Marguerite Bennett + Giuseppe Cafaro reimagine ‘Witchblade’ this summer

Witchblade, arguably the most well-known creation from Top Cow’s early days, will return this summer in a new series by writer Marguerite Bennett and artist Giuseppe Cafaro.

Along with Witchblade co-creator Marc Silvestri, the duo will reimagine the character’s origin, with “contemporary takes on familiar characters.” Witchblade first debuted in 1995 and was created by Silvestri, editor David Wohl, writers Brian Haberlin and Christina Z, and artist Michael Turner. This new series has Sara Pezzini back as the wielder of the Witchblade gauntlet, after a 2017 series cast journalist Alex Underwood as the Witchblade.

“The ability to tell a story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible,” said Bennett. “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.” 

Here’s how Top Cow describes the first issue:

In Witchblade #1, New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life is forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power? …Or will she be consumed by it?

Below you can see some of the first issue’s variant covers by Cafaro, Dani and Silverstri, which highlight Sara Pezzini’s redesigned armor:

“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade,” said Cafaro. “So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac!”

Here’s a look at some of Cafaro’s interior work on the first issue:

“This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns,” Silvestri said. “Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the ’90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”

The first issue will arrive in stores July 17.