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First Born #1-3
Posted 23 Jan 2008
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Letters: Troy Peteri
Editor: Rob Levin
Publisher: Top Cow Productions
5.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Sara Kowalczyk
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Witchblade wielder Sara Pezzini is expecting her first baby and
Jackie Estacado, AKA the Darkness, claims he’s the father.
Impossible, right? The gift of the Darkness is passed directly
through the lineage. As the baby is conceived, the legacy manifests
and the father perishes. However, if the Darkness entity takes over
the host, that’s a whole different story.
One night, the essence of the Darkness possesses Jackie. It
decides to upset the truce between the forces of Light and Dark. By
fathering a child with the bearer of the balance (Sara), the Darkness
intends to give life to a being that can eradicate the Light (the
Angelus). The Angelus is a primal source of Light. She shares a
symbiotic relationship with a human host (much like her counterpart,
the Darkness).
“The elaborate
design of Stjepan’s weaponry is unrivaled.
”
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The Angelus retaliates against her enemy. She bonds to the
murderess Celestine. Celestine absorbs her divine power and
transforms into the Angelus. She raises a celestial army and ascends
for Sara’s supernatural offspring.
The night of the conception Sara is unconscious at the hospital.
She assumes her boyfriend, Detective Patrick Gleason, is the father of
her baby. Sara is terrified when Jackie unveils the true nature of
her mysterious pregnancy.
The current holder of the Witchblade, Dani Baptiste, as well as
Patience, the Magdalena, team up with Sara and Jackie. Together, they
defend Sara’s child from the Angelus and her warriors. The outcome of
this epic trilogy is so explosive, I don’t want to give it away!
Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic deliver an incredible miniseries.
Ron’s writing is impressive and ambitious. He effortlessly weaves
additional members of the Top Cow Universe into the story line
(Cyblade, Ripclaw, Ballistic, and Velocity from Cyberforce). I loved
his concept for the final conflict; it is the zenith of all
revelations.
Digital painter, Stjepan, whom Top Cow has dubbed the “Croatian
Painting Sensation” is amazingly talented. I really liked his version
of the Darkness minions (Darklings) and the sentient
Darkness/Witchblade tentacles and claws. Stjepan’s armor on the
Angelus, the Darkness, Sara, and Dani is phenomenal. The elaborate
design of his weaponry is unrivaled.
Stjepan’s Darkness incarnations (dragons, sea leviathans, and
flesh-eating extensions) are so detailed! His work on the angel wings
is magnificent. Stjepan’s layouts are intense and inspiring. Each
page is beautifully constructed. His digital masterpieces also
include Angelus: Pilot Season.
I only have one criticism of First Born. The Magdalena is my
favorite comic book heroine. She is a brave and formidable fighter.
I would have liked to see her portrayed with more stamina. Her bout
with the Angelus warriors is too brief. The Magdalena is an expert in
armed and unarmed combat. She is also a skilled weapon master.
There’s no way a heavenly soldier could catch her off guard and
relinquish the Spear of Destiny from her hand.
First Born is a sensational tie-in to new and upcoming releases
from Top Cow. It sets up events for Witchblade, Angelus: Pilot
Season, and The Darkness.
—CCdC—
Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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