Superman Unlimited #16 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #16 Review

Writers: Dan Slott & Joe Casey

Artists: Rachael Stott & Dan McDaid

Colorists: Giuliano Peratelli & David Baron

Letterers: Dave Sharpe & Troy Peteri

Cover Artist: Guillem March

Variant Cover Artists: Aco & Taurin Clark

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Mark Spears

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US Card Stock

Release Date: August 19, 2026

 

No one can choose where they come from. But they can decide who they want to be. Ultraboy didn't realize he belonged on Earth-3. Still, when given a choice of the person he could become, he opted to emulate Jon Kent, rather than his biological parents.

 

Young Superboy may be gone now, but mentoring him has changed Jon Kent. He realizes new possibilities await him as Tomorrow Man. But first, Jon must tackle the weaponized Green-K that threatened Smallville. How will Tomorrow Man aid Supergirl, his mother, and the Super Force in El Caldero? And can Steel and his family protect their world from General Zod? Let's find a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #16, and see!

 

Story

While Lois, Jonathan, and Martha found the proliferation of Superboys concerning, Dru-Zod finds it positively offensive. So, after hurling Superboy-Prime and Conner Kent from his Kryptonian Castle, Zod pursues them to trim their numbers. But as Zod attacks two members of the House of El, Superman and Superboy battle the Kryptonite infection. While Booster Gold regards Kryptonite as an essential part of young Clark Kent’s education, Mary Marvel objects to both his insensitivity and spilling potentially future-altering insights. Still, Eradicatrix is around to ensure Booster doesn’t reveal too many spoilers.

 

Supergirl’s Super Force traveled to El Caldero to claim the Kryptonian Sun Crystal and prevent her people’s technology from getting into the wrong hands. Booster Gold intended to reach the Justice League Watchtower. Once again, the currents in the timestream took him elsewhere. But for General Zod, all these unexpected arrivals are a Rao-sent opportunity. In Superman Unlimited #16, fate gives Dru-Zod what he wants most: the chance to destroy the House of El.

 

Events from Joe Casey's Kneel Before Zod series introduce the story. Then, Dan Slott frequently shifts perspective to keep tabs on all the heroes. Although Zod has created the perfect trap, he must also take measures to protect himself against a city designed to kill him.

 

In Dru-Zod's absence, heroes battle the forces of El Caldero or flee for shelter from the infection-laden air. Heroes meet each other for the first time or seek to reverse Green-K’s devastating effects. After losing his divine powers and nearly losing himself in the timestream, Superman seems more susceptible to El Calderan Green-K. Still, he must demonstrate why he is Earth's foremost protector and the preeminent member of the House of El in Superman Unlimited #16.

 

Art

As Dan McDaid shows Zod adrift in space, the surviving Kryptonian enters an irising portal. The circle of white evokes the destruction of his adoptive planet. Then, Rachael Stott's overhead shot shows another globe. As El Caldero's inhabitants gaze up at the figure defying a plummeting meteor, the spikes jutting from their heads suggest demons gathering before the god. Then streaks of light race toward them, shattering the symbol of a planetoid that reshaped their world and allowed them to dream of a better life.

 

Following New Kandor’s destruction, Zod enters the yellow-and-brown spaceship. David Baron applies faint shades of blue, red, yellow, and green to Zod's new beginning. Then, Giuliano Peratelli employs bright hues as green-clad Zod battles the Superboys in their blue, red, and yellow costumes. Ironically, Martian Manhunter's green skin and blue apparel emulate the green buildings rising beneath a blue sky in Superman Unlimited #16. Yet both J’onn and the Emerald City struggle for willpower and hope as Zod’s weaponized Kryptonite attacks everyone.

 

After Troy Peteri uses white uppercase letters to convey events from the Eradicator Archives, Dave Sharpe shows Eradicatrix’s dialogue using white uppercase letters in black balloons. While black uppercase letters in white balloons convey most of the dialogue in El Caldero, Red Tornado utters red words in the Justice League Watchtower. The letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Both letters and balloons grow shaky as characters fight the effects of Kal-El's devastated homeworld. Sound effects enhance the battle for Earth, while yellow letters with red outlines celebrate places, words, and people of power. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

Until now, readers have viewed El Caldero through the lens of its Human leader. When Presidente Eduardo Castilho expelled Superman to profit from Kryptonian technology, the people were silent. But after their charismatic leader vanishes, an interloper usurps the throne, and Kryptonite poisoning runs rampant, the inhabitants of the Emerald City make their voices heard in Superman Unlimited #16.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Superman Unlimited #16. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Superman Unlimited #15. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Superman Unlimited #14.

For what happened even before that, see my review of Superman Unlimited #13. 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #12.

For how the era of Tomorrow Man began, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #11. 

 

For General Zod's rise to power, see Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign Review. 

For the mission to El Caldero, see Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 Review. 

For the battle in El Caldero, see Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2 Review. 

 

Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2 Review

 

Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2 Review

Writers: Mark Waid & Joe Casey

Artists: Montos & Dan McDaid

Colorists: Ivan Plascencia & David Baron

Letterers: Steve Wands & Troy Peteri

Cover Artist: Guillem March

Variant Cover Artists: Mark Spears, Ariel Olivetti & Mike Choi

Editors: Jillian Grant & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US Card Stock/$7.99 US Foil

Release Date: August 12, 2026

 

Years ago, while trying to kill Superboy, Epoch unleashed a paradox that threatened to erase Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, and Booster Gold from time. Young Clark Kent survived the attack, helping his friends from the future return from oblivion. Then, despite Martian Manhunter and Mary Marvel's better judgment, Booster Gold showed Superboy glimpses of the future that could destroy it all over again. And when they achieved their fondest dream and rescued Clark, even Superman shrugged off concerns about unleashing another paradox on his world.

 

Now, Clark, his younger self, Booster Gold, Mary Marvel, and Martian Manhunter travel back toward the present. An old villain has returned to menace Superman's world again. How will General Zod seek to destroy everything Clark loves? And how might Clark's decision to bring his younger self to the present change his future? Let's grab our K-Shields, leap into Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2, and see what happens!

 

Story

In his desire to strengthen El Caldero and protect it against aggressors, Presidente Eduardo Castilho distributed pieces of the Kryptonite meteor around the world. Now, the same thing that happened at John Henry Irons’ Steelworks campus in Smallville is occurring around the world. And where the alien crystals grow, sickness, injury, and death follow.

 

Superboy, Booster Gold, Mary Marvel, and Martian Manhunter have rescued Superman from the timestream. As Mary plays backseat driver, young Clark marvels at the wonders Booster Gold steers them around. Not wanting to worry the others, Superman engages in psychic communication with Martian Manhunter. Both heroes wonder if more paradoxes await them in Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2.

 

After events from Joe Casey’s Kneel Before Zod series introduce the story, Mark Waid interweaves Booster Gold's timestream journey with the battle in El Caldero. Supergirl brought her Super Force to reclaim the Sun Crystal and any other Kryptonian artifacts that might endanger Earth. But Zod anticipated their arrival, and the airborne attack he unleashed hampers them in unexpected ways. Another aspect of Kara’s planning may yield more positive results. Yet as Zod drains Lois Lane of the superpowers she never wanted, the journalist keeps a cool head. Her line of inquiry could prove the key to Earth’s survival in Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2.

 

Art

Crystals defile monuments to history in exotic locales. Instead of impaling researchers at Steelworks in Smallville, they burst from patients in hospital beds. And in Metropolis, massive Kryptonite crystals sprout from the ground and buildings, hurling vehicles into the air and cultural artifacts to the ground as a photographer watches. As luminous currents swirl, arc, and stream past Booster Gold’s bubble-shaped craft, young Clark helps Superman stand. But when Mary Marvel alerts Booster to obstructions in the timestream, Montos shows young Clark’s awe of his surroundings.

 

As Dan McDaid provides a glimpse of the past, David Baron portrays Zod’s dead wife in white. Yellow flames from a brazier illuminate nearby indigo instruments and equipment. While yellow adorns Eraditrix’s present form, her violet gloves and cape turn indigo in shadow. Ivan Plascencia uses her violet to link her with the Krypto-Knights and Lois Lane. Yet while one character retains a recent costume change, John Henry Irons’ coloring evokes Ursa upon a crystalline pyre in Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2.

 

After Troy Peteri’s white uppercase letters in black boxes bring readers up to speed, Steve Wands' yellow boxes introduce current events, characters, and locales. Cloudy balloons and bubbles convey Superman and Martian Manhunter's cause for concern, while Eradicatrix addresses Supergirl via white letters in black boxes and balloons. Black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons grow bold with intonation and swell for raised voices as heroes defy overwhelming pain. Sound effects enhance clashing weapons, bursts of heat vision, and a breath (or two) of fresh air as characters set their differences aside to focus on the battle at hand. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Dru-Zod may have his reasons for harming Kal-El's new home. But whether the former Kryptonian General understands why he is unleashing a Green-K attack on Earth, or if anger and grief are driving his actions, remains in doubt in Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2.

 

For Kara, Lois, and the Super Force's arrival in El Caldero, see Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 Review. 

 

 

For Superboy's battle to regain his superpowers, see my review of Action Comics #1100: Mission Failure. 

For Booster Gold's search for his friend, see my review of Action Comics #1100: Superman Meets Superboy. 

For the Kryptonite eruption at Steelworks in Smallville, see Superman Unlimited #15 Review. 

 

For Kara's rough start at team-building, see Action Comics #1100: Game Night Review.

For what happened to Presidente Eduardo Castilho, see Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign Review. 

For Kara & Lesla's battle in Kandor, and the forging of her Super Force, see Supergirl #15 Review. 

 

Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 Review

 

Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 Review

Writer: Sophie Campbell & Joe Casey

Artists: Joe Quinones, Paolo Villanelli & Dan McDaid

Colorists: Joe Quinones, Arif Prianto & David Baron

Letterers: Josh Reed, Becca Carey & Troy Peteri

Cover Artist: Guillem March

Variant Cover Artists: Mark Spears, Noobovich, Stephanie Hans & Joe Quinones

Editors: Jillian Grant, Kathleen Wisneski & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: August 12, 2026

 

Despite her best efforts to shine in Midvale, Kara Zor-El has struggled. But after the Science Council’s repressive rule sparked civil war in Kandor, Kara realizes she cannot leave the House of El to fend for itself in Superman's absence. As Lesla-Lar oversees the rebuilding of her miniaturized Kryptonian city, Kara knows her friends on Earth have her back. But will Kara's relatives follow where she leads? And is Kara's Super Force ready for what awaits them in El Caldero? Let’s leap into Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 and see!

 

Story

Kara recognizes the importance of leading her friends in a worthy cause. But when she tries to include her Kryptonian relations, Conner Kent objects to Superboy-Prime’s inclusion. Recently, Conner has seen Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel ram their Villain Amnesty program down the Justice League’s throats. He objects to protecting the world alongside former criminals and killers. But Conner refuses to have anything to do with the man who killed him, even if that will strengthen the House of El. And especially if that includes the murderer currently filling Superman's shoes.

 

Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 begins with a glimpse of past events on New Kandor, as originally told by Joe Casey in Kneel Before Zod. Like Kara Zor-El, Dru-Zod once tried to rebuild the majesty of his House. Instead, his Kryptonian dreams slipped through his fingers again. Then Sophie Campbell transports readers to the present as Kara travels to El Caldero. She senses the battle ahead. Yet the closer she gets, her connection to the Sun Crystal grows. Kara recognizes her responsibility to her team and her Kryptonian heritage. Yet she also recognizes that if she is going to interfere with events in another country, she has a responsibility to its inhabitants.

 

As Sophie Campbell interweaves the events that prompted the mission to El Caldero, Kara also grapples with the demands of leadership. Not everyone on her team is accompanying her. Among those who are, Kara wants to exude confidence and caring, while being forceful when needed to keep everyone in line. One team member tries once again to make amends for a friendship-shattering error in judgment while helping her team survive the dangers of the Kryptonite Kingdom.

 

As Kara Zor-El travels to El Caldero, she also brings with her someone who needs her protection. Superman may currently be missing. But when her cousin returns, Kara knows Kal-El won’t be happy if she allows anyone to harm Lois Lane in Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1.

 

Art

As Kara stares out the window at the clouds floating over the Pacific Ocean, she imagines recent events through transparent green crystals. A splash page of Kara in Earth’s orbit, with the sun’s rays glowing around her, suggests the leader she wishes to be. As a star forms near the smoke rising from Lois’ apartment, Tomorrow Man and Thundergirl shield people on the streets from falling debris. Then Kara attempts to intervene as Conner and Superboy-Prime tear through the atmosphere.

 

As Dan McDaid conjures a light-blue city rising beneath a red sky, David Baron clothes a white leader in red and black. But yellow and orange invade his world as his civilization collapses. While Joe Quinones and Arif Prianto adorn Joe Quinones and Paolo Villanelli’s art with bright colors in Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1, they also leave room for darkness. As Conner and Superboy-Prime fight, their red emblems glow, while their blue fades to dark gray. The yellow stars surrounding them evoke Zod's fight in New Kandor, and his inability to bring peace to his troubled world. Greens and blues link Kara's willing and hopeful team. Yet while Lois Lane wears a violet blouse, Zod's Krypto-Knights wear violet armor.

 

Troy Peteri relays the destruction of New Kandor via large white letters in black boxes. Becca Carey fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Kara's thoughts fill cloudy balloons as she ponders what may lie ahead, while white letters in red boxes convey off-panel thoughts. Lois frowns as an orange holographic projection conjures a white balloon with a lightning-bolt arrow, while Kara's sensitive ears pick up transmissions inside white balloons with yellow borders. Sound effects enhance battles in Metropolis and El Caldero as Zod proves he is his own worst enemy. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Kara Zor-El has a responsibility to the House of El. But she also has responsibilities to Midvale, Kandor, and the Earth. When she uses Lois Lane's invitation to enter El Caldero, Kara risks an international incident, warfare between the Houses of El and Zod, and being unable to protect the world from Dru-Zod’s master plan in Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1.

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1. 

Witchblade #10 Review

 

Writer: Marguerite Bennett

Artist: Giuseppe Cafaro

Colorist: Arif Prianto

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Editors: Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins & Ryan Cady

Cover Artists: Giuseppe Cafaro & Arif Prianto; Tula Lotay

Publisher: Top Cow Productions & Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 23, 2025

 

Kenneth Irons made Sara Pezzini feel like an interloper. And it’s true, she has limited the Witchblade’s hold on her. The Witchblade went out of control again when she met Jackie Estacado. Yet, Sara believes the Franchetti crime family's cleaner cannot sense the dark forces swirling around him. Nor did Jackie exhibit knowledge of his family's links with Vinter's human smuggling operation. But then, Sara only senses some of the grander reality that Kenneth Irons calls home.

 

Can Jackie Estacado help Sara shut down Vinter's human smuggling ring? And can Sara trust Ian Nottingham to protect her from Kenneth Irons' determination to harness the Witchblade’s power? Let's activate our living armor, leap into Witchblade #10, and see!

 

Story

Jackie sent flowers and a note inviting Sara to The Eye And Oyster. When she arrives, Sara sits at a table with "Mr Smith." The mafia leader used Vinter's human traffickers to increase the Franchetti family's power. But Vinter's activities have drawn too much attention, and the family wants him gone. Sara distrusts a crime lord who can't employ a more believable pseudonym and readily discards his allies. Still, he suggests that Kenneth Irons wants Sara to doubt her abilities. That's a thread Sara can clasp when everything in her life is falling apart.

 

As Mr Smith dines with society’s elite, Creosote staff wait tables in Witchblade #10. Vinter suspects his relationship with the Franchetti family is on the ropes. The Creosote leader is eager to ensure that his former mafia benefactor doesn’t make Sara the instrument of his destruction. But Vinter isn’t just a human trafficker. He leads the Creosote parasites who inhabit corpses like her father's partner, Paul Pisano. 

 

In Marguerite Bennett’s story, Sara investigated the human traffickers to arrest the cop they paid to kill her father. But she also cares deeply about the homeless and the women used by the human traffickers. Vinter suggests the Creosotes are homeless refugees like the unhoused in New York and the women he brought to the United States. But the Creosotes are parasites that feed off the vitality of others. Vinter attacked Sara in her home twice before burning it down, forcing her to become another member of New York’s unhoused community. 

 

 

 

Art

Lights gleam in the wood-paneled restaurant catering to mafia dons, drug lords, and police and government leaders. Amid the oil paintings and chandeliers, men in ties and vests pour wine and serve food on platters covered by cloches. While Sara senses the Creosotes' presence, the only visible sign is the darker shadows on their expressions in Witchblade #10. Panels set in bloody knives and surrounded by snakes hint at the danger lurking in this genteel setting and evoke Sara's fight with Jackie in the Bronx Zoo.

 

After the browns, greens, and reds of The Eye And Oyster, the green interiors of the commercial kitchen seem a reminder of Sara's former apartment. When Sara pursues Vinter, she discovers another richly appointed world dominated by glowing yellow lights, brown backgrounds, and ivory sculptures. These frameworks of the bodies the Creosotes inhabit form elaborate halls and border scenes of drama and intense fighting in Witchblade #10.

 

Amid Giuseppe Cafaro’s compelling visuals and Arif Prianto's atmospheric coloring, Troy Peteri reveals Sara's thoughts as black uppercase letters in red-outlined golden narrative boxes. He shows dialogue as black letters in white balloons and Mr Smith's off-camera words as white letters in brown boxes. The large black letters grow bold for inflection, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. Sound effects help us hear burning flesh, gunfire, hand-to-hand fighting, Ian’s “$99 Katana”, and Creosotes chanting an ominous refrain. Thanks to Image Comics and Top Cow Productions for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Jackie Estacado remains Sara’s greatest mystery. Dark forces swirl around him, yet the Franchetti family cleaner seems unaware of them. Nor does Jackie have any knowledge of the Creosotes. All he wants to do is protect his family’s future from the police investigations that could destroy it. While Jackie fights for his family, Sara seeks to avenge hers. Investigating her father's death has cost Sara any joy in life. In Witchblade #10, her battle for justice will demand another casualty.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Silverlake TP Review

 

Writer: John Zuur Platten

Artist, Colorist & Cover Artist: Andrea Mutti

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Editors: Matt Hawkins, Elena Salcedo & Phil Smith

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $16.99

Release Date: February 12, 2025

 

Kano wants to fight for his country, but the Army rejects him. Marie wants her son to remain home and not go overseas to defend Europeans. Hurit also wants Kano to stay in Oregon, but she cannot offer him marriage. Kano is tired of being an outcast from his tribe and the United States. Will the Native American man find acceptance by fighting under an assumed name on foreign soil? Let’s put on our gas masks, leap into Silverlake TP, and find out!

 

Story

While Hurit loves Kano, the fate of her family rests in her hands. Unless Hurit marries Apisi, her family could lose status in the tribe. So she gives Kano a knife to remember her by. In John Zuur Platten’s story, Hurit tells herself that Kano was never an option. He may die in battle. And if he returns, Kano will not be the man she fell in love with. But despite her rationalizing and the proclamations of her elders, Hurit yearns for Kano.

 

Marie argues that Kano has no reason to join the US Army. This grand mobilization of troops overseas in The War To End All Wars is no more than an experiment in US foreign policy. Still, Marie knows Kano wants to belong somewhere. So, in Silverlake TP, Marie gives her son something to remember her by. The pendant is more than a keepsake. It may help him survive the carnage of World War I. But, drawing on its power will leave Kano forever changed.

 

As American Doughboys prepare for the big push against German Stormtroopers, a strange event on the battlefield prompts a transformation. Kano lashes out at an attacker. Claws rip through Human flesh in Silverlake TP. Kano tries to hide this transformation by wrapping his hands in barbed wire. But Sergeant Bruce noticed Kano's actions.

 

Despite the strategic advantage Kano offers, the Sergeant isn't sure whether he should shoot Kano or let him live to fight another day. As General Barrie says, the Army needs soldiers, not murderers. But then, the US Army rejected Kano because of his mixed racial heritage, prompting him to enlist as Konrad Barnett.

 

Art

Silverlake TP alternates visions of the pristine beauty of Oregon with the ravaged battlefields of France. Rats scurry through the mud to gnaw on the fallen. Soldiers trudge through mud and debris carrying their trusty Enfield rifles clad in metal helmets and gas masks. When storms of bullets fly between the broken tree trunks, Kano believes he can see all the little metal stingers. It’s the ones you can’t see that bite you.

 

Andrea Mutti applies a limited palette of muted tones to scenes of trench warfare. Muzzle flashes become white stars against blues, reds, and yellows. White and black stippling suggests air choked with dirt, smoke, mustard gas, and explosives. While wagons, trains, captive balloons, and tanks travel through limited colors, Oregon shines with brighter hues. But most striking of all are the claws that drip scarlet and the dark facial features that resemble his mother's pendant.

 

Troy Peteri relates Kano’s thoughts as white lowercase letters in brown narrative boxes. White uppercase letters in tan boxes locate us in time and space. Soldiers and Native Americans speak uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons. The vibrant sound effects in Silverlake TP bring home the horrors of war and the everyday terrors as history threatens to repeat itself back home. Thanks to Top Cow, Image Comics, PHL Collective, and EP1T0ME Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Like Poison, the soldiers in World War I need something to believe in. But unlike their British counterparts, the American military doesn’t want reports of ghostly archers and angels to travel back home. The officers don't believe their soldiers need signs of divine providence to defeat the Huns. Nor do they want to frighten their troops with reports that the forces of Hell are joining the fight.

 

Silverlake TP follows a Native American man’s search for identity, his girlfriend’s struggle with conformity, and his mother’s attempt to protect her son while shielding him from the awful truth about his birthright. After the cover gallery, reduced images of colored, unlettered art accompany the script for the first issue in this coming-of-age saga.

 

Rating 9.8/10

Witchblade #6 Review

 

Writer: Marguerite Bennett

Artist: Giuseppe Cafaro

Colorist: Arif Prianto

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Editors: Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins & Elena Salcedo

Cover Artists: Giuseppe Cafaro & Arif Prianto; Joshua George & John Starr

Publisher: Top Cow Productions & Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 11, 2024

 

After Ian Nottingham trains her to use the Witchblade, Sara Pezzini returns to her job with a renewed focus on finding her father’s killer. The police files yield nothing. Poking around in her childhood home, ditto. But a photo of her father and his late partner takes her to Staten Island. When Joe Siry took her there after her father's death, Paul Pisano refused to talk with her. What secrets might Paul's boarded-up house yield after his death? Let's activate our alien armor, leap into Witchblade #6, and see!

 

Story

Paul Pisano died ten years ago of alcoholism. Yet, he sits on Sara’s couch and tells her about her father. Vince Pezzini trusted their boss more than Paul. Then, he started investigating corruption in the police force. An investigation into a street gang prompted him to research scholarly Catholic texts on the supernatural.

 

Ian Nottingham told Sara about these darker forces and made her fight a creosote ghoul. In Witchblade #6, Sara links the ghoul with Vinter, the human trafficker who visited her apartment after the Witchblade bonded with her at the warehouse. The human traffickers asked for Sara to be their intermediary. Now, she understands why. One of the women Sara rescued from the human traffickers told her that Vinter could change her appearance. After meeting with Paul, seemingly alive after his death, Sara begins to put together the puzzle pieces surrounding her father’s murder.

 

Sara senses an approaching storm in Marguerite Bennett’s story. Despite the protection it offers, Sara has resisted the Witchblade’s power. She doesn't know what her father discovered in his supernatural research. But like him, Sara realizes there is more to this life than most people can perceive.

 

As Sara lacked a family, Michael worked hard to include her in his. Her partner senses that Ian Nottingham is pulling Sara away from him, Janet, and her children. Michael wants to dismiss the creosote larvae that empowered the drug users in Paul Pisano’s house. He wants to ignore that his gun couldn't protect them, and he would have died if not for Sara's Witchblade and Ian Nottingham’s protection. But Sara can’t. Whether she likes it or not, her world is changing, and her relationship with Michael may be a casualty.

 

Art

Kenneth Iron's Iron Spire towers above the other high-rises in New York City. The moonlight streams into his gallery, illuminating ancient statues and sculptures. A woman gazing out of a mirror evokes Sara. As Kenneth passes her, her reflection screams. Giuseppe Cafaro frames scenes inside Sara's apartment with black, oily tendrils. Sara confronts Paul, Michael, and Ian with fire in her eyes. She emerges each time wearing a frown. But after she leaves Paul on her couch, the color drains from his face, and black, oily tendrils emerge from Paul's eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

 

While a green couch dominates Sara’s living room, Arif Prianto tinges the apartment with this symbol of vitality. After a confrontation in her beige and brown kitchen, memories and imagined futures fill a trio of deteriorating sepia-toned panels. Green also tinges memories of the warehouse, her training in Ian's Sickle Key stronghold, and an overview of New York City. But Ian foresees a future battling green demons in a scarlet sea.

 

Troy Peteri reveals Sara's thoughts as black uppercase letters in red-outlined golden narrative boxes. He shows dialogue as black letters in white balloons and Ian's off-camera words as white letters in brown boxes. The large black letters grow bold for inflection, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. Giant red dialogue deforms the balloon of a man who defies nature, while transparent and colored sound effects signal that Sara can no longer cling to her past. Thanks to Image Comics and Top Cow Productions for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Kenneth Irons dictates the fate of nations from his penthouse apartment in the Iron Spire. He counts the days until the Witchblade controls Sara Pezzini, and she joins the woman trapped in his enchanted mirror. But Sara learns about Kenneth in Witchblade #6, and she doesn’t intend to become another of his eldritch possessions.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Witchblade #5 Review

 

Writer: Marguerite Bennett

Artist: Giuseppe Cafaro

Colorist: Arif Prianto

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Editors: Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins & Elena Salcedo

Cover Artists: Giuseppe Cafaro & Arif Prianto; Roberta Ingranata and Warnia Sahadewa

Publisher: Top Cow Productions & Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 13, 2024

 

Ian Nottingham trains Sara Pezzini to use the Witchblade. He promises that Sara will eventually master the ancient artifact. Yet Ian tells Kenneth Irons that Sara is growing dependent on the Witchblade. Can Sara trust Ian to prevent the relic from enslaving her? Let's activate our alien armor, leap into Witchblade #5, and see!

 

Story

In her dreams, the Witchblade makes Sara relive the slaughter in the warehouse. She also dreams of the time it made her kill in her apartment. Then, the Witchblade awakens her to danger. Sara leaps out of bed and finds Ian in her kitchen. He may be training her to wield the Witchblade, but that doesn't make him her friend.

 

Marguerite Bennett's story ponders the control we wield over our lives. Sara works for corrupt police officials. She follows their orders while working to imprison them. Sara could have apprehended the Human Smugglers. Yet she let them victimize women to get the information she wanted. As Michael Yee and Nicole Berkshire help Sara investigate her father's death, her partner and civilian liaison use guilt to control Sara.

 

In Witchblade #5, Sara resists the Witchblade while renewing her investigation into her father's murder. Instead of getting sensory information from the ancient weapon, she hears other voices. Sara senses the same dark force that possessed the Human Trafficker in her apartment. As Sara digs into her father's past, she encounters more people possessed by dark power. The Witchblade connects Sara with the web of creation. She shares this larger world with artifacts like the Witchblade and Ian's Sickle Key. Then there are the Creosote Ghouls that Ian controls and orders her to fight.

 

Like Ian's training, Witchblade #5 draws Sara into a larger world. When she thinks of Ian, she detects the corrupting, possessive force. Resisting the Witchblade means relying on her strength. But dark powers are drawn to the Witchblade’s power. Perhaps Sara won't give in to the seductive power of this "dark Excalibur" to protect herself. But will she retain her resolve when forced to protect others?

 

Art

Dark tentacles reach for Sara in her dreams. As they surround her memories, she imagines the Witchblade rebuilding her from the inside out. The tentacles surround the boxing ring where she spars with Michael, emulating ripples in the ocean. They frame her interactions with Michael and Nicole as they investigate leads in her apartment. When Sara delves into her memories, searching for a new lead to her father’s death, Giuseppe Cafaro produces symbols of life and death. They shelter beneath an iconic image that forms the basis of many people’s lives. The Witchblade may be ancient, but does it have its origins in this prehistory of Human society? At least, the image makes an intriguing comparison with the relic’s design.

 

Arif Prianto lavishes a loaded palette on Sara's dreams and nightmarish reality. Greens and blues dominate days and nights, while other colors provide contrast and interest. A golden egg yolk hints at the Witchblade, while an apple echoes its ruby amulet in Witchblade #5. Strong flesh tones remind Sara of the people she protects, whether they build new families in old homes or inhabit the parks and streets. Yet Sara's fondness for black shouts the pain of her father's murder and the stains on her soul from all the deaths she meted out on foreign soil. So Sara paints her nails and lips black to match her hair, clothes, and mood.

 

Troy Peteri orders black uppercase letters into red-outlined golden narrative boxes and white dialogue balloons. The large black letters grow bold for inflection, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. White letters in blue-outlined black clouds hiss the darker voices that tempt Sara to invoke the Witchblade while creaking wooden timbers announce an unwelcome surprise. Thanks to Image Comics and Top Cow Productions for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Detective Sara Pezzini accelerates her investigation into turbo mode in Witchblade #5. Yet the harder she works to find her father's killer, the deeper she dives into the depravity that surrounds his murder and the evil forces that would make her life a living death.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Army Of Darkness Forever #13 Review

 

Writer: Tony Fleecs

Artists: Eamon Winkle, Kewber Baal & Pop Mhan

Colorist: Jorge Sutil

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Editors: Joe Rybandt & Marshall Hoyt

Cover Artists: Arthur Suydam, Bjorn Barends, Chris Burnham & Tony Fleecs

Publisher: Dynamite Comics

Price: $5.99

Release Date: October 23, 2024

 

The Necronomicon Ex Mortis gave Ash a demon baby and a chainsaw-swinging new lifestyle. Still, it cost Ash his hand, car, home, and girlfriend. Still, at least it didn’t give him a light beer! What chaos will the evil book force Ash to confront in this final issue? Let's snap on our mechanical hands, leap into Army Of Darkness Forever #13, and find out!

 

First Story

When Ash assembled the scattered pages of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis in 2093, the hologram wiseman disappeared, and the evil book became a baby. After the droids reconstructed the Wiseman from data packets, Ash found a second Necronomicon in a witch-filled cemetery. Now he has arrived in London, England. Ash descended into the sewers for the third copy. But first, he must battle Droidites. In this first story in Army Of Darkness Forever #13, Ash and his droids wage a battle against droids possessed by evil spirits. Tony Fleecs’ story fills in the fight he skipped over in issue #8, reminding us of Ash’s fierce determination. Nikto, the demon baby, backs Ash up. Ash wields Bitey like a weapon. The third book, Sucky, also makes decisions in its best interests while Ash slaughters Droidites.

 

Second Story

Sucky transports Ash to 1993. He arrives in London as Evil Ash leads an Army Of Darkness through the cobbled streets. Bombs explode, and soldiers fire rifles as Ash gets a rematch with the evil twin that grew out of him in 1300 AD. As Ash battles the evil warlord, the ground collapses, and he falls back into the historic sewers. Despite his worries over getting Pink Eye from Deadite fingers, Ash battles squads of military-grade Deadite soldiers. When a Deadite tangles his entrails in Ash’s chainsaw, Ash drops the weapon and beats the evil dead with his left fist and his right stump. This interlude from issue #9 stresses his teamwork with baby Nikto. Ash maintains his optimism by detaching himself from overwhelming circumstances. Sadly, Sucky returns Ash to his time after Evil Ash destroyed civilization. After all his adventures in 2093, the Wiseman's promise may be ashes in Ash’s mouth. Still, Ash battles on.

 

Third Story

After crawling out of the hole, Ash battled his evil twin again. Evil Ash accuses Ash of not using his power wisely, yet the villain makes a mistake that transports them to 1300 AD. While Evil Ash lands elsewhere, Ash returns to Lord Arthur's castle. The Wiseman's copy of the Necronomicon defiled his king and everyone in the castle, forcing Lady Shiela to flee and forge a truce with her brother's killer. Now Ash and Nikto battle the soldiers who once rallied under his banner to battle the Deadites they have become. Tony Fleecs’ third story in Army Of Darkness Forever #13 reminds us that poor decisions can corrupt us, there are always ways to succeed, and we should never lose hope.

 

Art

Eamon Winkle’s three-dimensional art shows the toll fighting the evil dead has taken on Ash. The Droidites resemble the ultimate killing machines, and Ash’s good droids have never looked like better fighters. Bitey evokes Harry Potter’s Monster Book Of Monsters, baby Nikto looks cute yet sinister, and a final frame evokes Skynet’s indomitable creations. Kewber Baal brings cinematic appeal to the second story in Army Of Darkness Forever #13. The photorealistic imagery evokes cinema posters and key art, while inset panels cluster around the edges of double-page spreads as Ash kills hundreds amid a cast of thousands. Pop Mhan delivers a seamless transition to his art in issue #10. Ash grabs whatever comes to hand as he charges, fights, falls, picks himself up, and resumes the battle. After fighting across horizontal strips of panels that stretch diagonally across pages, blood-splattered Nikto hovers beside Ash, evoking Grogu and the Mandalorian and reminding us that size matters less than spirit. 

 

Jorge Sutil lavishes bold greens, blues, reds, browns, and maroons on Ash's underground fight in 2093. Ash's blue shirt and brown slacks lighten amid the sepia background beneath a yellow sky. Yellow fire burns amid orange air in 1993. Ash battles gray skeletal soldiers beneath a purple, moonlit sky in 1300 AD. His skin tones shine while yellow and orange fires burn before nuanced purple and green castle backgrounds.

 

Troy Peteri conjures large uppercase letters into white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes in Army Of Darkness Forever #13. Words grow bold for inflection, enlarge and change color to convey volume, and rarely shrink. Sound effects help us hear gun and blaster fire, chainsaw aggression, Bitey’s chomping, Sucky’s storms, and baby Nikto’s burning barf. Red numbers update a kill counter that lends a consistency of carnage to Ash's adventures through time. Thanks to Dynamite Comics & MGM for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Army Of Darkness Forever #13’s series of linked deleted scenes portray baby Nikto as a stalwart friend and remind us that our circumstances don't define us. Ash may have little in common with Damien Thorn. Still, his adventures in 2093, 1993, and 1300 AD suggest that the one-handed chainsaw fighter and retail store hero embodies the ultimate man.

 

Rating: 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.