The latest story arc kicks off as ley lines in Washington D.C. come into play, but is it worth your money and time?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

“TRUTHS & DESTINIES,” PART 1

Tom Judge and Tilly Grimes are not the only ones that know the hidden truths of the universe. The Catholic Church knows dark realities kept secret from the world and they have agents to protect us from those secrets. Whether we want them to… or not. RON MARZ (MAGDALENA, SHINKU) and STJEPAN SEJIC (ANGELUS) re-introduce one of Top Cow’s most popular characters into the “Rebirth” universe in a special two-part story.

Ready for the latest issue of Mr. Judge goes to Washington?  I may have attempted a lame joke there but that more or less is the sales pitch of this release.  On top of that though our protagonist has to deal with a bit of his past from the prior universe and the consequences of his resurrection (back there).  I’ve often wondered if the Top Cow Rebirth affected the landscape or the souls in Hell in its realignment, it looks like we got our answer courtesy of this rip-roaring jaunt.

Ron Marz once again handles the script expertly.  From the dialogue to the subtle re-use of established scenes that occurred years ago in Top Cow‘s Universe series, this is a tale that’s full of both intrigue and revelations.  It’s important to notice and take note that when the the dynamic action sequence at the end comes into play, this author has the wherewithal to step aside and let the artist do his thing, which ultimately yields a complete issue experience that’s balanced enough and it does not disappoint

Stjepan Sejic once again proves why he’s one of the best comic book artists in the industry.  His intricate panels are full of lush details that give way to some stellar character designs that easily make this one of his best works yet.  I have to specifically highlight the final few pages as the transformations from human to something else continue to improve as they evoke the kind temperament that’s cornerstone to both this universe and the narrative by Ron Marz.

If you found the Heart Stone story arc to be a little underwhelming in comparison to the adventures featuring Tilly Grimes and Tom Judge, then Artifacts #22 is a comic book that’s certainly for you.  Highly recommended.

4.5/5