Witchblade #122 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer) and Stjepan Stejic (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: There is no question about it, Witchblade #122 is a bit overdue. It is understandable though, especially considering the work Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic did for the Broken Trinity event. The current Witchblade arc, if I recall correctly, got off to a promising start with a grisly murder, a nagging reporter named Gretch, and the appearance of a magic golem. I look forward to seeing what happens next now that the Witchblade ongoing series is back on track.

The Story: Sara Pezzini, with Gretch in tow, continues her investigation into the mysterious murder that took place within a Jewish community. As forensics turns up new surprising evidence that puts an unexpected twist on an already strange case. Sara begins to feel that the Witchblade might come in handy. Meanwhile, Dani Baptiste takes time to meet with a beautiful, troubled student looking for some help as she experiences a surprise of her own.

What’s Good: While a bit predictable, the latest issue of Witchblade does a great job of weaving a story for both Sara the cop and Sara the artifact bearer. On one hand, you have an intriguing police procedural tinged by the possibility of the paranormal (think X-Files meets C.S.I.). On the other, you have the story of a cop with the ability to go above and beyond the call of duty as only a hero can, dealing with some of the baggage that comes with the territory. Both work extremely well and continue to show how far the series has come under the direction of writer, Ron Marz.

Also good are the visuals but, chances are you already knew that. Stjepan Sejic’s work routinely make Witchblade one of the best looking books on the stands and this issue is no exception. There are a few full page images so exceptional I consider them to be worth the cover price alone.

What’s Not So Good: I find it surprising that the other Witchblade bearer, Dani, continues to play such a low key, second fiddle role to the overall plot. I understand this arc is more Sara-centric, but Dani’s segment almost feels like an afterthought. Sure, it is interesting enough to make me look forward to how she handles the situation, but I continue to feel like she should play a bigger role in the overall scheme of things. Also disappointing is the fact that the current arc is going to conclude in the next issue. I can’t help but worry about a rushed conclusion considering how the story has been told so far.

Conclusion: You really can’t go wrong with this one. It features fantastic artwork, a well-written paranormal police story, an interesting cliffhanger, and even a little bit of fan-service. Check it out.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny