After a brief recap, this issue starts with Sara Pezzini looking happy, really happy. Anyone who read the Witchblade comics will know that that’s not like Sara, normally she’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders. There again she hasn’t got the weight of the Witchblade on her wrist any more either.
Of course this situation can’t last long, nor does it as news finally filters through that the communications net, Iron Grid, supplied by one Kenneth Irons, has gone down again and the precinct have missed a battle royal going on.
The battle royal is between Mary, the latest bearer of the Witchblade, and the Angelus – so I suppose it should be a battle Majestic.
Mary is holding her own in the battle, with Una’s help, but Una is all brawny strength and Mary’s a scrawny kid. So Imani steps in. Another of the Witchblade’s previous bearers, Imani uses her intelligence and determination to assist Mary’s battle. And very effective she is too.
We then get to hide – on a rooftop – and Mary gets to meet some other bearers. Looking forward to seeing more of Zala myself. Interestingly it’s one line that convinces Mary to accept the blade, and it's the line that gives rise to Mary’s final exclamation of the issue. The girl who’s been wearing an alien t-shirt for the last two issues, triumphantly air punches and says:
“I have an actual Alien Weapon.”I don’t think she had any idea yet. There again, if any of us had any idea what these crucial little decisions would really mean, how would any of us make any decisions at all?
Along the way we get to see more of Sonatine and Irons, and of course Ian, who is back to him moody broody, gorgeous self. We also see more of Tony, the forthcoming Darkness, which will be an interesting development when he reaches 21.
Well we had to wait a while for issue 3 of Switch because the artist has been unwell. Now I loved the first Witchblade (just in case you didn’t notice), but it was plagued by late issues, and while I understand that people get sick and that sometimes there are good physical reasons why an artist can’t draw, I really hope that, as the artist says, he’ll catch up by issue 5 and we’ll be on track. Nothing kills a series like inconsistent delivery, and I’d hate to see this one disappear for an administrative reason because the drawing and writing is so good.
Right, that’s the moan over.
For all the above, this was worth waiting for. I loved the artwork, and the fact that a lot of this issue is enhanced by not just the ink work, but the colourist too. Sara’s smile and Zala’s first appearance are particularly beautiful pieces of work. This had pace, depth and interest. What can I possibly do but give it a five out of five?
Gail Williams lives in her own private dungeon populated with all the weird and the wonderful she can imagine. Some of it’s very weird, and the odd bits and pieces are a bit wonderful. Well okay, she lives in Swansea with her husband and daughter. And the world’s most demanding cat. To find out more about Gail, check out www.gailbwilliams.co.uk - Dare you!
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