Fallen from Heaven
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Editor: Bryan Rountree and Matt Hawkins
Publisher: Top Cow Productions
Audience: T+/Teen Plus
Final Score: 7/10
On Sale: January 9, 2013
Price: $3.99
Format: FC
Pages: 32
Tom Judge knows the world around him is not the world that should exist. He also knows that Darkness bearer Jackie Estacado is responsible for perverting the universe. Tom is determined to confront Jackie to set things right, but first he will need Sara, bearer of the Witchblade, to back him up.
Ron Marz continues to weave a tale of mystery, horror and everyday life. Marz manages to take a situation that other books have made a big deal about in order to promote their story and treat it as a normal moment in the characters lives. This is refreshing in a day when sensationalizing things to get publicity is not unusual. Will I tell you what the moment was? No way, that would be spoilery of me. I would however like to give Marz kudos for the way he handled things. Often the mundane parts of characters lives are neglected but Marz uses them to build the character and to tell the reader more of who they are. Mind you this issue is not simply about mundane moments, it is anything but that. There is drama, conflict, pain, loss and heroism all contained within one issue. And it all works beautifully. Though this issue advances the story for Artifacts and Top Cow Rebirth as a whole it is also a bit of a transitional issue setting the stage for what I believe is to come.
Stjepan Sejic’s ability in conveying the otherworldliness of the Angelus and her host has never been shown better than in this issue. There is no mistaking when Finch is ‘human’ versus when she is the Angelus. The power simply radiates from her when Sejic renders her in her Angelus persona. He gives the home of the Angelus host an otherworldliness clearly defining it as being other than a city on earth. While I still have some issues with some of the faicial expressions this issue shows other aspects of Sejic’s art that I can’t deny. It is simply breathtaking. And as with Marz’s story I can’t tell more of the details of what was so powerful in the art of this issue as I would have to tell you to much of the story to do so.
One thing I don’t tend to talk about is the lettering. But over the past few months I have truly come to appreciate the quality of Troy Peteri’s lettering. Having read books where I cringed at the lettering I have come to appreciate the value of a good letterer on a book and have yet to find flaw with any of the Peteri’s lettering. It should enhance the story by being appropriate for the moment, for the tone of the story and for the character or moment. All of these things I find in the lettering that Peteri has done.
Reading the solicitation blurb for this issue I have to admit the story was not what I would have expected. This does not mean it is not a great issue. It’s just not what I expected it to be.
Final Score: 7/10
