Top Cow Solicitations May 2011

As we've come to expect from Top Cow, there are some real gems among their new releases in May 2011.

We enter the final act of Ron Marz's Artifacts thirteen-issue saga with the arrival of issue #9, Phil Hester's great work continues with the arrival of The Darkness issue #93 and one of my perennial favourites Witchblade, again written by Ron Marz, features the second part of the 'Tiamat' story-arc.

Even though the first issue hasn't been published yet I'm really looking forward to picking up the second installment of Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin's Neverworld five-issue mini-series and, as I've said in the past, while there aren't many titles that I'll buy in single issue and then again as part of a collection I'm going to be ordering the 160 page Pilot Season 2010 collection.

Finally, brand new this month from Top Cow imprint Minotaur Press comes the first issue of a four-part mini-series written by John Mahoney and Filip Sablik entitled Last Mortal - head over to the Top Cow website to find out more.

ARTIFACTS #9 (of 13)
story by RON MARZ, art JEREMY HAUN, cover A by ERIC CANETE, cover B by DALE KEOWN, cover C by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
May 25, 40 pages, FC, $3.99
APOCALYPSE APPROACHES!
As the final act of Artifacts begins the lines have been drawn and the ultimate battle for the fate of the Top Cow Universe begins. The alliance formed by Sara Pezzini, bearer of the Witchblade and Jackie Estacado, host of The Darkness, has been battered to the edge of defeat. Meanwhile, the antagonist’s machinations have gone exactly as planned and his bearers move to bring about Armaggedon to remake the world. One question remains... what role will Sara and Jackie’s daughter Hope play in the end of the Universe?
PLUS: Each issue will also feature a Top Cow Origin backup written by RON MARZ and drawn by a superstar artist.

THE DARKNESS #93
story by PHIL HESTER, art by SHELDON MITCHELL, cover by BANE
May 18, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
"OUTER DARKNESS" Part Four
Even as The Darkness itself moves against its rebellious host, Jackie Estacado, he realizes that there is another entity marshaling forces against him. Who is the skeleton in Jackie’s closet that has come back seeking revenge and possibly control of The Darkness? Find out in this issue!

NETHERWORLD #2 (of 5)
story by BRYAN EDWARD HILL & ROB LEVIN, art & cover by TONY SHASTEEN & JD METTLER
May 11, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
Motivated by curiosity, Ray has rescued Madeline, an ordinary girl prized by both the criminal underworld of the City and an alluring woman in white. Now as the truth of the City is revealed to Ray, he will be faced with the decision to continue to look out for himself or save everyone. When everything you know is a lie, how do you find the truth?

WITCHBLADE #147
story by RON MARZ, art & cover by STJEPAN SEJIC
May 18, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
"TIAMAT" Part Two
In modern day New York, the ancient Babylonian goddess Tiamat seeks vengeance upon current Witchblade bearer, Sara Pezzini, to settle an ancient score. With the weight of recent events bearing down on her, can Sara possibly stave off a power older than civilization itself? Join longtime writer RON MARZ (ARTIFACTS, MAGDALENA) and collaborator STJEPAN SEJIC (BROKEN TRINITY, ANGELUS) as they charge towards the landmark issue #150!

PILOT SEASON, VOL. 4: 2010 trade paperback
story by WILLIAMS HARMS, BRAD INGELSBY, JEFF KATZ, BRYAN EDWARD HILL, ROB LEVIN & FILIP SABLIK, art & cover by TOP COW’S FINEST
May 18, 160 pages, FC, $19.99
OVER ONE MILLION VOTES CAST!
Top Cow’s annual Pilot Season competition draws unprecedented fan and media attention and 2010’s crop of competitors was no different. Featuring a variety of creators, genres, and unique ideas, Pilot Season showcases five original series each presented in a “pilot issue”, which fans then voted on to determine which series would continue. This year’s crop included reinventions of the bank heist, sci-fi conspiracy, supernatural revenge, action-thriller espionage, and deadly femme fatale. In the end, only one series emerged victorious!
Collects the pilot issues of 39 MINUTES, ASSET, CROSSHAIR, FOREVER, and 7 DAYS FROM HELL, along with a cover gallery, behind-the-scenes extras, and commentary from the creators.


LAST MORTAL #1 (of 4)
story by JOHN MAHONEY & FILIP SABLIK, art & cover by THOMAS NACHLIK
May 25, 32 pages, BW, $3.99
Alec King is a born loser. A small time criminal who has never succeeded at anything in life and whose fear of failure has crippled him. When his only friend, Brian, the brains and charm of their two-man operation, convinces Alec to help him with a hit contract on a mayoral candidate his life unravels to rock bottom. But sometimes we need to hit rock bottom to begin the climb towards a better day ...


The images used here are for illustration purposes only - the full Image and Top Cow solicitations for April and May 2011 can be found over at Newsarama while further information about all these books, and more, at the Top Cow website.