New Comics Monday: The Witchblade’s Legacy Continues

I really can’t believe how long it’s been since my last entry. Winter break was constant activity and then this semester, being my last, has had me far more occupied than I anticipated. Breaking the habit just once caused a much longer break than I could have imagined, but it feels great to be back to posting. I regret missing my chance to finish and post my review of the most recent Empowered special for this New Comics Monday series, but am glad to now have the opportunity to review my other favorite ongoing comic, Switch.

Like this blog, Switch just got back from a four month break. What I didn’t know until reading the page at the end of this issue is that its creator Stjepan Sejic had some trouble with his spine and shoulder blade that affected his drawing arm. I really hope he gets to feeling better and am so glad he is able to continue creating.

Before getting on to the review of Switch, I’d like to briefly discuss Sejic himself. My exposure to his work began long ago, back to when I first started high school. I had decided to start following Witchblade and saw Sejic’s artwork in issues 105-107. His artwork was stunning, unlike any other I had seen in comics. It almost felt like I was looking at a painting in every panel.





When Witchblade reached its 116th issue, Sejic signed on to work with Ron Marz on every issue up until #150. This period was when I was most engaged with Witchblade. Marz’s writing combined with Sejic’s art kept me coming back every month and their War of the Witchblades arc is one of the most exciting experiences I’ve had in comics to date. They were also responsible for Top Cow’s spectacular First Born, Broken Trinity and Artifacts crossover events and even for one of my all-time favorite comics, the Angelus. In short, Stjepan Sejic’s art has brought to life some of the most enjoyable stories I’ve ever experienced.

These days, Sejic is making some incredible stories on his own, taking on the writer role as well. His other works include the erotic romance Sunstone and the recent Death Vigil series. Sejic has lots of work pertaining to these titles on his Deviantart page. This approach of using the Internet to deliver his content as webcomics before publishing is a brilliant idea and I hope to see it become a recurring trend with comic creators.

Switch #3 Review

Back in November Witchblade, the series that sparked my passion for comics, came to an end with its 185th issue. They certainly ended it well and I was so happy to see that Ron Marz was the one to finish it. Marz’s writing brought Witchblade to its full potential and brought us Top Cow’s most memorable crossover events. It was bittersweet to see this title reach an end, but just as it was ending, a new project began.

Stjepan Sejic created Mary Parker, a new Witchblade bearer for a new era. The setting of Switch is Sejic’s personal rework of the Top Cow Universe’s continuity, which he was given permission to do in order to best create his story. I for one couldn’t be happier with the result. As one who has kept up with the Top Cow Universe for a number of years, I recognize the names of all the characters that make a return in this fresh and reimagined setting. I don’t want to get into spoilers here, but long-time readers of Witchblade and The Darkness can expect to see some familiar faces.

What’s great about Switch though is that it’s entirely accessible to readers with no prior knowledge. On its third issue it gives a full explanation of what the Witchblade is and where it came from, while also introducing us to some past bearers. Above all else, the main appeal for me is the protagonist, Mary. A stark contrast to all other bearers, Mary is a high school student. I find her compelling because she is highly reminiscent of how I was in high school; an average teen with an extreme interest in extraterrestrials. It can be a trip to catch a glimpse of the iconic “I Want To Believe” poster in Mary’s room when I have had that same poster myself since I was 17. In one bit of dialogue she even tries to mention Ancient Aliens, a show I’ve seen numerous episodes of, before getting cut off by her skeptic of a best friend, Rudy.



The decision to make a high school aged Witchblade bearer is an intriguing one, but it reminds me of Stan Lee’s decision to make a hero of that age in Spider-Man. Upon finding out Mary’s last name is Parker, I can’t help but to make the connection. The association grows stronger when seeing the original art of Switch in which Mary wears glasses. Whether this is an intentional homage or coincidence, it serves as a reminder that one of the most recognizable comic book heroes of all is, like Mary is and I once was, an awkward teenager.

Synopsis: As NYPD detectives try to piece together the strange occurrences afflicting Irons City and parties interested in the Witchblade plot their next move, Mary begins to adapt to this mysterious artifact. With the help of a wise past bearer named Inami she overcomes Celestine, an elite Angelus warrior, through intellect rather than strength. A visit to a different dimension called the Crossing teaches Mary what the Witchblade truly is. It is here that she also meets yet another prior bearer named Zala and finds out just where the Witchblade came from. With this knowledge she decides to accept her role as the latest bearer of the blade.

Form: In case you haven’t read enough about Sejic’s art yet, with Switch he has chosen a style that perfectly compliments the fun tone of the series. Instead of the nearly three-dimensional art we see in his run on Witchblade, Sejic presents to us colorful two-dimensional art that retains his distinctive style. This two-dimensional approach has shown up in other recent Sejic works such as Death Vigil, Sunstone and Rat Queens. In the case of Switch, it serves to completely differentiate it from his previous Witchblade work.

Sejic supports the artwork in Switch with a handful of innovative styling techniques. The first of these techniques to come to mind is how the dialogue balloons and even sound effects change colors depending on character. For example, Celestine’s dialogue balloons are yellow, as she is an agent of the Angelus, the primal force of light. Furthermore, the sound effects associated with her in this issue’s opening skirmish feature red lettering with yellow trim. Another good example is the red dialogue balloons of the malevolent Zala. These may seem like small details, but these choices have gone a long way in contributing to the colorful world Sejic has built.

No review of a Sejic work could be complete without mentioning his work with facial expressions. While a friend and I may disagree on the subject of the facial expressions in the Angelus limited series, I have always been in awe of the range of expressions Sejic can illustrate. This has been a consistent strength for this artist, and this issue reminded me of just how important a mastery of facial expressions is in this medium. The last page of this issue pushes this point like no other, showing the uncontrollable excitement Mary feels after her revelation at the Crossing.

The Crossing brings me to my final note about this issue’s art. Zala, the Twilight Empress, is introduced in a beautiful two-page spread. This spread is impressive enough in its own right, but I noticed that it is the first and only time in Switch that Sejic reverts to the more three-dimensional art style, which feels an awful lot like his art during the War of the Witchblades story arc. I’m not certain what the reasoning behind this is, but it makes for one impressive character introduction. I really hope to see reveals of this scale in future issues.

While this issue may have a few bloopers like the mysteriously disappearing tie of the owner of an ill-fated brand new car, this sort of thing is inevitable in comics and is heavily outweighed by details such as the translucent forms of past Witchblade bearers, the shadows that cling to characters behind the scenes, and the radiant light within the Crossing.

Content: As previously stated, I’m so glad Sejic has had the opportunity to write his own iteration of the Top Cow Universe. Like the issues before it, Switch #3 features concepts and characters I am very familiar with from other Top Cow titles. The introductions made in the first two issues got me pumped to see these characters in a brand new world with new circumstances. As an old school Witchblade character states within this issue, “circumstances are a hurricane that tests the fortitude of our intentions”. Sejic has a storm brewing with ongoing plot threads, a storm with the potential to build into the kind of epic tale that only comics can deliver. Some reviewers have described this plot as a bit convoluted, but the amount of cameos greatly makes up for having to wait for some of the plot lines to develop. Also, a story involving the Witchblade in modern Top Cow comics just wouldn’t be the same without agents of the Darkness and the Angelus vying for supremacy. Given the established Top Cow setting, many players are required in the plot. All major plot lines are visited in this issue, and foreshadowing hints at what’s to come. I have no doubt that there’s a great story on the horizon here.

This issue mostly revolves around Mary learning more about the Witchblade, and in doing so introduces two new previous bearers. Imani offers sound guidance in battle and knowledge to Mary, acting as a teacher. Zala, the Twilight Empress, makes a dramatic entrance and embodies what could happen should a Witchblade bearer harness its power for her own interests. While she was referenced back in the first issue, we at last get a complete introduction in this one. What Zala brings to the story is the potential for inner conflict in Mary. We already had her placed between the Angelus and the Darkness, but now she has access to a past bearer who seems to place self-gain over service to others. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in future issues. Regardless of what happens, I’m an infamous fan of the evil queen archetype Zala seems to represent, so she will likely be a character I will be happy to see again.



Interestingly, a theme brought up in this issue comes from one of the detectives. While trying to figure out what happened to the aforementioned ill-fated new car, this detective gets frustrated at the lack of answers and begins to describe the “narcissistic technological age” we live in. In her monologue this detective mentions how we get smart phone photos of peoples’ lunch all the time but no footage whatsoever when a teenage girl and an armored creature fall from the sky. All other circumstances aside, this point is easy to digest in a time when selfies have literally become a social phenomenon.

At this point of Switch, Mary is getting guidance from three very different Witchblade bearers from the past, and more are likely to come in future installments. The questions of what Mary will learn to do with the Witchblade and, more importantly, how she chooses to use it will keep me coming back every release, just as Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic’s Witchblade comics once did.

Overall: With Switch #3 Stjepan Sejic has continued the story of a compelling heroine with an installment that features action and exposition alike. This issue was absolutely worth the wait and I look forward to the next. My thanks goes out to Stjepan Sejic for coming back to this project after his recovery and I’m very excited to see what its future holds.

My Rating: A

Check out topcow.com for Switch and other titles from my favorite publisher in the industry.

Also make sure to come back Saturday for a visit to the planet Ahakista with a review of Star Wars Rebellion: The Ahakista Gambit!