Witchblade #20 // Review
Sara speaks Latin in order to gain entry. It’s not some weird passcode or anything like that. She’s speaking Latin because she knows that someone on the inside of the facility is going to hear what she has to say. And that person might be intrigued enough to let her in. Of course...it works. Getting into a highly secure facility to investigate a crime is the easiest part of the investigation for Detective Sara Pezzini in Witchblade #20. Writer Marguerite Bennett continues a deeply enjoyable sci-fi/horror detective fiction adventure with artist Giudeppe Cafaro and colorist Arif Prianto.
She’s looking to talk to the CEO of a corporation with a highly secure facility out in the middle of nowhere. In the pouring rain. It's not hard to get in. The CEO really seems to be interested in talking to her. There's something of a philosophical conversation that's had on the inside regarding the lifelike androids that the company produce. It's more than a little chilling. However, it's the price of admission if she's going to be able to jump down the throw it out the corporation and try to find the killer. That's when things get really dangerous.
The philosophical end of the script isn't really anything new. It is, however, in context. Questions of the precise ethics of artificial intelligence that's meant to replicate humans have been around forever. However, in light of recent advancements in AI companions online and that sort of thing it's really interesting to get another look at this from the perspective of a horror fantasy series. It also adds a level of texture and flavor to the adventure that ends up being a lot of fun. Bennett has balanced the script quite well between philosophical drama and action. It's really impressive stuff.
Cafaro does an admirable job of bringing it to the page. There's a real sense of atmosphere about the rain outside and the cool antiseptic feel of the interior. Prianto’s colors to a beautiful job of lending texture and luminosity to that atmosphere. The action feels particularly powerful in an issue that also includes some really appealing layouts. Heroes have been fighting robots in car. It looks for as long as they've existed. Cafaro and Prianto managed to find a way to make it feel fresh and original in spite of this. There's a stylishness to it that goes a long way towards balancing out some of the heavier ends of the script.
A series begins to approach the end of its second year. There's a lot going on in and around the edges of the narrative. And it's nice to see Sara reach a certain level of mastery with the weapon that serves as the center for the series. Bennett has done quite a job delivering this to the page. The level of master she's achieved with this particular character it seems to fit the page quite well. With any luck, she'll be able to maintain for at least a couple more years.
