Broken Frontier

As a follow up on my last article about sex in comics, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at a small press company in which naked limbs and appendages abound in a veritable wealth. I speak of Broadsword Comics, and their consistently well told story of Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose.

Jim Balent set up Broadsword in 1999 when he left mainstream comics to pursue his own ideas. After cutting his teeth on the DC Catwoman series, and the original mini-series of Purgatori from the now deceased Chaos! Line, he is certainly no stranger to beautiful and empowered women.

Four years down the line, twenty-five issues under his belt and still going strong with a small but dedicated fan base that just keeps growing, this hidden gem of a series has remained under the radar, probably in no small part due to its subject matter and depiction.

There is no denying Jim Balent’s talent as an artist. His lines are crisp, clean and strong, and very evocative. As a freely admitted reader of erotic comics, it was with some amusement that I noted a certain hesitancy in his drawing at the start, as if he was unsure if his comic would be well-received when drawing the characters in their nakedness, how strategic objects were placed to cover a flash of nipple, such as a curl of hair, or a well placed fairy, yet as he grows with confidence in his storytelling and artistry, these little nods to acceptability have fallen by the way side in favour of an artist fully relishing what it is he is drawing. This enjoyment for what he is crafting gives the whole series a much fuller and mature approach to the subject matter.

Of course, with such comics as this, one cannot but help draw conclusions that these are just titillation comics, full of salacious content, that is unnecessary and out of place. However, for an industry to flourish and thrive, all kinds of talent and ideas need to be thrown into the crucible, including such comics as Tarot. Looking beyond the naked women, you find a comic that is very liberal in its attitudes towards relationships and sex and the natural state of nudity. Whilst this is not acceptable to all, it is somewhat refreshing to see.

So does this comic even have a plot, or is it just an excuse to draw naked women with huge breasts each month. In his very topic he has picked an issue, which could almost be a mirror to the arguments for the acceptability of nudity. Witchcraft. Tarot is a witch whose job is to keep a balance between magick and man, whilst working against the prejudices and hatred of both sides. Her sister Raven Hex leads a common argument that all witches should rule, and the attitude of man to witches has been well documented in history, with such incidents even been committed to plays, like The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a theatrical version of the Salem Witch trials.

History to a large extent has revealed the truth behind these dreadful events, in which innocent men and women were tortured and demeaned before being put to death. Rather the case of a few powerful leaders stirring up trouble within small communities and inciting hatred of anything different or unusual, than any well meaning spiritual cleansing. Interestingly enough though the prejudices about witches remain in a modern world. Fairy tales where the wicked woman is a witch, like Snow White, that they are crones or devil worshippers. Ideas forged in early days, but how accurate are these powerful suggestions.

With issue twenty-five to celebrate four years, the story behind Tarot is intriguing to say the least, re-examining both the legend and the history behind what it means to be a witch, from both a Christian and an occult point of view. For first time readers this is an excellent hopping on point, as it is a single contained story, and the next issue will be a new story arc. The narration by Tarot introduces her as a character and her mission in life, as well as giving the reader a broad introduction into the world of a witch. As an added extra point of interest, there is an interview at the back with a real life witch. 

The other main contributor to this dark and humorous series is the very talented Holly Golightly (and vice-president of Broadsword Comics). Practicing witch and ‘High Priestess’ of colours on the series, she has also produced her own series Vampfire from Broadsword and is working on another self created series. This is quite a change from the kids’ comics she started out on, Cheryl Blossom,
Betty and Veronica, and perhaps the closest Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Holly’s work has a delightfully wicked sense of humour behind it, which has you giggling to yourself. Bad girls rule in her worlds, and after all isn’t it true that playing the villain is always more fun!

Admittedly, Tarot is certainly not to everyone’s tastes. It is a mature reader’s comic, dealing with a lot of adult themes that aren’t best served up to children. However, there is an innate charm and sense of fun that comes with Tarot that is as unexpected as it is delightful, which is what brings me back each time for more. If you are feeling a little adventurous, this is well worth the lookup.

- Immelda Alty