Can't wait for these titles!!!
Angelus #6 (of 6)
(W) Ron Marz
(A) Stjepan Sejic
(Cov) Stjepan Sejic
The ARTIFACTS lead-in series concludes!
The final battle for the mantle of the Angelus reaches its climax as Dani Baptiste takes on a foe who knows her every weakness, inside and out. Will Dani have to sacrifice everything dear to her, even her humanity, to survive?
Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
limited series
Expected Ship Date – June 16th, 2010
Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #5 (of 6)
(W) Rob Levin & Bryan Edward Hill
(A) Alessandro Vitti
(Cov) Tommy Lee Edwards
The ARTIFACTS lead-in series reaches its penultimate issue!
The End of Days has come! When Elias and his Disciples of Adam unleash the dark power of Pandora's Box, a terrifying villain is let loose upon the Earth. Will Glori and Finn rise to stop Armageddon, or will their compulsion to destroy each other doom millions of innocent lives?
From newcomers Rob Levin (The Darkness: Shadows & Flame) and Bryan Edward Hill (Broken Trinity: Aftermath), and artist Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors). Featuring covers by Tommy Lee Edwards (Book of Eli, Turf)!
Full Color
32 pages
$3.99
limited series
Expected Ship Date – June 23rd, 2010
Witchblade #139
(W) Ron Marz
(A) Stjepan Sejic
(Cov) Stjepan Sejic
Sibling Rivalry!
Julie Pezzini has led a rough life, including a stint in prison. But that's nothing compared to being the sister of an NYPD Detective who also happens to wield a powerful mystic weapon. Even Sara and the Witchblade might not be enough to keep Julie safe in Sara's world of supernatural threats!
Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
ongoing series
Expected Ship Date – June 9th, 2010
Showing posts with label Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box. Show all posts
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Characters of Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box
THE CHARACTERS OF BROKEN TRINITY: PANDORA’S BOX
With Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box arriving this month, a preparation of sorts was in order. We went straight to the source, creative team Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill, who gave us this handy rundown of the characters at the heart of Pandora’s Box.
Michael “Finn” Finnegan - Ex-gun runner Michael Finnegan grew up on the coldest side of Northern Ireland, learning from a young age that surviving meant combining violence, luck and charm into a way of life. Unaware of the legend of the Witchblade, Finn was hired to follow Sara Pezzini by Jackie Estcado a.k.a The Darkness. Finn quickly found himself in a new world of magic and terror when The Curator gave him the Glacier Stone...and made him the person responsible for serving its legacy in our time. After a violent confrontation with Glorianna Silver, Finnegan now struggles with the power of the Glacier Stone, half curious about its potential -- half resentful that his life was turned upside down because of it.
Glorianna “Glori” Silver - At seven years old, Glorianna Silver was orphaned when marauders invaded her poor Norwegian farmhouse. Just when it appeared she would be another statistic of poverty, she was found by Wulfgar Olafsson. On her eighth birthday, she was given a new purpose: Wulfgar told her it was her destiny to bear the power of the Ember Stone. Since that day, Wulfgar has trained Glori in everything from the highest-level academics to the most brutal fighting arts. Upon finding the Ember Stone, Glori claimed her legacy and set off to fulfill it...by taking the Glacier Stone, uniting the trinity and using its power to remake the world according to her vision. Now Glori commands a multi-million dollar empire given to her by Wulfgar’s lineage. She has charities. Political contacts. Global influence...but she doesn’t have the Glacier Stone, and that’s where her obsession lies.
Wulfgar Olafsson - The Olafsson family line has existed for one purpose: to find and train the bearers of the Ember Stone. Stretching back to the dark ages, they have cultured a multi-million dollar fortune. In the modern day, Wulfgar is the patriarch of the Olafsson’s estate. Wulfgar created the Sons of Ember, a group dedicated to protecting the Olafsson Empire and the bearer of the Ember Stone, Wulfgar’s adopted daughter, Glorianna Silver. A lifetime student of history, literature and philosophy, Wulfgar has been Glori’s teacher, mentor, trainer and protector. Now that Glori possesses the Ember Stone, it is through Wulfgar’s counsel that Glori wages her war to unite the Broken Trinity.
Kenshin Kawakami - Kenshin is a former Japanese military man, but he never talks about it. Something bad happened when he was in the service. He bears the weight of this at all times. He’s burdened by his past because he’s lived, seen, and endured terrible things. He’s even a done some of them himself.
After leaving the military, Kenshin retired to a hillside dojo where he teaches philosophy and sword fighting in the same manner as his ancestor, Miyamoto Musashi. At some point in his past, Kenshin wielded the Blood Sword, one of the 13 Artifacts. It’s unclear how or why he gave it up, but the Curator trusts him enough to send Finnegan to study with Kenshin and learn about the Blood Sword and the rest of the Artifacts.
Elias Legion - Elias is the charismatic prophet of the Disciples of Adam. Born in the Middle East but educated (socially and intellectually) in Europe. He’s not a “warrior;” he’s a leader. A man of tradition. Purpose. He is constantly moving forward.
His followers refer to him as ‘Teacher Elias,’ and he is the only one known to have communicated with Disciple leader Adam. Elias believes in Adam’s wisdom and teachings above all else, and he would bring the world to its knees, even destroy it, if it accomplishes his goals. He’s a zealot, and that’s what makes him so dangerous.
Alina Enstrom - Elias’ personal bodyguard/assassin and second-in-command. Born in a small town but raised in a big city, she’s a woman in a man’s game (violence), so she has precious little time for bullshit. She is, in all things, efficient.
Alina is the daughter of Pavel Enstrom, a black market weapons manufacturer whose wife was murdered. He eventually found the Disciples and believed in Adam’s cause, indoctrinating Alina at a young age. She is the perfect weapon, unencumbered by a conscience because she believes that what she’s doing is for a higher purpose.
The Disciples of Adam - Unlike most dangerous cults, the Disciples aren’t just armed; they’re highly trained and well-funded. The followers Elias has assembled may as well be an elite special ops taskforce, not religious followers. They come from all nations and many walks of life, though most have military or private security backgrounds, and were found by Elias when they fell from the grace of their nations or their loved ones.
Their goal is to bring about the dawn of the New Eden, cleansing the world and starting again without the mistakes of the past. They believe themselves to be both pure and righteous, and the rest of the world to be sinners. Every disciple bears the Mark of Adam—a runic symbol tattooed or branded into his or her flesh, usually on the right palm. Some have added additional marks as a sign of loyalty.
Source: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/Broken-Trinity-Characters-100212.html
With Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box arriving this month, a preparation of sorts was in order. We went straight to the source, creative team Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill, who gave us this handy rundown of the characters at the heart of Pandora’s Box.
Michael “Finn” Finnegan - Ex-gun runner Michael Finnegan grew up on the coldest side of Northern Ireland, learning from a young age that surviving meant combining violence, luck and charm into a way of life. Unaware of the legend of the Witchblade, Finn was hired to follow Sara Pezzini by Jackie Estcado a.k.a The Darkness. Finn quickly found himself in a new world of magic and terror when The Curator gave him the Glacier Stone...and made him the person responsible for serving its legacy in our time. After a violent confrontation with Glorianna Silver, Finnegan now struggles with the power of the Glacier Stone, half curious about its potential -- half resentful that his life was turned upside down because of it.
Glorianna “Glori” Silver - At seven years old, Glorianna Silver was orphaned when marauders invaded her poor Norwegian farmhouse. Just when it appeared she would be another statistic of poverty, she was found by Wulfgar Olafsson. On her eighth birthday, she was given a new purpose: Wulfgar told her it was her destiny to bear the power of the Ember Stone. Since that day, Wulfgar has trained Glori in everything from the highest-level academics to the most brutal fighting arts. Upon finding the Ember Stone, Glori claimed her legacy and set off to fulfill it...by taking the Glacier Stone, uniting the trinity and using its power to remake the world according to her vision. Now Glori commands a multi-million dollar empire given to her by Wulfgar’s lineage. She has charities. Political contacts. Global influence...but she doesn’t have the Glacier Stone, and that’s where her obsession lies.
Wulfgar Olafsson - The Olafsson family line has existed for one purpose: to find and train the bearers of the Ember Stone. Stretching back to the dark ages, they have cultured a multi-million dollar fortune. In the modern day, Wulfgar is the patriarch of the Olafsson’s estate. Wulfgar created the Sons of Ember, a group dedicated to protecting the Olafsson Empire and the bearer of the Ember Stone, Wulfgar’s adopted daughter, Glorianna Silver. A lifetime student of history, literature and philosophy, Wulfgar has been Glori’s teacher, mentor, trainer and protector. Now that Glori possesses the Ember Stone, it is through Wulfgar’s counsel that Glori wages her war to unite the Broken Trinity.
Kenshin Kawakami - Kenshin is a former Japanese military man, but he never talks about it. Something bad happened when he was in the service. He bears the weight of this at all times. He’s burdened by his past because he’s lived, seen, and endured terrible things. He’s even a done some of them himself.
After leaving the military, Kenshin retired to a hillside dojo where he teaches philosophy and sword fighting in the same manner as his ancestor, Miyamoto Musashi. At some point in his past, Kenshin wielded the Blood Sword, one of the 13 Artifacts. It’s unclear how or why he gave it up, but the Curator trusts him enough to send Finnegan to study with Kenshin and learn about the Blood Sword and the rest of the Artifacts.
Elias Legion - Elias is the charismatic prophet of the Disciples of Adam. Born in the Middle East but educated (socially and intellectually) in Europe. He’s not a “warrior;” he’s a leader. A man of tradition. Purpose. He is constantly moving forward.
His followers refer to him as ‘Teacher Elias,’ and he is the only one known to have communicated with Disciple leader Adam. Elias believes in Adam’s wisdom and teachings above all else, and he would bring the world to its knees, even destroy it, if it accomplishes his goals. He’s a zealot, and that’s what makes him so dangerous.
Alina Enstrom - Elias’ personal bodyguard/assassin and second-in-command. Born in a small town but raised in a big city, she’s a woman in a man’s game (violence), so she has precious little time for bullshit. She is, in all things, efficient.
Alina is the daughter of Pavel Enstrom, a black market weapons manufacturer whose wife was murdered. He eventually found the Disciples and believed in Adam’s cause, indoctrinating Alina at a young age. She is the perfect weapon, unencumbered by a conscience because she believes that what she’s doing is for a higher purpose.
The Disciples of Adam - Unlike most dangerous cults, the Disciples aren’t just armed; they’re highly trained and well-funded. The followers Elias has assembled may as well be an elite special ops taskforce, not religious followers. They come from all nations and many walks of life, though most have military or private security backgrounds, and were found by Elias when they fell from the grace of their nations or their loved ones.
Their goal is to bring about the dawn of the New Eden, cleansing the world and starting again without the mistakes of the past. They believe themselves to be both pure and righteous, and the rest of the world to be sinners. Every disciple bears the Mark of Adam—a runic symbol tattooed or branded into his or her flesh, usually on the right palm. Some have added additional marks as a sign of loyalty.
Source: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/Broken-Trinity-Characters-100212.html
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Walking The Road To Artifacts
In the Top Cow Universe, there are thirteen different Artifacts that hold significant power over the fate of mankind, and it is prophesized that bringing all thirteen together would instigate an event so catastrophic as to literally herald the end of the world. Unfortunately for the denizens of this universe, that's exactly what is happening in the pages of "Artifacts," the publisher's upcoming 13-issue maxi-series written by Ron Marz that's set to launch this summer. While the potential apocalypse is still quite a ways from being realized, Top Cow has no shortage of plans to prepare their readership for the events of "Artifacts." CBR News spoke with Marz and Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik about the company's plans for the build-up to "Artifacts" and beyond.
"The basic premise of the series is the basic premise of the Top Cow Universe," Marz told CBR of the plot for "Artifacts." "We've had this ongoing background story that there are thirteen Artifacts of power in the Top Cow Universe. The Witchblade is an Artifact and the Darkness is an Artifact, the Spear of Destiny that Magdalena has is an Artifact. It's been this background mythology, so 'Artifacts' is thirteen issues that bring all of it to the front. We'll reveal all of the Artifacts - two are still unrevealed - and one of the background elements is that if all thirteen Artifacts are brought together, it means the end of the world. So, what we're going to do is bring all of them together."
"It's a pretty organic outgrowth of the stories we've been telling for a number of years," added Sablik. "Internally, we've had the idea of the thirteen Artifacts established for a number of years, so it was always something in the back of our heads. After 'Broken Trinity,' [Top Cow's President] Matt Hawkins suggested we finally lay our cards on the table and give fans the fully monty, so to speak. Ron was the natural and only choice to write the series."
As an all-expansive crossover project, fans can expect appearances from most of the major Top Cow players, but there are two in particular taking center stage. "It's very much a story about the two main characters in the Top Cow Universe, Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado," said Marz. "I'm all for big, epic sweeping stories, and right now, comics is rife with these huge multi-part crossovers. But if there isn't an emotional content and some real character stuff at the center of that story, I think it all becomes like a Michael Bay movie, all blood and thunder that doesn't amount to anything. The emotional core of the story is Sara and Jackie, who are the parents of Sara's daughter Hope. Without giving too much away, a fair portion of the story is focused on who or what Hope really is and what she means to the Top Cow Universe."
The Darkness was the second Artifact revealed to the Top Cow UniverseSeeing as Jackie, Sara and their daughter have such prominent roles in "Artifacts," it's reasonable to expect some build-up to the maxi-series to occur in both "Witchblade" and "The Darkness," though that might not begin immediately. "For the next few months, 'Witchblade' and 'Darkness' will continue as they are," said Marz. "As 'Artifacts' gets ramped up, it'll be a fairly long series because we're going for thirteen issues, and as things play out in 'Artifacts,' they'll be reflected in the main books, but not in such a way that one doesn't make sense without the other."
But the story extends beyond just Sara, Jackie and Hope. According to Sablik, readers can walk the road to "Artifacts" by reading two of the company's latest miniseries. "Obviously there will be elements seeded in 'Witchblade' and 'The Darkness,' but we're also laying the groundwork in 'Angelus' and 'Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box,'" he said. "'Angelus' will do a lot to make [Danielle Baptiste] feel more like a fully fleshed out, three dimensional character, rather than just a foil for the Darkness or the Witchblade bearers. We'll also be lifting the veil back on what the Angelus means in the Top Cow Universe and why it does the things it does. And lastly, we'll be giving readers a peak at another lesser-known Artifact and a new Artifact bearer.
"In 'Pandora's Box,' we'll be getting more into what makes Finn and Glori [the respective Glacier Stone and Ember Stone bearers] tick both as people and as Artifact bearers," Sablik continued. "At the end of 'Broken Trinity,' both characters were basically tasked with tracking down and gathering the other Artifacts, so you'll see them coming to terms with that charge. Again, we'll be unveiling a new Artifact and establishing its place in the universe. I'm very excited about both series and the opportunity to build this wider, more cohesive world."
While "Angelus" and "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box" both lay groundwork towards "Artifacts," Marz insisted that they stand alone from the upcoming maxi-series. "I don't want to give the impression that this is going to turn into a 40-issue mega event like some of what Marvel and DC are doing, because that's not how we're approaching it," he said. "The 'Angelus' series is very much a standalone series. Its main purpose is to establish Dani as the Angelus, but there will be threads through the series that will come to fruition or appear again in 'Artifacts.' It's the same situation with 'Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box,' which is designed to flesh out Finn and Glori, so first and foremost, that's what it'll do. But there will be an element or two that crop up again in 'Artifacts.' Those series stand on their own and will have a beginning, middle and end, but for somebody who is reading everything, it will form a bigger tapestry if you pay attention to the details. They'll funnel some plot threads into 'Artifacts,' but they certainly stand on their own."
The third Artifact, the Angelus, just launched it's own Top Cow title while "BR: Pandora's Box" introduces two more"Let me be perfectly clear, these series were in the plans before we even decided to do 'Artifacts,'" Sablik agreed. "They stand on their own and should be great reading experiences on their own, even for fans that don't end up reading 'Artifacts.' But as we started putting these projects together, we saw natural places where they could interconnect and build towards 'Artifacts,' so we seized the opportunity. Readers who pick up both of these series and then read 'Artifacts' will have a richer and deeper reading experience because of it. And conversely, readers interested in picking up 'Artifacts' should not feel like reading either 'Angelus' or 'Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box' are necessary to enjoy 'Artifacts,' but it will be better. It's kind of like a good cocktail before a fantastic meal. Sure, it isn't necessary, but isn't your meal better with one?"
Sticking with the meal metaphor, die-hard Top Cow fans might want to pick up "Angelus," "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box" and other "Artifacts" tie-ins so they can savor their memories of the publisher's universe as it stands - because according to Marz, the Top Cow Universe's landscape is going to change forever after the events of "Artifacts."
"I know that bit of ad copy appears on everybody's crossovers, but in this case, it's very true," teased the writer. "The plan is fairly dramatic. If we're going to tell a big world-changing story, it's going to be a world-changing story. We're going to do this and do this once - it won't be an ongoing series of earth-shattering events that each has 37 parts. I know that's a viable publishing plan for Marvel or DC with an ongoing series of shocking events, but in terms of what you're giving to the audience, it ultimately becomes the boy who cried wolf. You can only say, 'Holy shit, this is the most exciting and astounding earth-shaking event we've ever done...except for the one a few months from now' [so many times], so our thinking going into this was to not hold anything back. If we're going to do something that makes people's jaws drop, let's do it. Let's not parcel it out."
"This isn't a story we are doing because we were looking for the next big event or to correct some continuity problems, but because organically, this is where the story had to go naturally," added Sablik. "This is the next logical step in the evolution of the Top Cow Universe. This isn't a story that could be told in 'Witchblade' or 'The Darkness.' It's not a Sara or a Jackie story, or even a Dani or Finn or Glori story. This is a Top Cow Universe story, and it's the biggest one yet."
"Artifacts" kicks off during the summer of 2010. The road to "Artifacts" can currently be traveled in the pages of "Witchblade," "The Darkness," "Angelus" and "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box."
Source: CBR (Comic Book Resources) http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24503
"The basic premise of the series is the basic premise of the Top Cow Universe," Marz told CBR of the plot for "Artifacts." "We've had this ongoing background story that there are thirteen Artifacts of power in the Top Cow Universe. The Witchblade is an Artifact and the Darkness is an Artifact, the Spear of Destiny that Magdalena has is an Artifact. It's been this background mythology, so 'Artifacts' is thirteen issues that bring all of it to the front. We'll reveal all of the Artifacts - two are still unrevealed - and one of the background elements is that if all thirteen Artifacts are brought together, it means the end of the world. So, what we're going to do is bring all of them together."
"It's a pretty organic outgrowth of the stories we've been telling for a number of years," added Sablik. "Internally, we've had the idea of the thirteen Artifacts established for a number of years, so it was always something in the back of our heads. After 'Broken Trinity,' [Top Cow's President] Matt Hawkins suggested we finally lay our cards on the table and give fans the fully monty, so to speak. Ron was the natural and only choice to write the series."
As an all-expansive crossover project, fans can expect appearances from most of the major Top Cow players, but there are two in particular taking center stage. "It's very much a story about the two main characters in the Top Cow Universe, Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado," said Marz. "I'm all for big, epic sweeping stories, and right now, comics is rife with these huge multi-part crossovers. But if there isn't an emotional content and some real character stuff at the center of that story, I think it all becomes like a Michael Bay movie, all blood and thunder that doesn't amount to anything. The emotional core of the story is Sara and Jackie, who are the parents of Sara's daughter Hope. Without giving too much away, a fair portion of the story is focused on who or what Hope really is and what she means to the Top Cow Universe."
The Darkness was the second Artifact revealed to the Top Cow UniverseSeeing as Jackie, Sara and their daughter have such prominent roles in "Artifacts," it's reasonable to expect some build-up to the maxi-series to occur in both "Witchblade" and "The Darkness," though that might not begin immediately. "For the next few months, 'Witchblade' and 'Darkness' will continue as they are," said Marz. "As 'Artifacts' gets ramped up, it'll be a fairly long series because we're going for thirteen issues, and as things play out in 'Artifacts,' they'll be reflected in the main books, but not in such a way that one doesn't make sense without the other."
But the story extends beyond just Sara, Jackie and Hope. According to Sablik, readers can walk the road to "Artifacts" by reading two of the company's latest miniseries. "Obviously there will be elements seeded in 'Witchblade' and 'The Darkness,' but we're also laying the groundwork in 'Angelus' and 'Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box,'" he said. "'Angelus' will do a lot to make [Danielle Baptiste] feel more like a fully fleshed out, three dimensional character, rather than just a foil for the Darkness or the Witchblade bearers. We'll also be lifting the veil back on what the Angelus means in the Top Cow Universe and why it does the things it does. And lastly, we'll be giving readers a peak at another lesser-known Artifact and a new Artifact bearer.
"In 'Pandora's Box,' we'll be getting more into what makes Finn and Glori [the respective Glacier Stone and Ember Stone bearers] tick both as people and as Artifact bearers," Sablik continued. "At the end of 'Broken Trinity,' both characters were basically tasked with tracking down and gathering the other Artifacts, so you'll see them coming to terms with that charge. Again, we'll be unveiling a new Artifact and establishing its place in the universe. I'm very excited about both series and the opportunity to build this wider, more cohesive world."
While "Angelus" and "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box" both lay groundwork towards "Artifacts," Marz insisted that they stand alone from the upcoming maxi-series. "I don't want to give the impression that this is going to turn into a 40-issue mega event like some of what Marvel and DC are doing, because that's not how we're approaching it," he said. "The 'Angelus' series is very much a standalone series. Its main purpose is to establish Dani as the Angelus, but there will be threads through the series that will come to fruition or appear again in 'Artifacts.' It's the same situation with 'Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box,' which is designed to flesh out Finn and Glori, so first and foremost, that's what it'll do. But there will be an element or two that crop up again in 'Artifacts.' Those series stand on their own and will have a beginning, middle and end, but for somebody who is reading everything, it will form a bigger tapestry if you pay attention to the details. They'll funnel some plot threads into 'Artifacts,' but they certainly stand on their own."
The third Artifact, the Angelus, just launched it's own Top Cow title while "BR: Pandora's Box" introduces two more"Let me be perfectly clear, these series were in the plans before we even decided to do 'Artifacts,'" Sablik agreed. "They stand on their own and should be great reading experiences on their own, even for fans that don't end up reading 'Artifacts.' But as we started putting these projects together, we saw natural places where they could interconnect and build towards 'Artifacts,' so we seized the opportunity. Readers who pick up both of these series and then read 'Artifacts' will have a richer and deeper reading experience because of it. And conversely, readers interested in picking up 'Artifacts' should not feel like reading either 'Angelus' or 'Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box' are necessary to enjoy 'Artifacts,' but it will be better. It's kind of like a good cocktail before a fantastic meal. Sure, it isn't necessary, but isn't your meal better with one?"
Sticking with the meal metaphor, die-hard Top Cow fans might want to pick up "Angelus," "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box" and other "Artifacts" tie-ins so they can savor their memories of the publisher's universe as it stands - because according to Marz, the Top Cow Universe's landscape is going to change forever after the events of "Artifacts."
"I know that bit of ad copy appears on everybody's crossovers, but in this case, it's very true," teased the writer. "The plan is fairly dramatic. If we're going to tell a big world-changing story, it's going to be a world-changing story. We're going to do this and do this once - it won't be an ongoing series of earth-shattering events that each has 37 parts. I know that's a viable publishing plan for Marvel or DC with an ongoing series of shocking events, but in terms of what you're giving to the audience, it ultimately becomes the boy who cried wolf. You can only say, 'Holy shit, this is the most exciting and astounding earth-shaking event we've ever done...except for the one a few months from now' [so many times], so our thinking going into this was to not hold anything back. If we're going to do something that makes people's jaws drop, let's do it. Let's not parcel it out."
"This isn't a story we are doing because we were looking for the next big event or to correct some continuity problems, but because organically, this is where the story had to go naturally," added Sablik. "This is the next logical step in the evolution of the Top Cow Universe. This isn't a story that could be told in 'Witchblade' or 'The Darkness.' It's not a Sara or a Jackie story, or even a Dani or Finn or Glori story. This is a Top Cow Universe story, and it's the biggest one yet."
"Artifacts" kicks off during the summer of 2010. The road to "Artifacts" can currently be traveled in the pages of "Witchblade," "The Darkness," "Angelus" and "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box."
Source: CBR (Comic Book Resources) http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24503
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
TopCow News for April 2010
Angelus #4
story RON MARZ
art & cover STJEPAN SEJIC
APRIL 7
32 PAGES / FC / LIMITED SERIES
An ARTIFACTS lead-in series!
Casting The Darkness behind her, Dani moves further into the Light to accept her new role as The Angelus. But a familiar adversary is not about to let her and her companion Finch settle into New Orleans without incident! Will Dani see the vipers in her midst before it’s too late?
Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box #3
story ROB LEVIN & BRYAN EDWARD HILL
art ALESSANDRO VITTI
cover TOMMY LEE EDWARDS
APRIL 21
32 PAGES / FC / LIMITED SERIES
$3.99
The ARTIFACTS lead-in heats up!
Elias and the Disciples of Eden are drawing closer and closer to Pandora’s Box, one of the 13 Artifacts, threatening to remake the world in their mad vision. Meanwhile Finn and Glori, the bearers of the Glacier and Ember Stones, race around the globe to beat the Disciples and each other to the same goal.
From newcomers Rob Levin (The Darkness: Shadows & Flame) and Bryan Edward Hill (Broken Trinity: Aftermath), and artist Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors). Featuring covers by Tommy Lee Edwards (1985, Turf)!
Magdalena #1
story Ron Marz
art Nelson Blake II
cover Ryan Sook
April 28
32 Pages / FC
$3.99
The Star of the Forthcoming Feature Film Gets Her Own Series!
The Magdalena has been the official protector and warrior of the Catholic Church for over two thousand years, sworn to defend the Faith with the Spear of Destiny against all manner of supernatural threats. However, Patience, the latest Magdalena, has seen through the hypocrisy of her masters and struck out on her own. When her old mentor comes to her with a mission to prevent Armageddon, will she be able to resist the call?
From writer Ron Marz (Witchblade, Angelus) and the art team of Pilot Season: Murderer, Nelson Blake II, Sal Regla, and Dave McCaig. Featuring covers by Ryan Sook (Wednesday Comics)!
Witchblade #137
story RON MARZ
art & cover STJEPAN SEJIC
APRIL 14
32 PAGES / FC
$2.99
“Raise the Dead”, Guest-starring The Necromancer!
Sara Pezzini can gain an important ally in Abby van Alstine, the Necromancer ... but only if Sara can keep her alive! Abby's visit to New York City is interrupted by a demonic attack, and her only chance for surival is entering the world of the Witchblade.
story RON MARZ
art & cover STJEPAN SEJIC
APRIL 7
32 PAGES / FC / LIMITED SERIES
An ARTIFACTS lead-in series!
Casting The Darkness behind her, Dani moves further into the Light to accept her new role as The Angelus. But a familiar adversary is not about to let her and her companion Finch settle into New Orleans without incident! Will Dani see the vipers in her midst before it’s too late?
Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box #3
story ROB LEVIN & BRYAN EDWARD HILL
art ALESSANDRO VITTI
cover TOMMY LEE EDWARDS
APRIL 21
32 PAGES / FC / LIMITED SERIES
$3.99
The ARTIFACTS lead-in heats up!
Elias and the Disciples of Eden are drawing closer and closer to Pandora’s Box, one of the 13 Artifacts, threatening to remake the world in their mad vision. Meanwhile Finn and Glori, the bearers of the Glacier and Ember Stones, race around the globe to beat the Disciples and each other to the same goal.
From newcomers Rob Levin (The Darkness: Shadows & Flame) and Bryan Edward Hill (Broken Trinity: Aftermath), and artist Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors). Featuring covers by Tommy Lee Edwards (1985, Turf)!
Magdalena #1
story Ron Marz
art Nelson Blake II
cover Ryan Sook
April 28
32 Pages / FC
$3.99
The Star of the Forthcoming Feature Film Gets Her Own Series!
The Magdalena has been the official protector and warrior of the Catholic Church for over two thousand years, sworn to defend the Faith with the Spear of Destiny against all manner of supernatural threats. However, Patience, the latest Magdalena, has seen through the hypocrisy of her masters and struck out on her own. When her old mentor comes to her with a mission to prevent Armageddon, will she be able to resist the call?
From writer Ron Marz (Witchblade, Angelus) and the art team of Pilot Season: Murderer, Nelson Blake II, Sal Regla, and Dave McCaig. Featuring covers by Ryan Sook (Wednesday Comics)!
Witchblade #137
story RON MARZ
art & cover STJEPAN SEJIC
APRIL 14
32 PAGES / FC
$2.99
“Raise the Dead”, Guest-starring The Necromancer!
Sara Pezzini can gain an important ally in Abby van Alstine, the Necromancer ... but only if Sara can keep her alive! Abby's visit to New York City is interrupted by a demonic attack, and her only chance for surival is entering the world of the Witchblade.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Opening Pandora's Box with Levin and Hill
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24317
In the Top Cow Universe, there are thirteen dangerous Artifacts that offer their wielders incredible power. Three of these Artifacts are already widely known to comic book fans: Jackie Estacado currently holds the Darkness, while the Angelus belongs to Danielle Baptiste. The balance between the two - the Witchblade - is once again in the hands of longtime wielder Sara Pezzini after a lengthy battle to reclaim the title.
But what of the other Artifacts?
The topic is guaranteed to be explored further in Ron Marz's 13-issue maxi-series "Artifacts," which kicks off in July, but two of the lesser known Artifacts are getting their time in the spotlight a bit earlier thanks to "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box," February's new Top Cow miniseries written by Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill with art from Alessandro Vitti. CBR News spoke with Levin and Hill to learn more.
"Pandora's Box" will tell the tale of two characters introduced in Marz's previous "Broken Trinity" event, Michael Finnigan and Glorianna Silver, better known as the wielders of the Ember Stone and the Glacier Stone, two of the fabled thirteen artifacts that are, like the Darkness and the Angelus, diametrically opposed. "As far back as anyone can remember, the wielders of these Stones have been going at it; mortal enemies who want nothing more than to destroy the other," Levin told CBR. "The Glacier Stone is a force of destruction, and the Ember Stone, one of creation."
"The obvious point is that one is born of fire and one is born of ice," added Hill. "Historically, there have been bearers of these stones and they've fought each other for dominance. They manage to destroy each other, the stones find other bearers and the battle continues. What's really interesting here is that we're living in a very secular and grounded time. This is the age of technology, not magic. Superstitions are killed every day by Google and Wikipedia. For Finn and Glori, they both have to look at not only the history of the stones, but the age they're living in and how that affects the conflict."
Just as the two stones are in direct opposition, so too are their respective wielders, who couldn't possibly be any more different. "Finn's a Northern Irish gunner, exiled to America, whose life was always very grounded in that world. When the Curator bestowed the Glacier Stone upon him in the original ['Broken Trinity'] miniseries, it really changed everything he knew and opened his eyes to a totally different world. He's out of his element," described Levin. "Glori is a woman bred to wield the Ember Stone, so she's following the path she's been trained for. She's closing in on her purpose, as she believes it to be. Unlike Finn, she's known about the stones and the other Artifacts, and she's much more worldly. She has money, power and influence. He's small potatoes, she's big fish, to toss some strange metaphors out there."
"BR: Pandora's Box" will explore the world of the Ember and Glacier StonesAs is often said, however, opposites attract, which is the case with Finn and Glori...at least to a degree. "In terms of commonalities, even though Finnegan and Glorianna are destined to be enemies, they also understand each other in a way no one else can," said Hill. "Their relationship isn't just that they fight each other because they're supposed to - fans are too smart for that. Readers can expect Glorianna and Finnegan's relationship across the course of this series to continually get redefined by the events they suffer, the things they learn about themselves and the nature of the prophecy that drives them both."
One thing that the writers are actively planning to avoid is a relationship between Finn and Glori that is even remotely similar to the one shared by Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado, who themselves oscillate between friend and foe with some frequency. "We didn't want to give readers a lesser version of Sara and Jackie, so we did a lot fleshing out of Glori and Finn in our notes to make them interesting and original on their own," said Hill. "If you're Glori, you've been filled with stories about the bearers of the Ember and Glacier stones waging epic battles and destroying each other, neither one claiming the world. She's not eager to be another tale in the legend of the stone. She wants to win. She wants Finn's stone. She wants to unify the power and have the legend end with her victory. What Finn will learn from Glori is that there are many ways to defeat someone, and fighting is only one of them. Finn isn't a student of this history. He's not even sure he wants the power and the responsibility that comes with it. How would you feel if suddenly you're given something, and now you're told that you have to wage a war against a woman you've barely met? Finn's struggling to decide how to think about all of it, even though every day he's forced to make a life-changing decision based on this new power."
For the writers of "Pandora's Box," working on Finn and Glori provides a unique opportunity to delve deeply into two characters that, despite their previous appearances, are still largely unknown to the Top Cow readership. "Coming onto characters with only a handful of appearances lets us do more with them," said Levin. "They're like unfired clay. We can still shape them a bit before we put them in the oven, and this series is going to be that oven. Ron did his thing tapping into what could be quickly communicated about each character in limited space, but this series gives us a chance to really put our stamp on them and make them real people as opposed to just interesting guest stars."
While Finn and Glori are at the center of "Pandora's Box," they're certainly not alone. Glori is aided by Wulgar, a guide of sorts, previously introduced by Hill in the "Broken Trinity: Aftermath" one-shot, while Finn will interact with a character called Kenshin Kawakami, a former Japanese military man with some ties to the Artifacts and the mysterious Curator. "He's like this burrito filled with all things awesome and cool - part samurai, part student of the mystic, part philosopher," described Hill. "We meet him while he's in seclusion in Japan, and the interplay between Kenshin and Finn gets more and more rewarding across the series. Swords, guns, magic - the only thing missing is Kate Moss."
Cover art from "Broken Trinity: Aftermath" which led into the "Pandora's Box" mini"Speaking of Kate Moss, since she's clearly the arch-nemesis of all things pop-culture, let's talk villains for a second," Hill continued. "We did a lot of very disturbing research to make our villains not only a danger to Glori and Finn, but to the narrative world overall. One of the themes that readers will see us engage is the danger of belief - when it's placed in the wrong cause or the wrong leader. Looking into the eyes of zealotry is a terrifying experience, and through our villains, we're going to subject Glori and Finn to the rancid heart of that fear."
As dangerous and powerful as the cast of "Pandora's Box" might be, there's no telling just how dangerous the other Artifacts are, as well. While Hill and Levin were cautious not to comment on the exploration of the rest of the Artifacts in the pages of "Pandora's Box," they hinted that there could well be a balance between the Ember and Glacier Stones, much like the Witchblade is between the Darkness and the Angelus. Whether or not further Artifacts are uncovered in this miniseries, however, the topic will be explored further in Ron Marz's upcoming series. While "Pandora's Box" will certainly have ties to "Artifacts," the writers promised that the enjoyment of their miniseries won't hinge upon the continuation of the next Top Cow event - though, if they are successful, Hill and Levin's work should leave readers craving more.
"It's bad form to tell a story that doesn't finish properly on its own," said Levin. "I'm not talking about ambiguous endings or leaving a door open for more, but specifically when your enjoyment of a story is put on hold or dependent upon another. This is going to be a complete story whether you've read every Top Cow book ever or if this is your first taste. You'd be foolish not to pick up 'Artifacts' if you like how we're putting it down here, but this could easily be its own thing. It's tight and contained, but it's absolutely tied into everything that Ron and the gang at Top Cow are planning."
"Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box" #1, written by Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill and illustrated by Alessandro Vitti, arrives in stores on February 17, 2010.
In the Top Cow Universe, there are thirteen dangerous Artifacts that offer their wielders incredible power. Three of these Artifacts are already widely known to comic book fans: Jackie Estacado currently holds the Darkness, while the Angelus belongs to Danielle Baptiste. The balance between the two - the Witchblade - is once again in the hands of longtime wielder Sara Pezzini after a lengthy battle to reclaim the title.
But what of the other Artifacts?
The topic is guaranteed to be explored further in Ron Marz's 13-issue maxi-series "Artifacts," which kicks off in July, but two of the lesser known Artifacts are getting their time in the spotlight a bit earlier thanks to "Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box," February's new Top Cow miniseries written by Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill with art from Alessandro Vitti. CBR News spoke with Levin and Hill to learn more.
"Pandora's Box" will tell the tale of two characters introduced in Marz's previous "Broken Trinity" event, Michael Finnigan and Glorianna Silver, better known as the wielders of the Ember Stone and the Glacier Stone, two of the fabled thirteen artifacts that are, like the Darkness and the Angelus, diametrically opposed. "As far back as anyone can remember, the wielders of these Stones have been going at it; mortal enemies who want nothing more than to destroy the other," Levin told CBR. "The Glacier Stone is a force of destruction, and the Ember Stone, one of creation."
"The obvious point is that one is born of fire and one is born of ice," added Hill. "Historically, there have been bearers of these stones and they've fought each other for dominance. They manage to destroy each other, the stones find other bearers and the battle continues. What's really interesting here is that we're living in a very secular and grounded time. This is the age of technology, not magic. Superstitions are killed every day by Google and Wikipedia. For Finn and Glori, they both have to look at not only the history of the stones, but the age they're living in and how that affects the conflict."
Just as the two stones are in direct opposition, so too are their respective wielders, who couldn't possibly be any more different. "Finn's a Northern Irish gunner, exiled to America, whose life was always very grounded in that world. When the Curator bestowed the Glacier Stone upon him in the original ['Broken Trinity'] miniseries, it really changed everything he knew and opened his eyes to a totally different world. He's out of his element," described Levin. "Glori is a woman bred to wield the Ember Stone, so she's following the path she's been trained for. She's closing in on her purpose, as she believes it to be. Unlike Finn, she's known about the stones and the other Artifacts, and she's much more worldly. She has money, power and influence. He's small potatoes, she's big fish, to toss some strange metaphors out there."
"BR: Pandora's Box" will explore the world of the Ember and Glacier StonesAs is often said, however, opposites attract, which is the case with Finn and Glori...at least to a degree. "In terms of commonalities, even though Finnegan and Glorianna are destined to be enemies, they also understand each other in a way no one else can," said Hill. "Their relationship isn't just that they fight each other because they're supposed to - fans are too smart for that. Readers can expect Glorianna and Finnegan's relationship across the course of this series to continually get redefined by the events they suffer, the things they learn about themselves and the nature of the prophecy that drives them both."
One thing that the writers are actively planning to avoid is a relationship between Finn and Glori that is even remotely similar to the one shared by Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado, who themselves oscillate between friend and foe with some frequency. "We didn't want to give readers a lesser version of Sara and Jackie, so we did a lot fleshing out of Glori and Finn in our notes to make them interesting and original on their own," said Hill. "If you're Glori, you've been filled with stories about the bearers of the Ember and Glacier stones waging epic battles and destroying each other, neither one claiming the world. She's not eager to be another tale in the legend of the stone. She wants to win. She wants Finn's stone. She wants to unify the power and have the legend end with her victory. What Finn will learn from Glori is that there are many ways to defeat someone, and fighting is only one of them. Finn isn't a student of this history. He's not even sure he wants the power and the responsibility that comes with it. How would you feel if suddenly you're given something, and now you're told that you have to wage a war against a woman you've barely met? Finn's struggling to decide how to think about all of it, even though every day he's forced to make a life-changing decision based on this new power."
For the writers of "Pandora's Box," working on Finn and Glori provides a unique opportunity to delve deeply into two characters that, despite their previous appearances, are still largely unknown to the Top Cow readership. "Coming onto characters with only a handful of appearances lets us do more with them," said Levin. "They're like unfired clay. We can still shape them a bit before we put them in the oven, and this series is going to be that oven. Ron did his thing tapping into what could be quickly communicated about each character in limited space, but this series gives us a chance to really put our stamp on them and make them real people as opposed to just interesting guest stars."
While Finn and Glori are at the center of "Pandora's Box," they're certainly not alone. Glori is aided by Wulgar, a guide of sorts, previously introduced by Hill in the "Broken Trinity: Aftermath" one-shot, while Finn will interact with a character called Kenshin Kawakami, a former Japanese military man with some ties to the Artifacts and the mysterious Curator. "He's like this burrito filled with all things awesome and cool - part samurai, part student of the mystic, part philosopher," described Hill. "We meet him while he's in seclusion in Japan, and the interplay between Kenshin and Finn gets more and more rewarding across the series. Swords, guns, magic - the only thing missing is Kate Moss."
Cover art from "Broken Trinity: Aftermath" which led into the "Pandora's Box" mini"Speaking of Kate Moss, since she's clearly the arch-nemesis of all things pop-culture, let's talk villains for a second," Hill continued. "We did a lot of very disturbing research to make our villains not only a danger to Glori and Finn, but to the narrative world overall. One of the themes that readers will see us engage is the danger of belief - when it's placed in the wrong cause or the wrong leader. Looking into the eyes of zealotry is a terrifying experience, and through our villains, we're going to subject Glori and Finn to the rancid heart of that fear."
As dangerous and powerful as the cast of "Pandora's Box" might be, there's no telling just how dangerous the other Artifacts are, as well. While Hill and Levin were cautious not to comment on the exploration of the rest of the Artifacts in the pages of "Pandora's Box," they hinted that there could well be a balance between the Ember and Glacier Stones, much like the Witchblade is between the Darkness and the Angelus. Whether or not further Artifacts are uncovered in this miniseries, however, the topic will be explored further in Ron Marz's upcoming series. While "Pandora's Box" will certainly have ties to "Artifacts," the writers promised that the enjoyment of their miniseries won't hinge upon the continuation of the next Top Cow event - though, if they are successful, Hill and Levin's work should leave readers craving more.
"It's bad form to tell a story that doesn't finish properly on its own," said Levin. "I'm not talking about ambiguous endings or leaving a door open for more, but specifically when your enjoyment of a story is put on hold or dependent upon another. This is going to be a complete story whether you've read every Top Cow book ever or if this is your first taste. You'd be foolish not to pick up 'Artifacts' if you like how we're putting it down here, but this could easily be its own thing. It's tight and contained, but it's absolutely tied into everything that Ron and the gang at Top Cow are planning."
"Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box" #1, written by Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill and illustrated by Alessandro Vitti, arrives in stores on February 17, 2010.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
News!!
I GOT IT I GOT IT I GOT IT!!!
Today I finally got my copy of Angelus #1! So now everything is set for the Angelus Fanfic that will start very soon!
Here's also a scan from Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1.
http://twitpic.com/wyfvw
Alessandro Vitti. Hotfire. Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1. Drops February.
Source: TopCow Twitter
Today I finally got my copy of Angelus #1! So now everything is set for the Angelus Fanfic that will start very soon!
Here's also a scan from Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1.
http://twitpic.com/wyfvw
Alessandro Vitti. Hotfire. Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1. Drops February.
Source: TopCow Twitter
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box News!
BROKEN TRINITY: PANDORA’S BOX #1
story ROB LEVIN & BRYAN EDWARD HILL
art ALESSANDRO VITTI
cover TOMMY LEE EDWARDS
FEBRUARY 17
32 PAGES / FC
$3.99
The Road to ARTIFACTS Begins Here!
Finn and Glori, the bearers of the Glacier and Ember Stones, first introduced in Broken Trinity, return this month in a pulse-pounding, world-spanning adventure series. When a fanatic cult embarks on a quest to remake the world with the mythical Pandora’s Box, Finn and Glori’s individual goals of gathering the 13 Artifacts is kicked into overdrive.
From newcomers Rob Levin (The Darkness: Butcher) and Bryan Edward Hill (Broken Trinity: Aftermath) and artist Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors). Featuring covers by Tommy Lee Edwards (1985)!
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BROKEN TRINITY: PANDORA’S BOX #2
story ROB LEVIN & BRYAN EDWARD HILL
art ALESSANDRO VITTI
cover TOMMY LEE EDWARDS
MARCH 17
32 PAGES / FC
$3.99
A Cold War Heats Up!
Finn and Glori, the bearers of the Glacier and Ember Stones, have discovered that a mysterious cult is after Pandora’s Box, one of the 13 Artifacts. Will they be able to not kill each other long enough to prevent the Disciples of Eden from destroying the world? Or will they revert to their destined roles?
From newcomers Rob Levin (The Darkness: Shadows & Flame) and Bryan Edward Hill, (Broken Trinity: Aftermath) and artist Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors). Featuring covers by Tommy Lee Edwards (1985)!
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More news (such as previews, covers) as it breaks!
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