Witchblade Annual #1 Review

Witchblade Annual #1

Image Comics

Written by Marguerite Bennett, Marc Silvestri, Ryan Cady and Matt Hawkins

Art by Giuseppe Cafaro, Robert Willis and Pat Boutin

Inks by J.P. Mayer

Colors by Arif Prianto, Gibran Ferdian and Steve Firchow

Letters by Troy Peteri

The Rundown: Three stories showcase Ian Nottingham before, during and after meeting Sara Pezzini.

Abominable

Young Ian lives in Japan and becomes friends with a young girl who shows him a strange power. Starving for money, Ian tries to sell his services, but becomes a servant when his friend must part with her treasure to save his life. A life that becomes entangled in death and leads to Kenneth Irons.

Bennett and Cafaro create a thrilling, atmospheric and tense story with great world building and beautifully detailed art.

Hostile Takeover

Ian returns to Madame X after working for Irons and cuts a path through her men as she runs. After taking out her guards, she waits for the end, but Ian has other plans. Plans that will bring him face to face with his boss who is unaware of the length of his employee’s imagination.

Silvestri and Cady create a thrilling, brutal action adventure in this issue. I not only love the art in the issue, but the story does a great job of showing the evolution of Ian as a character.

Forlorn Conclusion

With Irons gone, Ian decides that now is the time to strike. After killing his men and invading his penthouse sanctuary, Ian uses his knowledge of Irons to look for an artifact that Irons told him could resurrect his wife. An artifact Ian will have to survive elaborate riddles and traps to find, but might not be what he thought he would find.

Hawkins crafts a dark, thrilling and entertaining story whose conclusion may be forgone, but the journey is absolutely worth it. I really enjoyed both the story and Boutin’s art.