OneMetal.com REVIEW:
Witchblade #135

New York City police detective Sara Pezzini trades quips and counters blows with the green-haired Cyberdata fightin’ bot named Aphrodite IV. Top Cow’s latest Witchblade issue crashes the corporation’s party wide open, unveiling a familial welcoming crew. Unfortunately, the creators forgot to tidy up before the readers arrived.

For those lacking a proper Top Cow education, the premise comes without too many tangles: Sara Pezzini currently bears the Witchblade, a primeval and equally stalwart force that balances light and darkness on the slippery tip of a constantly warring scale. As she chases the assassin Aphrodite, Sara feeds the cyborg a mouthful of humanity and convinces her to set her priority to let-me-put-the-scumbag-in-jail instead of kill. The bizarrely doll-like Aphrodite, surprisingly, listens with a reasonable ear. The now cooperative duo bust a few mechanical chops in search of the notorious Dr. Singh, but the thrills quickly end in unexpected confrontation. Meanwhile, Sara’s boyfriend, Patrick Gleason, traces her steps.

Although Sara and Aphrodite IV form an aesthetic and long-awaited powerhouse, writer Ron Marz waters down their opposing dialogue with sporadic brain-dead, so-called “witty” remarks. Stjepan Sejic muddies his artwork, smearing otherwise beautifully painted panels with sloppy, unflattering facial expressions that seem to be proportionally skewed. The issue fails to accomplish anything terribly important and only lukewarmly invites new readers into the fold, consequently dubbing the book a passable dent in the Witchblade cannon. Aphrodite fans might squeal over seeing the two comic starlets throwing punches virtually in tandem, but otherwise the comic gives a lackluster performance even for seasoned readers.

Bottom Line

Witchblade #135 skimps on the excitement and frankly, content, and dashes straight to the dessert: Sara Pezzini and Aphrodite IV redecorating Cyberdata with broken robot parts.