Top Cow Solicitations - February 2011

February looks like being another fantastic month for new releases from Top Cow - I'm looking forward to picking up several of these titles including the Broken Trinity (Volume 2) Pandora’s Box trade paperback, the second issue of Troy Hickman's Twilight Guardian, The Darkness #91 written by Phil Hester and Magdalena #7 from Ron Marz, Keu Cha and Nelson Blake II.

Broken Trinity Volume 2 Pandora’s Box Trade Paperback
Written by Bryan Edward Hill, Rob Levin, art by Alessandro Vitti, Facundo Percio, cover by Tommy Lee Edwards
A New Artifact Emerges!
Michael “Finn” Finnegan, bearer of the Glacier Stone, and Glorianna “Glori” Silver, bearer of the Ember Stone, have been told that they are predestined to fight and destroy each other. When a charismatic cult leader named Elias Legion moves to remake the world using a lost Artifact known as Pandora’s Box, will Finn and Glori be able to set aside their differences to combat a larger threat or will fate dictate their inevitable clash?
Collected in this volume are issues #1-6 of the world-spanning, pulse-pounding sequel to Broken Trinity Volume 1. Written by the Pilot Season: 7 Days From Hell team of Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin with art by Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors) and Facundo Percio (Anna Mercury). Featuring behind-the-scenes sketches, script pages, and cover gallery by Tommy Lee Edwards (Turf).
“... grand action and ... a visual treat ...” – Broken Frontier
“... religious zealots, ninja, mystical creatures, and a high body count, so what else could you ask for?” – Comic Attack
“The ‘two enemies somewhat united by a shared enemy’ angle isn’t new ... But it is the execution here that makes the difference.” – Best Shots @Newsarama
Full colour, 160 pages, $19.99, trade paperback, expected ship date 16 February 2010

Twilight Guardian #2 (of 4)
Written by Troy Hickman, art by Siddharth Kotian, cover by John Tyler Christopher
The Pilot Season Winner Returns!
Twilight Guardian, the lone defender of her suburban neighborhood, has often longed for contemporaries to share crime-fighting tactics with. When she is invited to a local comic convention to join a league of Real Life Superheroes, Twilight Guardian becomes embroiled in solving a heinous crime that will require their collective talents to solve!
Eisner-nominated creator and writer Troy Hickman (Common Grounds) and talented up-and-coming artist Siddharth Kotian (Eat The Dead) continue the highly anticipated four-issue mini-series. Issue #2 features a classic team cover by John Tyler Christopher (Artifacts, Witchblade).
Full colour, 32 pages, $3.99, limited series, expected ship date 9 February 2010

The Darkness #91
Written by Phil Hester, art by Sheldon Mitchell, cover by Bane
”Outer Darkness” Part 2 of 6!
The battle between Jackie Estacado and the very source of his power, The Darkness ensues in earnest! Estacado has been lied to, beaten down, and betrayed over and over again over the last few years; but he has also studied, learned, and grown. Will Jackie Estacado take control of his destiny or will he end up another in a long line of pawns for The Darkness?
Full colour, 32 pages, $2.99, ongoing series, expected ship date 2 February 2010

Magdalena #7
Written by Ron Marz, art by Keu Cha, cover by Keu Cha, Nelson Blake II
Artist Keu Cha Returns to Comics!
Patience, the current Magdalena, has managed to follow her faith without bowing down to the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. However, the patience of the power brokers at the Vatican has run out, and they're conspiring to replace her. But how is a new Magdalena ordained when the previous one is still active?
Classic Top Cow artist Keu Cha (Witchblade, Rising Stars) reunites for a special two-issue arc with series author Ron Marz (Artifacts). Featuring a painted cover by Cha and a striking cover by series artist Nelson Blake II (Pilot Season: Murderer).
Full colour, 32 pages, $3.99, ongoing series, expected ship date 9 February 2010


Artifacts #7 (of 13)
Written by Ron Marz, art by Whilce Portacio, cover by JP Leon, John Tyler Christopher
The Art of War!
Distracted by the battle with Cyberforce and the android assassin Aphrodite IV, the Artifact Bearers trying to prevent the end of the Top Cow Universe are unaware that, in a distant corner of the world, the war might already be lost. The mysterious 13th Artifact Bearer holds in his hands the power to tip the scales. Has he already been seduced by the villainous architect of the master plan?
From Top Cow Universe architect Ron Marz (Witchblade, Magdalena) and legendary artist Whilce Portacio (The Darkness, Uncanny X-Men) comes an event series, which will literally shake the Top Cow Universe to its foundation. Featuring a gorgeous cover by JP Leon (Winter Men, Earth X) as well as a variant cover featuring Ian Nottingham by John Tyler Christopher (Witchblade).
Each issue will also feature a Top Cow Origin backup written by Marz and drawn by a superstar artist.
Full colour, 32 pages, $3.99, limited series, expected ship date 23 February 2010

Echoes #3 (of 5)
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov, art by Rahsan Ekedal, cover by Rahsan Ekedal
A Tale of Suspense and Psychological Horror!
Detective Robert Neville has been helpful to Brian Cohn, who is finding himself a potential suspect in a missing child case. But when the opportunity presents itself to shift the suspicion to another person will Brian be able to do it? Particularly since he suspects that he may be a serial killer like his father?
From acclaimed author Joshua Hale Fialkov (Tumor, Pilot Season: Alibi) and rising star artist Rahsan Ekedal (Creepy) a disturbing story of murder and mystery wrapped in questions of sanity.
Grayscale, 32 pages, $2.99, limited series, expected ship date 23 February 2010

Magdalena #1 C2E2 Variant Cover Signed Edition
Written by Ron Marz, art by Nelson Blake II , cover by Nelson Blake II
Get this stunning wraparound convention variant cover signed by cover and interior artist Nelson Blake II, previously available exclusively at C2E2. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.
Full colour, 32 pages, $19.99, Convention exclusive

Magdalena Nelson Blake Lithograph Signed & Numbered
Art by Nelson Blake II, Dave McCaig
Get the limited edition cover image of Magdalena by Nelson Blake II & Dave McCaig for your office, bedroom, or comic room wall as a high end signed & numbered 11” x 17” lithograph! Ships in a protective sleeve with a certificate of authenticity. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.
Full colour, $29.99, Lithograph

Artifacts #1 San Diego Comic-Con Variant Cover Signed Edition
Written by Ron Marz, art by Michael Broussard, cover by Michael Broussard
Get this stunning wraparound convention variant cover signed by cover and interior artist Michael Broussard, previously available exclusively at San Diego Comic-Con. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.
Full colour, 32 pages, $19.99, Signed edition

Witchblade #139 Michael Gaydos Variant Cover
Written by Ron Marz, art by Michael Gaydos, cover by Michael Gaydos
Get this surprise variant cover by special guest artist Michael Gaydos (Alias) commemorating the passing of Julie Pezzini, previously available only as a 1-in-10 random variant. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.
Full colour, 32 pages, $10.00, Variant exclusive

Broken Trinity Reader Set
Written by Ron Marz, Phil Hester, art by Stjepan Sejic, Top Cow’s Finest, cover by Top Cow’s Finest
Your last chance to get a complete set of the original single-issue comics that introduced Finn and Glori at a bargain price! Set includes Broken Trinity #1-3, Broken Trinity: The Darkness #1, Broken Trinity: Angelus #1, Broken Trinity: Witchblade #1, and Broken Trinity: Aftermath #1. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.
Full colour, 32 pages, $14.99, Set (x7 Comics)

Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1

Over the past 18 months or so I've been drawn, by quality stories, writing and artwork, into picking-up pretty much every book in the Top Cow universe - that said, aside from reading an odd issue here and there in the past I'm not really familiar with Broken Trinity. Twenty-five or so pages later - I'm hooked!

If I wasn't already drawn-in by the advance publicity for the mini-series, and credit to Top Cow by the way for getting material - preview pages, interviews, teasers - out to the fans ahead of publication, then Tommy Lee Edwards magnificent cover pulled me in immediately with it's mix of adventure, danger and the mysterious.

I really enjoy tales that exist in that space between outlandish fantasy and historical fact - and for me this first issue occupies very much occupies that space ...

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.

If, like me, you're not particularly familiar with Finn and Glori then fear not - as is the norm from Top Cow we get a very quick recap of the central characters ahead of the story, and then a little more detail at the back of the book: as I've said before, I wish all publishers would adopt this practice of offering a quick 'previously' at the start of the issue.

I believe Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box is a five or six issue series that will lead us into the 13-issue Artifacts series from Ron Marz, set to be published later in the summer - as the cover proclaims 'The road to Artifacts begins here!' - and as such I think worked perfectly as a 'foundation' issue: reintroducing us to the central characters and establishing motivations and alliances while all the while entertaining the reader with a fast-paced, engaging tale that's at times calm, thoughtful and considered and at others frenzied, bloody and violent.

Throughout the book Alessandro Vitti provides strong, confident artwork delivered using some eye catching page layouts, while Sunny Gho ensures that the colours are distinctive and perfectly complement the tone of the story.

All in all, a really good read - another 'not to be missed' from Top Cow.

Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1
Written by Rob Levin and Bryan Edward Hill with art by Alessandro Vitti and cover by Tommy Lee Edwards
Published by Top Cow Productions, $3.99, 22 story pages, 24 February 2010

Source: CBR