Sara is desperate to honor the memory of her slain father, what she doesn’t know is this drive will lead her to a power she could never imagine. Your Major Spoilers review of Witchblade #1, awaits!

WITCHBLADE #1

Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Giuseppe Cafaro
Colorist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Editors: Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins, and Elena Salcedo
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: July 17th, 2024

Previously in Witchblade: New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city.

BODIES AND SOULS

Witchblade #1 starts with Sara on her way to a meetup while her narration explains that in an hour, she’ll be dead. In Germany, a woman is coerced by a shady group to begin digging in a specific spot. She uncovers a piece of jewelry that transforms into a spider-like thing and attaches itself to her. She then begins running, as if being controlled, while the group chases after her. She makes it to the airport where she’s able to pass on the spider to another woman who boards a plane to New York. In New York, Sara arrives at a hidden location and is introduced to Vinter, a human trafficker who knows Sara’s training and past. The spider passes from one woman to another as it continues to make its way somewhere. Vinter instructs Sara to murder a man who had failed Vinter as proof that she’s actually corrupt. Suddenly, a woman, controlled by the spider crashes through a window on a motorcycle and the spider attaches itself to Sara, enabling her to fight the crooks surrounding her.

A Worthwhile Reboot

The original Witchblade series ran from 1995 to 2015 and was one of the most successful titles produced by Image Comics. It’s had multiple adaptations and has garnered a strong following. That’s all to say that Witchblade #1 had some big shoes to fill. Now, of course, there’s no way that it’s going to be able to have the same splash as the original did, the times are different, and the novelty factor is no longer there. But that’s not to say that this is an unsuccessful reboot. This initial offering is an action-packed, effective, and well-crafted introduction to not only Sara as a character but the world that she inhabits. There’s an interesting parallel story being told here between Sara and The Witchblade, with the former actively hunting down someone, while the latter is being hunted, then when they converge, they become something beyond motive but rather something that’s pure expression. While tonally, things are darker and tip toes in some rough subject matter, this reboot doesn’t stray too far from the original, which might appeal to longtime fans, but comes off as a safe choice and possibly a missed opportunity to establish this title as something new and fresh. The decision to bring The Witchblade and Sara together in the first issue in the midst of an action sequence is a good one, that avoids the typical meanderings that characters with new powers tend to have, instead the reader just gets to enjoy some hacking and slashing and a complete adventure, for those hooked, all those questions can come later.

Got To Talk About The Suit

One of Witchblade’s lasting legacies, for better or worse, is the costume that Sara wore when using The Witchblade. This outfit was often times an exercise in how naked they could draw Sara while still managing to not make her completely nude. This resulted in a lot of questionable physiques, the world’s smallest nipples, and rubber bones, which were only enhanced by spine-shattering posing. I only bring this up in order to compare that to the direction the reboot has gone in so far. While there’s still some skin on display here, it’s nothing compared to the original and shows far more intent than the original as well. This new suit has a much more organic look to it and seems to be trying to stick with an arachnid motif that’s actually a bit grotesque and sinister in certain ways. The rest of the art is sketchy with a lot of heavy lines, once again making this world feel darker and more serious than the original.

Bottom Line: A Big, Yet Timid Step Into The Spotlight

Witchblade #1 was never not going to exist without being compared to the original series, which is fine because this reboot rises to the occasion and effectively introduces readers to an exciting world. It doesn’t take too many risks though as it relies a bit on leftover elements from the original series. Visually it’s an exciting book that manages to capture some of the sexiness that was such a big part of the original series, while not being nearly as ridiculous and also establishing a much different tone. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Witchblade #1

80%

80%

Worth the Hype

Witchblade #1 is an exciting re-introduction to a classic series that won’t alienate old or new readers. A well-crafted plot along with engaging visuals makes this a solid read all around.

• Writing

  8
• Art

  8
• Coloring

  8
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