Witchblade #4
Writer: Caitlin Kittredge
Artist: Roberta Ingranata
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Publisher: Image Comics
Review by Greg Brothers
When I first heard that Witchblade would be returning as an ongoing series, I was looking forward to it’s release.
From the beginning it was announced not as a full reboot but a relaunch. The history of the ancient being was there with an all-new cast of characters. More importantly there would be a new wielder of the Witchblade.
Alex still has a lot going on in Witchblade #4. She is still training to become a better fighter. She is under investigation for killing the abusive detective. In addition, she feels guilty and responsible for one of her friends being possessed by a demon that wants to kill the Witchblade.
Unfortunately, despite all the dangling plot points, Witchblade #4 feels as if it is stuck in neutral. At this point in the series it feels as if Alex should have gotten some questions answered about the Witchblade and herself. Instead it feels as if more mystery is being heaped onto the already thick story without any end in sight. The series has introduced the reader to several supporting characters, but as of Witchblade #4 we know very little about any of them. The monolistic style of the diary writing leads to Alex asking herself questions that she may never get answers to, while doing nothing to make the interactions with the other characters mean anything. Despite the issues that she has run into, Alex continues to fully embrace learning about the Witchblade.
While the plot and the dialogue feel stuck right now, the art has been a shining point in the series. Witchblade #4 provides a couple of beautifully drawn splash pages that continue to show off the power of the Witchblade. The character designs continue to easily distinguish between those with mystic powers and those without. When the Witchblade manifests, it is done in a way that is truly beautiful.
Verdict: Skip it.
With Witchblade #4, the lack of story development has reached the point that I can no longer hold out hope for the promise of what could happen. The story has spent too much time in neutral with little to no character development. While the art stands out and is a pleasure to look at, it cannot make up for the lack of an engaging story.
