeze (Batman: Black and White) and Nelson Blake II (Black Vault).

Jeffrey Spokes' comics work outside of Broken Trinity includes covers for Virgin Comics' Sahdu: The Silent Ones and Devi. He has also done commissions for Star Wars, X-Men and Hellboy, and his original works have appeared in The New York Times, all showcasing his highly sought-after work. More examples of Spokes' fantastic artwork can be found at his website (www.jeffreyspokes.com).

"We were introduced to Jeffrey Spokes' work by Broken Trinity writer Ron Marz and I was immediately taken by his incredible sense of design and artistry," says Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik. "We're incredibly proud to offer Jeffrey's three covers for Broken Trinity as the unbroken, beautifully iconic piece he originally envisioned."

The 11" x 17" lithograph is available in October and comes in a protective sleeve with a certificate of authenticity. The lithograph retails for $29.99. Fans who wish to pre-order the item should provide their comic shop retailers with Diamond Item number AUG082283.

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