New Angelus #1 reviews

Hi everyone!

This just in: My Angelus #1 copy is on my way, so stay tuned until I finally got it.

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Here are some new Angelus #1 reviews!

Best Shots Reviews Angelus #1:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . Reviews and Recaps

Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts

Angelus is the story of many things, but mainly about how things work in this universe. How things work in circles. See, the Angelus was once a self-righteous villain, though now former Witchblade-bearer Dani Baptiste is now the wielder of the Angelus force. Also, how Dani came from New Orleans, moved to New York, and now has settled back to Louisiana in an attempt to clear her head. Along for the ride is her would-be girlfriend, Finch, who was introduced a while back in "Witchblade". Too bad for Dani, things are about to get crazier.

Now, I wouldn't call this an origin story by any means, if anything it's a set up for the remaining five issues of this mini series. There's little to be unsaid about what Marz and Sejic have done for Top Cow's top character, and this title is in the same field of character development, intrigue, with magical elements that wouldn't let me stop turning pages. Marz is no stranger to the story of everyman, or woman, becoming a larger than life hero(ine) and Dani has stepped out of Sara's shadow and really shines here.

Of course, Sejic is at his best here with heavenly imagery and hellish designs and solid panel construction, but once again, doesn't seem to capture the images of the "real world" and the more subtle moments. I do love the "aren't they, are they" factor of Finch and Dani's friendship, and you want to cheer for the both of them on. Readers of both Witchblade and Darkness will surely want to pick this issue up, though there isn't really anything earth-shattering for them, but really completes that trinity that Top Cow has established. With "Artifacts" coming out soon, this is a book to have an eye on.

Source: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/100104-best-shots.html

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Comicnewsi has this to say:

Angelus is another one of Top Cow's supernatural characters like Witchblade and the Darkness. In fact, the Darkness and the Angelus are the primal forces of light and darkness, and through a truce created the Witchblade together as a balance. Angelus first appeared in the pages of the Darkness in 1997, and received a one-shot in Top Cow’s acclaimed Pilot Season title in 2007. Now Angelus has a new mini-series; let's see if it's worth a look.

Following the events of Top Cow's “First Born” limited series and “War of the Witchblades” storyline, the Angelus force is now within Danielle Baptiste. But unlike previous hosts, she still maintains her free will. And, apparently there are those who have a problem with this in the first couple of pages. After a quick side trip to hell, we join Dani and her companion Finch as they're settling into their new home in New Orleans. Supernatural hi-jinks are not far behind, as Dani struggles to figure out just what is it she's supposed to do now.

As the first issue in a mini-series, this can either make or break what the title's trying to accomplish. Having not read anything with Angelus before, I felt a little lost trying to follow what was going on. I had to search online for answers, some of which I used in the opening paragraph. I'm sure Angelus/Witchblade/Darkness/Top Cow fans knew what was going on, but a brand-new reader like me shouldn't have to find answers outside of the pages of the first issue. I'm sure more answers will follow in the second issue, but I just can't help but feel bothered by this.

Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic are the creative team behind this, which is not surprising since Marz finds his way to most Top Cow titles. Marz's writing style is true to form, grounding his characters in a felt-reality (as real as you can get with angels and demons), giving real issues to his characters without it feeling like drama-for-the-sake-of-drama. Sejic's artwork hurt my eyes at first, but that always happens with art styles like this. After the first few pages I was used to it and didn't even notice it, and it does help convey the epic-scale story they're trying to tell involving the war between heaven and hell.

Since the Angelus is forever linked to the Darkness and the Witchblade, fans of those works should definitely be checking this out. From what I've pieced together, it seems that the Angelus has been an important part to both titles' recent storylines so it's only fitting that the character gets its own mini. However if you've never read the Darkness or Witchblade before, you probably shouldn't read this unless you plan on following those other titles as well. Overall, not a bad start, but not great either.

Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Cover(s): Stjepan Sejic, Eric Basaldua
Publisher: Top Cow
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale: Now

Source: http://comicnewsi.com/reviews.php?catid=259&itemid=12759

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