There are few things more disappointing to me than when I try out a new book I’ve been looking forward to, only to have it land with a thud. Not necessarily bad, but failing to live up to the potential of the creative team, the premise or some combination of the two. Which is why I am bummed as hell to say that Witchblood #1 is the latest series to leave me wanting more.
Witchblood, written by Matthew Erman, drawn by Lisa Sterle, colored by Gab Contreras and lettered by Jim Campbell, has an exciting pitch. The series follows Yonna, a green-haired, motorcycle riding, immortal witch who travels through the American southwest with her crow companion. The premise, along with Sterle and Contreras’ absolutely stunning art, is what got the book on my radar when it was announced several months back. Having zero familiarity with any creative team member, I didn’t know quite what to expect but knew a hot mess sorceress with a sick motorcycle was right up my alley. Having read the issue, however, it’s clear that Yonna’s road trip is full of potholes.
To be clear, Sterle and Contreras’ artwork is as stunning as it appeared in announcement coverage and previews. Sterle’s hyper-expressive, just cartoonish enough style establishes an immediate tone and identity for the book that is charming as all hell. While action scenes can be a bit stiffer than I would hope, the comedy beats of the book are more than bolstered by her sense of comedic timing and fantastical flourishes. Contreras’ colors perfectly complement the linework, drenching the book in warm pastels that make Yonna’s seafoam green hair pop on every single page. A particular highlight is the first few pages, as Yonna races through a desert sunrise. The sea of pinks and blues in the sky is just stunning and an immediate flex from the art team.
Unfortunately, Erman’s script doesn’t quite keep pace with the title’s art duo. As a lead, Yonna is an extraordinarily chatty and bubbly character, which unfortunately didn’t quite land for me. Rather than a fun anachronistic spin on an immortal witch rolling with the times, her constant word-vomit monologues to herself and conversations with witless townsfolk felt closer to the exhausted manic pixie dream girl niche than anything else. There’s plenty of room to have Yonna develop, and this is a case of my personal preferences as a reader rearing their head. Still, by the end of the issue, I had little grasp of her personality or motivations despite multiple full-page speeches to herself and shouts to the heavens about revenge. Campbell’s lettering is mainly right in line with the goofy tone of the title, particularly with the SFX work busting out onomatopeias like BIRD and MENACING, but the overly wordy speeches from Yonna can lead to some crowded speech bubbles in the issues’ more quiet moments.
Yonna aside, the plot is serviceable. Fun modern fantasy riffs on both Witch Hunters, Hex Hunters in this world, and a vampire biker gang help flesh out the world of Witchblood and leave some interesting questions about Yonna’s role in it. By the end of the issue, all three parties are caught in a race to be the first group to arrive at the location of a powerful magician, which is, admittedly, a fun hook to build a story arc or two around. Witchblood’s world is a fun one, full of bright, flashy characters and fun riffs on fantasy mainstays, and hopefully, the team will fully explore the potential they’ve laid with this debut.
Witchblood #1 isn’t a terrible issue, to be clear. Even if the script were the worst thing I’ve ever read (which it isn’t), Sterle and Contreras’ art would be more than enough to make it worth a look on its own. However, the script’s clunky, overwritten nature keeps me from loving it as much as I want to. If Erman can throttle back on the banter-and-monologue-heavy nature of the script, Witchblood could easily shape up into a delightfully charming series and welcome entry into Vault’s increasingly diverse library of titles. If not, well, the art will still be absolutely gorgeous.
Zoe Tunnell is a 29-year old trans woman who has read comics for most of her adult life and can't stop now. Follow her on Twitter @Blankzilla.
