Top Cow Plans for Witchblade

Top Cow poses the question "what's a comic character to do after finding her sister murdered and baby kidnapped?" I have a sneaking suspicion they would do what a real character would do in that scenario: go on some vengeance fueled bender. Sara Pezzini has decided to go back to work. Say what?

Witchblade #135 touched on how Sara reacted to those events by sending her back to work. The first arc is the "Paper Monsters" arc, written by Saurav Mohapatra and Ron Marz and illustrated by Stjepan Sejic. Pezzini and her detective partner Patrick Gleason have encountered monsters and demons before, but these latest supernatural terrors seem to be born from the imagination of an innocent child.

This will be in conjunction with Witchblade's 15th birthday (yes Tom, it's that old) celebration in the form of Witchblade Annual 2010. Sara comes face to face with a Russian soldier who served in World War II (Siege of Stalingrad) and was a former bearer of the Witchblade. The annual boasts art by Tony Shasteen.

Finally, Matthew Dow Smith takes over the art for Witchblade #142-143 and focuses on Patrick Gleason. More specifically, how he copes with his crimes while not investigating alongside the Witchblade. Returning as the regular monthly Witchblade artist, Sejic’s Witchblade #144's oversized issue will retell Sara’s origin from the perspective of Sara’s deceased ex-partner, Jake McCarthy.

Witchblade #140 will be in stores tomorrow. The 48-page Witchblade Annual 2010 will be in stores next week while Artifacts #4 continues the search for Hope on December 22.

Full press release after the jump.

TOP COW ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR WITCHBLADE #140-144

LOS ANGELES, Calif., December 7, 2010 – What’s a comic character to do after finding her sister murdered and baby kidnapped? If you’re Witchblade-bearer Sara Pezzini, you return to your life as a NY police officer investigating supernatural crimes. Following Witchblade’s 15th birthday, publisher Top Cow Productions, Inc. has announced their plans for WITCHBLADE #140-144.

Following the aftermath of the events that transpired in megaevent series, ARTIFACTS, WITCHBLADE #139 touched upon how Witchblade-bearer Sara Pezzini reacted to her sister Julie’s death and the kidnapping of her daughter Hope.

Returning to its own timeline, WITCHBLADE #140-141 finds Sara Pezzini back on the job handling supernatural cases. The “Paper Monsters” arc finds writer Saurav Mohapatra joining the dynamic team of writer Ron Marz and artist Stjepan Sejic. Sara Pezzini has investigated countless bizarre crimes, but her latest cases may be the most shocking yet! Pezzini and her detective partner Patrick Gleason have encountered monsters and demons before, but these latest supernatural terrors seem to be born from the imagination of an innocent child.

Celebrate Witchblade’s 15h birthday with the WITCHBLADE ANNUAL 2010 where Sara Pezzini comes face to face with a former Witchblade bearer, a Russian soldier who served during the frozen Siege of Stalingrad, a pivotal battle in World War II. What tale does she have to tell Sara? Witchblade bearers past and present come together in a one-of-a-kind story with amazing art by New York Times best-selling illustrator Tony Shasteen (THE TALISMAN).

Matthew Dow Smith (DR. WHO) takes over artistic duties for WITCHBLADE #142-143 and turns the spotlight on Sara’s partner and lover, Detective Patrick Gleason. Gleason is used to relying on his partner when weird cases pop up in the Special Cases Division. However, when a routine prisoner transport from upstate New York turns into a brutal mass murder, can Gleason solve and survive this on his own without the help of Sara or the Witchblade?

Returning as the regular monthly WITCHBLADE artist, Sejic’s WITCHBLADE #144’s oversized issue will retell Sara’s origin from the perspective of Sara’s deceased ex-partner, Jake McCarthy.

WITCHBLADE #140 (MAY100513), a 32-page full-color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores December 8, 2010. The 48-page 15th anniversary issue, WITCHBLADE ANNUAL 2010 (OCT100525), arrives in stores on December 15, 2010. The search for Hope continues in ARTIFACTS #4 (AUG100510) on December 22, 2010.