Artifacts #37 Review

At this point should Artifacts continue or is it time to lay it to rest? Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

When someone uses math to access an ancient and evil power, it’s up to Tilly Grimes to find the answer to stopping them. But even with Tom Judge and the Rapture on her side, this may be too big a problem for the Numeromancer to solve.

When it comes to the supernatural side of the Top Cow universe fans have seen quite a shake-up in the last few years, and the continual culprit is this particular title. And as the latest release proves there’s still plenty of information to mine through even as the premiss of the current arc can feels more than a bit rushed. Still the bulk of the piece is inviting and certainly worth your time.

Dan Wickline does a fine job crafting a narrative that speaks to our two primary protagonists. Tilly Grimes takes on an evil mathematical equation that, at this point, looks to have clear ties to the Ancient Ones while Tom Judge gets to beat down some pseudo demons in the process. The odd woman out is Danielle Baptiste who plays her roll perfectly but never pushes beyond it. All that considered there are plenty of complements to go around, especially for the dialogue and the author behind it.

What really makes this work is the moody but always dynamic illustrations by -ROM- Darkness et Folly. From the first page to the final panel the talent effortlessly crafts his own take on this universe with a visual cadence that remind me of Stjepan Sejic and Clayton Crain with a little bit of a Tim Burton thrown in for a twist. So in short: it looks unique but that can also be a detriment as an over reliance on darkness leaves a few panels that can be confusing.

Artifacts #37 is an engaging and at times stunning entry that works. Even so there are detriments as the arc feels rushed but the art is without a doubt eye candy. Recommended.