Witchblade
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- This article is about the Top Cow comic book series. For its fictional star character, sometimes colloquially known as Witchblade, see Sara Pezzini. For the tv series, see Witchblade (TV series). For the anime series of the same name, see Witchblade (Anime).
Witchblade is a comic book series published by Top Cow Productions, an imprint of Image Comics, from 1995 until present. The series was created by Top Cow editors Marc Silvestri and David Wohl, writer Brian Haberlin, and artist Michael Turner
The series stars Sara Pezzini, a tough-as-nails NYPD homicide detective who comes into possession of the Witchblade, a supernatural, sentient artifact with immense destructive and protective powers. The weapon has bonded with various women throughout history, including Cleopatra and Joan of Arc. Sara struggles to hone the awesome powers of the Witchblade and fend off those with a nefarious interest in it, especially entrepreneur Kenneth Irons. She also struggles to maintain a personal life.
The title has been criticized for superficial characters, weak writing and unnecessarily flashy artwork, although it did turn Turner into a comics superstar. It has also been accused of using excessive sex appeal with the main character literally having her clothing ripped apart by the Witchblade. Despite these criticisms, the series was very popular during the mid-1990s, but lost many readers when Turner left.
There have been many spin-off titles, which place the Witchblade in other times and settings. The character of Sara Pezzini was also featured in crossovers with characters from other franchises, including Lara Croft, JLA, and the X-Men’s Wolverine.
Witchblade was adapted into a television movie (Witchblade (TV series)) in 2000 and series (2001-2002), both starring Yancy Butler. The series was moderately successful. An unrelated film may be released in 2007.
The title was also adapted into a Japanese anime (Witchblade (Anime)) and an unrelated manga series in 2004. Each takes place in a futuristic Japan and features a new blade-wielder, with little resemblance to Pezzini or to each other, in the role. ther has been two soundtracks to the comic books series(which had a limited print run).
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[edit] The Witchblade
The Witchblade is an intelligent, ancient, and conscious weapon with extra-terrestrial origins and one of thirteen other weapons. It is the offspring of the universe’s opposing aspects, the Darkness and the Angelus (the dark and the light). A male aspect created to act as a balance, which must have a female as a host. The Witchblade was found in Greece by Kenneth Irons, but before he found it, it had had many wielders. When not in use, it can look like an ornate, jewel encrusted, right handed gauntlet. When wielded by an unworthy user, that person will lose their arm. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the host, who can hear the Witchblade. When used, it expands across the body of the wielder, shredding clothes and covering the body like an armour. The armour seems subjective depending on the level of threat. Faced against mortals, it will usually generate less armour than when faced against a demon of hell. This armour can form swords,other stabbing weapons, shields, and wings, enabling the wielder to fly. May become temperamental if it chooses not to be used. When wielded, it can shoot energy blasts from the hand or sword, fire projectile darts, and whip-like grapples to attack or to climb. The Witchblade is also an excellent lock pick, and can heal wounds, even mortal ones. The Witchblade can re-animate the dead, can empathetically show the wielder scenes of great trauma, and also relive experiences from wielders of the past in dream like experiences.
[edit] Top Cow's world
The Top Cow universe is populated by demons, dimensional gates, ghosts and magic. Supers are generally enhanced humans from government, or private entrepreneurial projects. Both the mafia and the Yakuza are prominent forces. Sara’s precinct, 18, or “one eight” is in the roughest part of New York. There are a lot of murders. There is a reference to a time that no homicides were reported for two days straight, which the precinct took as a sign of the Apocalypse. Religious followers of God and Satan are prolific, with agents of both sides frequently showing up with their minions to do battle.
[edit] Television series
Following a pilot film in August 2000, the cable network TNT premiered a television series based on the comic book series in 2001. The series was directed by Ralph Hemecker and written by Marc Silvestri (who also wrote the comic book) and J.D. Zeik. Yancy Butler starred as Sara Pezzini. Although critically acclaimed and popular with audiences, it was cancelled in September 2002 after Butler was ordered to enter rehab for alcoholism.
Witchblade ran for two seasons on TNT, each featuring 12 episodes. The first episode aired on June 12, 2001, and the last episode aired on August 26, 2002.A movie version is said to be released in 2007 and is in production. [1]
[edit] Anime series
In 2004 Japanese animation studio GONZO announced an anime version of Witchblade, with a subsequent manga adaptation. The anime version is considered controversial by some due to the fact that GONZO has announced that the main character of the anime is of Japanese ethnicity but is not Itagaki, one of the previous bearers of the Witchblade. Instead it is a new character named Masane. This has caused some fans to cry out against what they see as a Nipponisation of the franchise. The fact is this series sets up an entire new story, with all new characters, and probably won't be considered as canon.
The anime series will begin broadcast during April 2006 and will run for 24 episodes (a standard series run). The lead character (and new blade wielder) is the kind-hearted Masane who, despite her good intentions, is fairly clumsy and not good around the house. After the events of an earthquake that struck her home 6 years before the series "year zero", Masane has no recollection of her past previous to this date. When she comes into contact with the Witchblade, Masane also finds herself under the watchful eye of an organisation called the NSWF (National Scientific Welfare Foundation), and struggles to hold onto her daughter Rihoko, whom the government is trying to take from her.
[edit] Manga
Likewise, one manga incarnation is being serialized, introducing a different story that features a unique plot & characters and in no way holds any similarities (except for the Witchblade) with the anime.
[edit] Witchblade Takeru
This story[2] introduces Takeru who is an average Japanese highschool girl raised in a Buddhist convent by nuns. She has been experiencing reocurring nightmares about the Witchblade calling out to her. This is due to the secret that the temple houses within, the Witchblade sealed inside a box. Furthermore, her lineage keeps an unknown connection with the mystic artifact and the folklore of the Oni, hence explaining Takeru's strong attraction to the gauntlet which is locally called Oni no te (鬼の手, "Hand of Oni"). Ultimately, Takeru's life suffers a drastic change when she becomes the next bearer of the Witchblade due to some circumstances that force her to randomly encounter it.
Witchblade Takeru started serial run since March 2006 in Champion Red magazine under publisher Akita Shoten. Story by Kobayashi Yasuko with art made by Sumita Kazasa, whose art and illustrations carry over an erotic style.
Moreover, at a press conference, Bandai Entertainment entered an agreement with Top Cow Productions to release an English language version of the manga. In spite of its violent and erotic content, Bandai Entertainment stated that they won't be censoring the manga.
[edit] Japanese novel
[edit] Witchblade ~ Lost Generations Ao no Shoujo
It is another story published as a Japanese novel since August 2006 by Tokuma Shoten with art and illustrations done by Uno Makoto, who previously worked in the Witchblade anime as the lead art & character designer.
The main protagonist is a sickly 15-year-old Okinawan girl, Yuri Miyazono, who wields the Witchblade for her own survival. Not much specific details have been disclosed regarding the date and time when this novel takes place, besides the postscript has explained it happens in the same timeline as the anime. It says that Yuri is the bearer who immediately precedes Masane Amaha.
[edit] Characters
English, formally a captain for special air services for MI5. Underwent behavioural modifications so he could get deep undercover. Forgot his past, and became bodyguard for Kenneth Irons. Can catch bullets. Kills Sara’s partner in #01. Has ties to Yakuza. Body and soul built to absorb mass quantities of energy. Temporarily hosts both Witchblade and Darkness powers. Wields Excalibur, the Witchblade’s twin.
Rich entrepreneur. Discovered Witchblade in Greece. Three times Nottingham’s age. Lost his hand and sacrificed his wife to gain control of the Witchblade. Wife became Ms.Boucher. Son is Microwave killer. Takes over First Church of Prosperity. Killed by Joe Siry #75.
- Joe Siry
Sara’s captain 18 precinct, partner to her dead father, Detective Vincent Pezzini. Married to Dalia. Hidden agenda with Irons, forced to kill Vincent Pezzini to save Sara’s life.
- Jake McCarthy
Sara’s best friend, cop. Madly in love with Sara and it is un-requited.
- Lisa
Mother Maria, deceased. Sara promised to keep an eye on her. 16 years old, (in issue #10), friend, model.
- Julie Pezzini
Sara’s sister. Romantically involved with Jake.
The Darkness, mafia hitman.
Yakuza assassin who is introduced in issue 15. Works for the Yakuza in the Family Ties storyline and gets beat by Jackie. Reappears in issue 54. Fights Ian Nottingham, then attepts to assassinate Kenneth Irons at Caulty Towers. Ian shows up and beats Tora. After that Irons takes Tora as his new bodyguard/tool and begins a series of chemical rituals on him (Story can be shown in the Blood Relations TPB). In the Deathpool storyline Tora is one of the characters voted to be killed by the fans. He is promptly killed by Ian in issue 75.
[edit] Blade wielders
In reverse chronological order:
- Persephani (fictitious, wielder in the far future)
- Masane Amaha (fictitious, from the Witchblade anime, near future)
- Yuuri Miyazono (fictitious)
- Takeru Ibaraki (fictitious, from the Witchblade manga)
- Debbie Santalesa (ficticious, from Dark Minds Witchblade, near future)
- Selina Alice Lauren (fictitious, wielder, near future)
- Ivy Pezzini (fictitious, Sara's daughter in a possible future)
- Danielle Baptiste (fictitious, the wielder after Sara)
- Ian Nottingham (fictitious)
- Kimberly Tossovova (alt. reality, fictitious)
- Sara Pezzini (fictitious)
- Colin X (fictious, first male wielder)
- Tasya Federova (fictitious)
- Josephine Valmont (fictitious)
- Elizabeth Brontë (fictitious)
- Marie Curie
- Florence Nightingale
- Enola
- Anne Bonny
- Roxanne Laroque (fictitious)
- Shiori-sama
- Queen Isabella
- Queen Kijani
- Joan of Arc
- Maitea
- Annabella Altavista
- Itagaki
- Leung Lin Yao
- Septima Zenobia
- Cathain
- Samantha (fictitious)
- Boudica
- Cleopatra
- Princess Raquel (fictitious)
- Artemisia
- Lysandra
- Myrine
- Una, the first bearer (fictitious)
[edit] Pretenders
In reverse chronological order:
- Fiona (fictitious)
- John Sansmain (fictitious)
- Dannette Boucher (fictitious)
- Kenneth Irons (fictitious)
- Abigail Williams
- Elizabeth Paris
- Marie d'Estrada (fictitious)
- Mirabella Avila (fictitious)
[edit] Issue events breakdown
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01 Irons is introduced. He is holding a tournament to find a wielder for the Witchblade. Sara Pezzini works undercover against drug dealers. Drexler the dealer snitches about the tournament. Sara and Yee investigate. Ian Nottingham is introduced. The murders of the microwave killer are announced. The Witchblade is introduced. An incorrect wielder loses an arm. Yee is discovered. Sara leaps in front of him as he is shot by Nottingham. She knocks the Witchblade from the pedestal and is shot too. Mortally wounded, she reaches out and the Witchblade crawls onto her hand, healing her. The Witchblade kills everyone, and Yee dies.
02 Sara removes the Witchblade, passes out, and wakes up in the hospital. The Witchblade is taken into evidence by Jake. Nottingham saves Irons by catching a bullet. He uses a sword to kill the assassins. Lisa is introduced. Sara re-animated Yee while trying to heal his dead body. Yee dies again.
03 Sara casts the Witchblade away, thinking that it is evil. Kenneth Irons contacts Sara. Sara is kidnapped by a mob trying to understand the importance of Witchblade. She is mortally wounded and given the Witchblade. Sara wields the Witchblade and escapes. Nottingham attacks Sara.
04 Nottingham’s attack is against Irons’ wishes. Sara is saved by Irons.
05 The Witchblade turns into an ornate looking bracelet. Ms. Boucher is introduced. Sara has a peek around Irons’ office, and flees when he sees her. Nottingham has an erotic dream about Sara.
06 Irons and Sara have coffee. Julie Pezzini is introduced. Irons explains that he found the Witchblade in Greece. He also explains that it has been wielded by Joan of Arc, by a member of Alexander the Great’s army, and in Ancient Egypt. Sara leaves knowing Irons has offered to remove the Witchblade from her. She is attacked by Nottingham at Yee’s graveside. The Witchblade refuses to help.
07 Nottingham leaves Sara after explaining his dream. Sara is a guest of Irons' at party at his house. She meets Michael Madsen. Jake crashes the party. Irons and Sara go to his high rise office block. Irons yells at Sara, and the Witchblade makes her bleed. Nottingham is told to kill Sara.
08 Internal Affairs agent Selzer reveals to Jake that Irons is his boss. Nottingham betrays Irons. Irons reveals he is three times older than Nottingham. Nottingham is thrown off of the building. Irons reveals he lost his hand to the Witchblade. Irons takes some of the Witchblade from Sara, and can barely control it. Jake is attacked by Irons. Sara retains a small portion of the Witchblade, which she wields to save herself from being thrown from building. She defeats Irons who throws himself from the building after Sara takes the Witchblade from him.
09 Sara has a waking dream about Anne Bonny, another wielder from 1736.
10 Julie tells Sara that Lisa is with Ms. Boucher. Sara is attacked by demons.
11 Sara confronts Ms. Boucher.
12 Siry flasheshback to when he was partnered with Vincent Pezzini, investigating the microwave murders. Tells Sara that her father was killed by the microwave killer.
13 Jake and Sara are attacked by a mob. The Witchblade kills them all. The microwave killer is revealed.
14 Danette Boucher is revealed to be Irons’ wife, whom he sacrificed trying to get the Witchblade to work. Traces of the Witchblade remained, re-animating Boucher as a killer. Sara kills Boucher. The microwave killer is Irons' and Boucher’s son.
15 Sara and Jake are fired. They are offered a job at the Justice Department. Tora No Shi is introduced. Sara goes to Rio.
16 Sara is drugged, and then taken to a government weapons laboratory interested in the Witchblade. Devin is released. Sara is attacked by those she rescued.
17 Sara is saved by Nottingham. Jackie Estacado is introduced.
18 Family Ties pt.1: Nottingham reveals his ties with the Yakuza. The Witchblade goes wild near Estacado.
19 Family Ties pt.4: Nottingham takes both Darkness and Witchblade.
20 Sara gives up the Witchblade to Nottingham. Gavin Taylor and The First Church of Prosperity are introduced. Sara seeks out Nottingham.
21 Nottingham and Sara rescue Setsuke. Sara visits her mother. Taylor recruits Nottigham.
22 Sara and Jake are back at work. Jake’s ex-girlfriend is slaughtered. Jake and Julie get close.
23 Nottingham struggles for control. The Witchblade awakens inside Sara.
24 Sara finds a photo of her father with Taylor and Irons. Nottingham agrees to kill Jake for Taylor.
25 Sara confronts Siry, and manifests the Witchblade. Irons returns, and takes over the Church from Taylor. Nottingham attacks Jake. Sara attacks Nottingham. The Witchblade loses a stone. Sara calls the Witchblade back.
26 Eric Sketh is introduced as Sara's new partner. Julie tells Sara about Irons and Taylor. Irons visits Siry.
27 Sara heals Jake. Setsuke attacks Taylor. Sketh has an interest in antiques. He sees artifacts similar to the Witchblade at a museum.
28 Siry’s past is revealed. He is blackmailed into dropping the investigation of an ancient artifact. Payback attacks Sara. Nottingham rescues Setsuke.
29 Sara attacks the mafia.
30 Jackie Estacado attacks Sara. Nottingham beds Setsuke.
31 Nottingham kills Setsuke. Siry confesses to shooting Sara’s father to protect Sara from Irons.
32 The Witchblade has a new stone. Taylor is revealed to be a monster. Sara is attacked by Shine.
33 Lisa is living with Drexler, who used to be Sara’s snitch. Sara has lunch with Irons and Nottingham. She has trouble controlling the Witchblade.
34 Sketh offers Sara help with the Witchblade.
35 Sketh reveals he has a twin weapon. Julie tells Jake that Sara was kidnapped at the age of 13 by her perverted, female, child psychologist.
36 Sara reveals she was into perverted danger, and she has to fight those urges. There are four Noble Ones, Sara and The Darkness are two of these. Jake and Julie are a couple. This leads to the Witchblade Darkness mini series.
37 Sara is attacked by a monster. Tsin-Sen is introduced. She is attacked by demons.
38 Sketh attacks Jake, but Jake kills him.
39 Sara protects Lisa.
40 Sara's new partner is fire marshall Blake. Pyro is introduced.
41 Blake and Pyro are killed. Pyro states that the Witchblade is extra-terrestrial in origin.
42 The Pez killer is introduced. Sara has frequent nightmares.
43 Sara uses internet blogs to investigate bizarre occurrences. Sara is transferred to special unit. Sara witnesses a body possessed.
44 The Pez killer is revealed.
45 Sara dreams of killing demons in ages past. Jake is shot and mortally wounded.
46 Sara is given a choice by the Witchblade. She must sacrifice an innocent man to be blamed as the Pez killer if she is to save Jake’s life. She accepts. The Pez killer is triumphant.
47 Sara investigates a suicide. The Witchblade has an empathetic link to scenes of trauma.
48 Pyro returns. Sara meets Adrian Smith.
49 Sara kills Pyro. She sees herself as an angel of mercy.
50 Sara and Ian join forces. Nottingham's origin is revealed. He was programmed by MI-5 to be go deep under cover, but he forgot his identity when he joined with Irons. He wields Excalibur, the Witchblade’s twin.
51 Nottingham is revealed to have shot Sara’s father.
52 Smith is killed. Sara and Nottingham are attacked by a monster.
53 Nottingham uses the L word. Nottingham crawls back to Irons.
54 The Yakuza and mafia are at war. Lord Sonatine is introduced. Tora No-Shi returns.
55 Nottingham fights Tora No-Shi.
56 Kim Lee is introduced. Nottingham fights Tora No-Shi again.
57 Nottingham, Sara and Jake go after Sonatine.
58 Irons enslaves Tora No-Shi. Lisa reveals Drexler is back on drugs.
59 Weave is introduced. This leads into Tomb Raider #25.
60 Sara attacks a Weave-possessed Lara Croft. The story continues in E.V.O. #1.
61 Killed Lara Croft, her best friend. Evo come to visit. Sara kisses Lee.
62 Magdalena is introduced.
63 The girls go clubbing, and get attacked by monsters.
64 Sara gets a dog. Magdelena is attacked by Solites.
65 The Witchblade fires projectile spikes against the Solites.
66 Sara fights the Bogeyman.
67 Sara fights cannibals.
68 Sara is shot by a hitch hiker’s insane family.
69 Sara kills the family.
70 Shine returns. Sara attacks Shine.
71 Jake uses the L word. Nottingham flies. Sara dates Lee briefly.
72 Sara is attacked by cyborgs. She flies using the Witchblade.
73 Sara uncovers 'The Windows of the World', a project to monitors and develop superhumans. Irons is involved with the project.
74 Kim Lee is investigating Nottingham, and knows that Sara is mixed up with him. Julie is dealing for Drexler. Nottingham and Sara combine Witchblades to form a huge destructive dragon. Sara pulls out scared.
75 Nottingham makes Irons mortal. Lee is attacked by Nottingham. Sara defends Lee. Jake arrests Julie. Siry kills Irons.
76 Celestine is introduced. Sara uses the Witchblade as grappling iron. Celestine beats Sara.
77 Sara kills Celestine.
78 Lachryma is introduced.
79 Sara is attacked by demons. Jake attacks Julie, and loses his job.
80 Patrick Gleason is introduced. Sara is in a coma after visiting her church. The curator is introduced. The Witchblade is One of Thirteen.
81 Sara uses the Witchblade as a lock pick. She visit the curator’s shop, and is attacked by demons.
82 Magdelena warns Sara to back off of the investigation.
83 Sara is attacked in her church. She learns of a conspiracy of Catholic priests. Jake is mortally wounded.
84 The curator gives Gleason a totem. Sara and Gleason attack a Catholic gathering, but are attacked by demonic dog. The priests summon god demon.
85 Sara kills the god demon and dies. Gleason revives her with a totem.
86 Sara defeats Kurosawa, a samurai ghost manifested by an ancient sword. Sara gives the sword to the curator.
87 Sara is transferred to One Police Plaza, and gets a foul-mouthed office parrot. Sara meets the ghosts Nieuw Amsterdam and Quiet Tom.
88 Partnered with Gleason, Sara investigates a friend’s missing grandchild.
89 The FBI investigates a grisly murder. Michael, an American Super Soldier, is blamed for the murder. He breaks Gleason's arm.
90 Gleason refuses Witchblade healing. The Feds show up after the Witchblade and the Super Soldier. The Feds are superhumans too.
91 Michael kills the Feds. Gleason accepts healing. Samantha Argent is introduced.
92 The Witchblade's origin is revealed. The curator helps Sara travel through time, where she relives all of the wielders' experiences from the past. These include: Stalingrad in 1942, Paris in 1898 (where Irons is seen), Anne Bonny in 1718 (where The Darkness wielder Miguel Estacado resides), Japan in 1632 (with Shiori-Sama as seen in Witchblade Obakemono), Africa in 1509, the Yucatán Peninsula in 1288, dragon slaying Katarina in Bavaria in 1176, and Samantha the Roman gladiator from 229. The first wielder was a cave woman who found the Witchblade after it fell from the stars. Sara is granted a vision of creation from Dawn, the Witchblade’s midwife. The offspring of The Darkness and The Angelus, the Witchblade acts as a universal balance between dark and light. Being male, it requires a female host. Sara is in trance for 3 days.
93 Sara’s life is analyzed, and her role as a universal guardian is accepted.
94 The curator asks Sara to recover an artifact as a test.
95 Sara defeats the artifact. Captain Peyroux offers a permanent partnership between Sara and Gleason.
96 Sara interrogates a man for the murder of a young girl. Sara and Gleason go out on a date.
97 Notthingham returns. Interupts a date between Gleason and Sara. The Yakuza is apparently after Ian as he Gleason and Sara fight and defeat the Yakuza. Later they return to Sara's apartment. Sara and Ian flirt a bit, leaving Gleason out in the cold. Ian convices Sara to tell her about the Blood Sword and the Curator's shop. Ian takes the Bloodsword and goes after the Yakuza telling Sara that they are after him.
98. Ian crashes the Yakuza base and tricks Sara into helping him. Ian defeats the Yakuza boss. Sara gets mad at Ian and he admits to lying to Sara. Ian wanted to defeat this Yakuza gang to gain their power base. Sara arrests Ian. Sara returns to Gleason and the two are having a good time before Sara receives a phone call stating that Jake has woken up from his coma.
99. Sara and Gleason visit Jake in the hospital. Jake tells Sara what happened to him then gets irked because Gleason is there. Sara gets a (unheeded) prophetic warning from her loud-mouthed office parrot. Later on Sara takes Jake to the Empire State building where Jake reveals his true intentions.
100. Jake revealed to be possessed. Demon tries to possess Sara as well, but rebuffed when all the prior bearers of the Blade appear to Sara in a vision. Sara defeats the demon. The demon's personality becomes dormant and Jake regains control of himself. He tells her he cannot live like this, grabs her gun and blows his brains out. Gleason comes to witness the aftermath. Sara is an emotional wreck and she confesses to Gleason that she thinks she might be pregnant. Danielle Baptiste introduced.
101. Sara attends Jake's funeral. She goes to the curator who already knows she is pregnant, which surprises Sara. The curator tells her he cannot help her, but offers her some herbal tea which is supposed to have some great "curative" properties which Sara declines. Later Sara bumps into Danielle Baptiste outside the police station and the Witchblade goes wild. Gleason comes to visit Sara while she's in her office, and they talk about her pregnancy. She reveals that she has not had sex in over a year so she herself is puzzled as to how it happened. Gleason comforts Sara with a hug. Meanwhile, Ian Nottingham escapes from prison.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Top Cow Witchblade page
- Unofficial Witchblade television site
- Witchblade television fan website
- GONZO Witchblade anime site (Japanese)
- Air dates and episode guide
- Collected artworks
- Sara's Precinct
- INSIDE BANDAI'S WITCHBLADE MANGA COLLECTIONS
Categories: Comics articles needing character boxes | Articles lacking sources from July 2006 | All articles lacking sources | Cleanup from May 2006 | Comic book titles | Fictional police officers | Fictional symbionts | Television series by Warner Bros. Television | Top Cow titles | 2000s TV shows in the United States | 1995 introductions | Image Comics titles
