Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic; Troy Peteri; & Chaz Riggs
Cover Art ‘A’ by [Uncredited – probably Stjepan Sejic)
SUMMARY:
Published for December 2008 by Top Cow Productions – Image Comics, this issue is entitled “Crown Heights – Part 2 of 3.” Investigating a golem linked to a rabbi’s grisly homicide, NYPD Detective Sara Pezzini’s secret identity is in jeopardy from investigative reporter Gretch, who is seeking to expose her. Sara & Gretch confront three Jewish teens: David, Yossel, and a third boy in a basement protecting their purported golem. The three boys claim the makeshift golem is meant to protect them from hostile African Americans in their shared neighborhood. Like the forensics team before her, Sara is stunned by lab results on the most recent victim’s bone fragments.
A terrified David contacts Sara and Gleason. Sara anguishes over her misjudgment letting the boys keep their basement hideout. Gretch finally gets the photographic proof she has been after. Elsewhere, Dani Baptiste has an awkward encounter with her troubled ballet student, Finch.
Note: There’s evidently at least one variant cover for this issue, but neither the cover image(s) nor the artist(s) are referenced in this comic.
REVIEW:
Considering this storyline’s edgy racial elements, writer Ron Marz doesn’t try hard enough to tread sensitively. Case in point: he depicts Jewish animosity against the Crown Heights neighborhood’s African-American residents without any counter-point. It’s readily obvious in a scene when the synagogue’s leader firmly casting suspicion (without evidence) against the local African-American community. Neither Sara nor Gleason confront this character re: presumptive prejudice, as they evidently ignore him. In a subtle move, the only African-American actually seen or heard is one of the forensic technicians. If anything, Marz might have tried presenting an effort at neighborhood harmony rather than fixate on the gruesome fantasy-horror angle.
Even so, Marz still packs plenty of story content into a standard-length comic. Artist Stjepan Sejic’s visuals, as usual, bolster this issue with glossy, top-caliber artwork. Sejic’s impressive work, however, can’t hide Marz’s exploitive, Law & Order-like ‘ripped-from-the-headlines’ plotting. In other words, this Crown Heights storyline is seemingly well-constructed, but it misses the opportunity to offer something better.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The inside front cover summarizes Sara Pezzini’s saga up through the present-storyline. There’s a full-page cover reveal for Witchblade # 123. In addition to a single-page letters-and-answers column, there is a page-length letter to fans from Assistant Editor Joshua Cozine that explains the inspiration behind this storyline came from a National Geographic article. A single-page “Top Cow World Moos” news-and-notes column is included. The back inside cover has a single-column “Herd Through the Bo-Vine” interview with writer-collaborator Paul Dini.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
