Villordsutch reviews Witchblade #170…

“Sara Pezzini has been a cop, a mother, a girlfriend, and a private investigator. She is none of those things anymore. The only thing tying Sara to her past and preventing her from forging a new chapter in life is the Witchblade. But with everything else gone, who will Sara Pezzini be if she gives up the Witchblade?“

Witchblade is a comic I truly know nothing about.  I know I often gripe about walking into a comic series a few issues late and you could say that strolling on in at #170 is taking the proverbial.  In I waltz like Mr. Lar-de-Dar expecting the comic to stop and bow at my feet, at the same time explaining itself as I request another peeled grape for my buxom wench; however in this case if I did demand a peeled grape for our protagonist, the bearer of the Witchblade, I’d probably end up with some fantasy realm glove throttling the life from me.  All this is by-the-by really as knowing the Lore of the Witchblade World in issue #170 isn’t an essential here – it’s not even a required.

In Borne Again (Part 1) not only are we treated to a “previously…” to rapidly bring us new readers up to speed, but we also get Ron Marz laying out a story that should have the kind word “welcome” stitched under the header.  This is the comic you should be looking at right now if you too want to discover the world of Witchblade; the tale spun in this comic touches slightly on the life before for Sara Pezzini, our Police officer with the Witchblade (a sentient supernatural gauntlet) with flashes of decapitation and blood on the hands of Sara in full Witchblade mode.  This issue’s story, currently, is a murder mystery which during the blood and police tape we leap backwards through history to tease us with how we got here as we look at this cool calm Sheriff Pezzini’s not so stable path she followed to wearing the sheriff badge. So not only are we looking at an introduction for us newcomers to Witchblade but we also have an unfolding serial killer who has a thing for crosses and removing heads by at least 30ft from their bodies, along with a would-be assassin with a  rather interesting looking gun.  Rob Marz obviously knew I was coming and drafted #170 for me.

Now I’m overly happy with the fact that the story is a perfect entry point for me to walk into, but I am even more so happy to look at the artwork which Laura Braga and Betsy Gonia have laid out on the pages, which is a beautiful sight to see.  Again this is clearly my lucky day; walking in on #170 I have in my hand and excellent mix of fantasy and real life, forests that look like fire-burnt twigs in winter and then to bar scenes with subtle images like our Witchblade becoming ever so slightly active as Sara’s backside is grabbed by a bit a sod in the bar. Sara doesn’t feel threatened but the gauntlet realises a fight may be coming and begins to form and the image of the full Witchblade looks outstanding – not because it is on a nearly naked woman, but because it looks alive.

I am exceptionally lucky picking up Witchblade #170 when I did and you should go out today and pick up your copy too.

Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.