Top Cow President and COO, Matt Hawkins posted on his Facebook page that Artifacts #22 would be released this past Wednesday (10/24/12) and commented that it was a great starting point if you wanted to break into the series. Based on my enjoyment with Cyber Force #1 the week before (10/17/12), and continual interest in Top Cow products, I simply had to pickup Artifacts #22 and give it a try.
Written by Ron Marz with art by Stjepan Sejic, Artifacts pulls you right in from the very beginning and then it scares the hell out of you. I’m a bit biased in this review perhaps because our hero’s name is Tom (like me…), it takes place in Washington DC (a place I love visiting), has a ridiculously good blend of what appears to be hand and computer based art, and Top cow and Image have been blowing me away recently with multiple titles. The fact that I can read through a book without getting hit with ad page interruptions is fantastic. As a consumer, I really don’t think that advertisements placed right in the middle of the story are influencing me to pay attention to or buy whatever they are trying to sell. I, like many readers, read the entire comic. Every page. Even the ones at the back, especially if they include editor columns, excerpts, letters from fans, contests, etc. This book is well designed and executed from start to finish and easily appeals to a first time or long time reader.
What is Artifacts? Top Cow and Ron Marz make it simple in order to start reading, as the first page is all narration on the who, what, where, and when. Personally, I never thought I’d be interested in a book that has mystical, multi-universe magic, with a demon filled, religion referenced, and crime based story but… I’m hooked. This book is clearly rated Teen and up, due to language and violence, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. There is art and imagery in this book like I have never seen before, even my wife walked into my office as I was writing this blog post and commented on how the book looked. She doesn’t even read comics and instantly noticed how enhanced and different this book is. The writing isn’t just great in dialogue, it’s intelligent. There is a scene where we learn about ley lines and how they relate to the human heart, a city, and even the earth. “…If you believe that sort of thing, of course.” If you can’t tell, I am extremely pleased and excited about this book and there’s no way I’m going to tell you exactly what’s happening because I’m not spoiling this series, you simply owe it to yourself to go check it out. It might be easier to purchase Artifacts #22 digitally or feel free to check your local shop too. You might be able to order both #22 and #23 for the next release date or simply head on over to Top Cow’s website and buy them direct. Bravo, Top Cow…. bravo! The gallery below gives you a glimpse into this book but my iPhone shots don’t do it justice.
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