Top Cow Reviews: Angelus #5

Angelus #5
Publisher: Top Cow
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Cover: Stjepan Sejic

*Minor Spoilers*

“Illumination pt 5”: Don’t you hate it when you’re basking in the afterglow of having a great time with your girlfriend, and then Angelus Warriors come crashing through the window just as you’re talking about what to have for breakfast? Well the current Angelus, Dani, is experiencing this first hand and is pretty pissed right now. Unknown to her, Sabine (her Second in Command) sent a group of Angelus Warriors to Hell to retrieve the Artifact known as the Wheel of Shadows. With their mission a success, she has now bonded with it, and has decided now is the time to make her move against the woman she feels does not deserve to wield the power of the Angelus.

Sabine has her two warriors hold Dani’s girlfriend, Finch, while she delivers a kiss demonstrating the power of the Wheel of Shadows. With Finch’s life slipping away, Sabine demands that Dani relinquish the power of the Angelus in exchange for her lover’s life. However, after an encouraging word from Finch, Dani prepares for a fight and even gives the two warriors who have sided with Sabine a chance to redeem themselves. They refuse so Dani relieves their necks of the extra weight, and then steps up to make sure Sabine is dealt with.

Okay, I like Dani as the Angelus- period. I had my doubts in the beginning during War of the Witchblades but Marz has really made her shine here. She’s much better at this point in her development than as a Witchblade bearer, in my opinion. During the conversation Dani had with her father, after he walked in on her and Finch kissing, was great; you got a real sense of awkwardness and embarrassment from both characters. It’s always cool when a character as powerful as the Angelus has those very human moments, making them a bit more down to Earth.

Sejic continues to deliver eye-gasms page after page and issue after issue of Angelus. When the tone of the story shifted after Sabine and her two subjects crashed through the window, right after Dani and Finch’s love scene (yeah they had a love scene), was my favorite part! The progression of the story in each panel from that point on was what put it over the edge for me. Sejic’s style and technique has evolved quite a bit since his Top Cow debut, and I’m glad I gave it a chance and have stuck it out.

With one more issue of Angelus to go, and with Artifacts taking place right now, it’s going to be really interesting to see how the showdown between Sabine and Dani ends. Marz and Sejic deserve any praise they get for this mini series, as it wasn’t just some quick cash in that followed War of the Witchblades, but a viable story with actions that will affect the bigger picture later on. So if you weren’t lucky enough to pick this up before the first couple of issues sold out, I’d suggest waiting for the Angelus trade then sit back and enjoy ride.

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net

This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. Billy

    Seems like TC has got a winner with this one. Artifiacts looks great too.

  2. InfiniteSpeech

    A winner indeed Billy.

    What sucks is that I heard a guy say he would just buy it just for the lesbian sex scene and I just felt sorry for that guy lol There’s a great story in Angelus and yeah a little skin is nice but it’s not the end all be all. Hope he finds a woman in the real world one day.

  3. Billy

    @Speech- ???…Some dude is buying comics to get a boner??? What a D-bag! 😀

  4. InfiniteSpeech

    true indeed lol

    Oh and if anyone has been picking these issues up and not reading the page by Bryan Rountree at the end of the books then you’re missing out!

  5. Daniele Zucchi

    Nice story and cool art. I didn’t see cute Danielle Baptiste being bisexual. I like to see the development of this character. Danielle is more kind and carying, while Sara Pezzini is more distant and sometimes she is cold

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