Broken Frontier

What an astonishing first issue!!!   Magdalena hits the ground running in this new series, written and drawn by Top Cow heavy hitters Ron Marz and Nelson Blake II.  It’s been nearly seven years since Magdalena had her own series, but since then the character has made appearances in titles like Witchblade and the Darkness, and continues to be as popular as ever.  I’m happy that Top Cow has decided to bring back this amazing character in a series that’s focused on her.  I’m even happier that this book was given such an amazing creative team.  Marz and Blake make this book a can’t-miss.

The Magdalena character has long been one of the most interesting Top Cow creations (hence her frequent returns).  Like the Witchblade and the Darkness, the title of Magdalena and the mystical weapon, can be passed on from one person to the next, allowing the character to be new and exciting, while retaining a sense of importance through its long history.  If you’ve read any of Marz’s Witchblade, you’ll know that his style of writing does an amazing job of balancing the wider historical significance of events with the modern nature of the characters.  He accomplishes so much in this issue.  He sets up immediate and future plots, and establishes each character’s personality and the nature of their relationships with the other characters; all while providing enough background information to remind long-time readers and bring new readers into the fold.  

The actual plot in this issue is amazing.  Usually first issues spend a lot of time establishing the characters and perhaps reveal the conflict on the last page, but not this one.  There are several conflicts established from the beginning.  The threat of a replacement Magdalena is presented right on the fourth page.  By the sixth page, the overarching threat of a secret society has appeared and a few pages after that, Magdalena’s mentor, Kristof, is presented with a very difficult choice.  Marz moves the setting from elegant Vatican halls, to spooky cursed churches, to beautiful isolated beaches.  Needless to say, this issue is packed full of adventure, suspense and intrigue.  

And the Art!  Nelson Blake II is a magician, and his wand is a pencil.  Each of his figures are perfectly constructed.  He uses an expert mix of character and background art to convey the emotions of each scene.  Each of his backgrounds are intricate, without being cluttered.  The storytelling style in this issue in so epic and cinematic, which was key in making this issue pack as much excitement as it did.  

As I said earlier, this issue is something you won’t want to miss.  With Marz creating fantastic and interesting plotlines and Blake’s immaculate art (not to mention one of my favorite artists, Ryan Sook doing the covers), I know that Magdalena’s release will soon become something fans get excited about each month.