With the fate of this universe in the balance, are the pieces surrounding the Top Cow Rebirth starting to choose sides?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

Tom Judge knows the world around him is not the world that should exist. He also knows that Darkness bearer Jackie Estacado is responsible for perverting the universe. Tom is determined to confront Jackie to set things right, but first he will need Sara, bearer of the Witchblade, to back him up.

There’s absolutely no denying that there’s been a slow but steady build up toward certain players becoming abundantly aware of the world they once knew, and this latest issue touches on that while acting as a prelude of sorts for next month’s Witchblade feature.  What we hold in our hands is the literal calm before that proverbial storm, and trust me there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Once again Top Cow architect and series scribe Ron Marz offers up something that’s very unique to the inherent nature of a relaunched narrative.  The script itself successfully charges forward while simultaneously lingering on familiar territory which ultimately yields a smart release that does what it needs to in order to continue the contextual mystery surrounding this re-imagined but wholly unstable status quo. The only real complaint I have about this jaunt is that it’s over too quickly and not enough happens by the final page to let this become something more than what it is.

The art by Stjepan Sejic once again is an orchestrated display of his unique style and bold vision as each page and panel realizes this story on almost every possible level.  Whether he’s illustrating a battle or an intimate moment he’s more than capable of submitting a compelling rendition that’s truly befitting of these characters.  With that said, there were a couple scenes early on that seemed to be a tad bit rushed but beyond that this was a prime example of what the talent can do.

Artifacts #24 is another really good issue that may not be necessarily ground breaking but it’s nonetheless entertaining.  Recommended.

4/5