Broken Frontier

Two comic book icons will meet for the first time in Witchblade/The Punisher as part of the series of self-contained crossover specials featuring Top Cow and Marvel Comics characters. Both companies have enjoyed success with previous crossovers such as the recent Cyberforce/X-Men and The Darkness/Wolverine.

In addition, Top Cow creators have been working on Marvel limited series such as Tyler Kirkham on Phoenix: Warsong and Mike Choi and Sonia Oback on X-23: Target X.  Additional crossover specials are planned throughout 2007 including a summer crossover which will give readers a first taste of Top Cow's summer event - First Born.

Urban legend tells of a brutal vigilante on an endless quest to avenge his family, innocent bystanders killed years ago in a mob shootout. He's the boogie man that criminals warn their troublemaking kids about, and is called-The Punisher. As a New York City homicide detective, Sara Pezzini has seen just about everything, and she doesn't believe in legends. But when she encounters the myth himself during a prison transport she must ask herself - do the ends justify the means? And will Sara's partner, Patrick Gleason pay the ultimate price for her principles?

Written by Witchblade series writer Ron Marz (Ion, Samurai Heaven & Earth) and beautifully drawn by Witchblade series artist Adriana Melo (Star Wars: Empire, Bird of Prey) this jam-packed showdown is sure to please fans of both Sara and The Punisher alike. As an added bonus, fans are treated to a gorgeous cover by fan-favorite cover artist Joseph Michael Linsner (Dawn, Claws). This marks the first time Linsner's interpretation of The Punisher has seen print.

“This one was just a natural,” remarked Marz, “Both characters inhabit a grittier, more realistic world than most of their comic-book brethren, and that's definitely the kind of story we're telling. Sara is a cop sworn to uphold the law, while the Punisher tends to leave a lot of corpses and spent shell casings in his wake. It's safe to say they will not be getting along”.

“These Marvel crossover specials have been a fantastic experience all around,” said Filip Sablik, Vice President of Marketing & Sales, “From working with the fine folks at Marvel Comics to the fan reaction, we're thrilled and having a blast coming up with who to pair up next”.

Additional information on Witchblade/The Punisher can be found at www.topcow.com.