Review - Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1

Top Cow is pretty keen on their heroes bearing ancient artifacts that grant them some immeasurable powers. Sara Pezzini is the current bearer in the long line of the Witchblade, and Jackie Estacado is the current bearer of The Darkness. Top Cow has tapped Rob Levin and Bryan Hill to add two more bearers to the Top Cow stable in Finn and Glori in Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box #1. The series opens with Michael Finnegan in possession of the Glacial Stone while Glorianna Silver is in possession of the Ember Stone. Glori is tasked by Wulfgar Olafsson, her mentor and teacher, to seek out Finn and the Glacial Stone to unite the Broken Trinity. Finn has a "teacher" of his own in Kenshin Kawakami, who can be effectively called a "badass with a samurai sword." The two of them (Glori and Finn) are being coached to prepare for the other to attempt to take their stone for reasons yet unknown (other than to unite the Broken Trinity). Crazy right? The "Pandora's Box" part of the story comes in with the Disciples of Adam, a group of super-elite soldiers that are seeking to open up the box. The Disciples are led by Adam Legion, a man that has no qualms about dropping members of the cloth to find a compass for whatever reason. (The writers are also either ex-military or have been playing a lot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with the "stay frosty" line; always approve). I'm assuming that Legion is also looking for either (or both) stones, but that will most likely be described in future issues. The first issue ends with a somewhat interesting "twist" that suggests the two stones could be reunited a lot sooner than anyone thinks. After reading this first issue, you get a little carsick because in the first ten pages or so the comic hits about five countries...sort of a whirling dervish of a comic if you will. Levin and Hill are very adept at crafting a comic that doesn't waste words and I'm a HUGE fan of Alessandro Vitti's artwork which does an exceptional job in bring their words to life. I've never really gotten into Witchblade (nothing against the comic as I've heard fantastic things...plus I'll leave that to Tom) but I'm kind of digging Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box. There's a good bit of action and story with some religion thrown in for good measure. The first issue hits stores this week for $2.99. Check out a preview below of some interiors.