By Filip Sablik, Publisher of Top Cow Productions, Inc.
So it looks like I got folks talking with my last Blog post. That’s great – good conversation and debate is the highest compliment for a blogger, it means people are actually reading and feel compelled to respond in some way. Not only did Newsarama readers comment (44 comments!), but other bloggers responded in their own forums.
The only problem is that most of the commentators seemed to fixate on one statement in the blog post and missed my intended point. Admittedly, that may have been a failing on my part as a writer, so I thought it wise to try and clarify this week. Let’s see if I can get it right the second time around.
The actual point I was trying to make was – Witchblade, as our comic most often dismissed as “T&A” by online commentators, is not and has not been very “T&A” for years. Sara Pezzini, our title character, spends more of her time in more clothes than your average superhero-in-tights comic. I posted some Witchblade covers in comparisons with some recent Marvel and DC covers. In my mind, the Witchblade covers were largely narrative, focused on portraying our heroine as a strong female lead rather than a sex symbol. The other covers struck me as a bit more “T&A” in nature.
The statement that seemed to get the most attention was:
“Top Cow does intentionally place sexy artwork on our convention variant covers. We recognize there’s a part of our audience that digs them and we’d be bad business people for not giving our fanbase what they want. These covers are put out in a limited release and are primarily sold directly to fans at conventions.”
I posted one cover image as an example of a sexy convention cover, our Witchblade #128 San Diego cover, which while sexy strikes me as pretty classy. I’m not embarrassed to show this to my wife. Your mileage may vary.
Two intelligent ladies blogged in response to my blog, one was Laura Hudson at Comics Alliance and one was our own Christine Dinh, Marketing Assistant at Top Cow. Before you ask, no, I did not ask Christine to write on my behalf. They both make some interesting points and are well worth reading.
But back to my point, Witchblade is not a T&A comic.
The contrary preconception seems to be largely based on issues published before 2005. I make a point of saying 2005, because that’s when Ron Marz took over the title as writer. I have to credit Ron with doing more than any other single individual in trying to change perceptions about Witchblade. Along with artists Mike Choi, Adriana Melo, and now Stjepan Sejic, Ron has focused on making Sara Pezzini a realistic, fascinating heroine. As for the question of clothes, Sara spends most of her time in everyday clothing and even when she “armors” up, the armor forms over her clothing.
Here’s a good quote from one of the artists, Francis Manapul, who actually drew Witchblade from an interview on Multiversity Comics:
After moving from Top Cow to DC, was it hard drawing clothing on your characters again? I could imagine it would be quite the change for an artist.
FM: Actually I found it quite the opposite. I drew more clothing at Top Cow than I did at DC. Main reason is that even though the DC characters I’ve tackled have costumes on they are pretty form fitting so they might as well be naked. LOL. It’s quite a misconception how books were visually portrayed at Top Cow. When I was working on Witchblade since it was a police crime drama, there were more civilian clothing than I was used too. I didn’t think I’d be clamoring to draw tights as much as I did after that run. It was strange because prior to working at Top Cow as an aspiring comic book artist all of my samples portrayed heroes in tights. When I started working at Top Cow I had to learn how to portray drapery quite fast. So it was a very valuable experience in learning how to portray real world scenarios.
It seems pretty clear that the interviewer has the same preconception about Witchblade as many people, but Francis (who works exclusively for DC these days and isn’t compelled to defend Top Cow in anyway) does a nice job setting the record straight.
Make no mistake, Witchblade is a mature readers title. It’s a realistic, supernatural/police procedural, which deals with adult concepts, adult relationships, and well… adult characters. I believe those adult themes are handled tastefully, intelligently, and with an eye first towards growing the characters.
One of my goals coming into Top Cow was to have the covers, particularly the trade paperback covers, reflect more accurately what was inside the comics. To date, the rebranding of the Witchblade trade line has been a point of pride for me as Top Cow’s Publisher. When I began, Ron Marz’s run began in Volume 10 of the trade series. I felt we needed to give readers a jumping on point to the “modern era” of Witchblade. In rebranding the trade line, Volume 1 begins with Witchblade #80, Ron’s first issue on the series. The earlier stories are collected as part of the Witchblade Origins trade line and in the massive Compendium editions.
As part of this rebranding, we also commissioned new covers from Stjepan Sejic (the current Witchblade artist), which could serve as iconic imagery encapsulating the tone and themes of the series. Below you’ll see the original Volume 10 and 11 covers juxtaposed against the current Volume 1 and 2 covers.
So here’s the deal, I’m going to put our money where my mouth is. Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Discount Comic Book Service and InStock Trades, you can now get a FREE copy of the original printings of the Witchblade trades containing Ron Marz’s first two storylines. All you have to do is make one additional purchase (which doesn’t have to be a Top Cow item) through InStock Trades and either Volume 10 or 11 will be absolutely FREE. If your total order is over $50, you don’t even have to pay shipping. If you don’t want to go in for a trade, you can head over to DCBS and order Witchblade #134, the beginning of a 3-part story, for 75% off the cover price. Check out the links below for more info:
Witchblade Volume 10 (collects #80-85) for FREE
Witchblade Volume 11 (collects #86-92) for FREE
Witchblade #134 at 75% off (go to page 6)
Once you’ve read it, come back and let me know what you thought and if it changed your preconception of Witchblade. Who knows, maybe it’ll make you a regular reader. I know that Ron’s writing certainly changed my preconceptions of the series.
Next time: There is No House Style.
Take care,
Filip Sablik
Publisher Guy
Filip Sablik is the Publisher of Top Cow Productions, Inc. He’s been in the business for nine years and is in his thirties. Occasionally, he does a bit of writing and drawing. He loves comics. Top Cow Productions, Inc. was founded by Marc Silvestri, co-founder of Image Comics. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
You tell them Filip! Witchblade rox!
November 5th, 2009 at 8:12 am
“But back to my point, Witchblade is not a T&A comic.”
The best you can argue for is that it isn’t a T&A comic anymore.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I agree that Ron Marz has changed the tone of the book and the preconception of it being a T&A book is outdated.
My only problem now is the new trades (not the ones being offered here but the ones with the new numbering system) are terrible quality. The spines always break in the first reading and the pages fall out. Everytime I see them at a comic store or a book store I open them up (carefully) just to hear the spine crack with every turn of the page (I just did this again yesterday at my local comic store).
So I had to buy the single issues starting with Ron Marz’s run and I want to tell people to pick up that run, but since I have no confidence in the trades, I don’t tell them because I don’t want to tell them they have to go back and find all those old issues. And I certainly don’t want them buying trades that fall apart like I did when I fisrt started on the title.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I agree. It is not as much of a T&A comic ANYMORE…I bought the trade kicking off the new direction and it is a lot less ‘T and A’and it was a good read.
However, if they really want to re-brand the character, the manga-style Witchblade is just ridiculous and does not help. Even the poster for the proposed movie shows the silhouette of a clearly naked woman with only a gauntlet on. Also, it is too bad her outfit in Image United seems to be a reversal on what is going on in Witchblade’s own book, costume wise.
So while changes are happening in the main book, they need to bring all these pieces together to create a consistent new image.
Peace.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:32 am
@justme - Maybe that’s why he’s saying that Witchblade IS not a T&A comic, not that it NEVER WAS a T&A comic.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:48 am
capcanuck…. you just summarised all of my thoughts and my main problem, and while i like the manga and anime style and have read and watched alot of them, i gotta say the sexual innuendos in wb were quite tasteless, and im the artist on the main series.
people know my stand on witchblade, im a fan first and artist second, i allways knew how good the book can be based on its raw potential and it could work without the nonsensical nudity, sexyness is something i wholeheartedly support, but where it is necessary, making sara reveal thongs while examining a crime scene…no
image united is a somewhat different case, but as far as ive seen marc actually opted for a quite covering armor on sara
but still all in all you summarised my problem quite nicely
still i gotta say im really happy that the last few variants are done well and quite more tasteful, last one by a guy who shares my opinions on comics, nelson blake, future artist on magdaleny, so that character will be handled really well
November 5th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I love the new direction Witchblade has taken. Amazing Art and fantastic stories every month.
That being said, I liked the original issues as well….mainly for the art though.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Hi Matt Guy,
We did a have a binding problem with the original print of Witchblade Volume 1-3 (of the rebranded Ron Marz run). The printer we used got a bad batch of binding glue and no one (including the printer) knew about it until we started getting reports of books coming apart.
We’ve since had all three volumes reprinted with good glue, stocked the good copies at Diamond, and had Diamond destroy all of the bad batches they had in stock. We also alerted retailers through Diamond’s channels and let them know they could exchange any bad copies for good ones.
In theory there may still be some bad copies floating around, but all of the new copies are good. I even tried tearing them apart when they arrived in the office;)
If any fans have bad copies, they can email fanmail@topcowent.com with their info and we’ll work on exchanging your bad copy for a good one.
Take care,
Filip Sablik
Publisher, Top Cow Productions
Read all of The Darkness/Pitt #1 FREE at http://www.comiXology.com
November 5th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Thanks. That’s great to hear.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I should say it comes down to reading it. I always thought Watchblade was nothing more than T&A. Then last year I got a couple issues out of the quarter bin and was really suprised at how wrong I was. So I then went back and eventually got every issue of Marz’s run and I really like it. I think this promotion you’re doing it great because as soon as they read those trades, people’s preconcieved ideas will be long gone.
I actually kind of wish it had more T&A.
Just a little bit.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Filip and the company cheerleaders,
Your promotional deal with DCBS doesn’t change anything, Witchblade has forever been ingrained with the T&A stigma regardless of Marz wonderful writing.
The real solution to TOP COW’s negative perceptions is move the entire focus away from WITCHBLADE and on to a Intellectual Property that doesn’t lend itself to the whole T&A stigma. Perfect example would be putting more focus on CYBERFORCE, PITT, DARKNESS and any new property that strayed away from T&A.
I think you’re on the right path with upcoming titles like TRACKER, BERSERKER, and CYBERFORCE/HUNTER-KILLER(Although you could do without the Ballistic cheesecake cover by Rockafort).
I know WITCHBLADE is TOP COW’s signature book, but if you are serious about shedding the T&A preconceptions, then take the spotlight off her for a few years. I’m not saying you should stop publishing the book, just remove the spotlight to another book that doesn’t suffer the same stigma.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I’m in for these. Weirdly enough, these are the only comics that my wife read without my prompting.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Until reading this i’ve never thought of Top Cow or any of their series being a T&A book. Filip is right is right the other guys use sex appeal to sell books, Marvel and Dc are no different. When I was a lil kid and I’d be browsing comics i always remember seeing well-endowed women in comics and I still see them. And you know what I love it! Men don’t dream of A-cups. The only preconception of Top Cow you should have is that they have great artists that draw great looking characters backed by top-notch writers.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Filip - Thanks for clarifying that original blog post. I’ll admit I was a bit confused… on one hand, it seemed that you were admitting to the T&A aspect of Top Cow books with the “sexy” convention covers while also trying to deny the same thing. It seemed like a contradiction to me but with this clarification, I see the subtle difference between publishing a tasteful “sexy” cover and shameless cheesecake.
Congrats on reinventing the series with a more intelligent and character-oriented take in mind. Feel free to ignore the biased haters who feel the need to launch ad hominem attacks without actually picking up the books and reading them.
Speaking of which, the free TPB offer is kind of blowing my mind. I’ve never heard of a publisher who was so confident in their work that they felt comfortable teaming with an online retailer and GIVING their comics away. (Brubaker once offered a money-back guarantee on SLEEPER but I don’t think anyone wanted to return their copies, natch) I’m really impressed by your dedication. Kudos.
And, yes, the rebranding is much better. Better covers and a great way to let people know it’s a new book now. I think I’ll take you up on your offer.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Witchblade might not be a T&A comic now but the WB brand definitely still is. And that continues to feed the reputation the WB comic has earned and has been trying to unsuccessfully overcome for years now.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Here’s a question. Has anyone been to a grocery store and seen all the magazines — much more prevalent than comics — targeted to women, and in full view of children — that have much more skin than what a vocal minority complain about in comics? Anyone? Seriously. I’m talking Vogue. I’m talking Cosmopolitan. Vanity Fair. W Magazine. Interview. Shape. Etc. I am damaged by none of these, and they’ve been there my whooooole life. Next time you buy groceries, really drink in what’s on display at that checkout isle– for women. Ever seen a womens perfume print ad or perfume commercial? Guess what? Women have curves. And cleavage does not equate to Playboy. Tastefulness is subjective and a matter of the individual behind that ad campaign, that vogue cover, or that Witchblade cover. The anime Witchblade comic has some of the most dynamic and high energy art of any Witchblade book in years. Is it sexy? Yes. But I’m not poisoned by it, I don’t lose sleep over it, I don’t get headaches from it, and I don’t complain about it on comic forums. No, I just see it as well drawn art. Some artists just trace Victoria’s Secret (another periodical for women) and it can come off as tacky, sometimes sure. There are extreme examples for any debate. Others however, J. Scott Campbell and Frank Frazetta, to offer two vastly different examples, create beautiful art for the sake of beautiful art. And gasp! There might be a curve or two! Run! Hide! The female form has been scribbled on cave walls since the dawn of time. It will continue to be pervasive in all manner of popular media. For as long as it exists. Forever. Don’t apologize for it.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:53 am
>>I know WITCHBLADE is TOP COW’s signature book, but if you are serious about shedding the T&A preconceptions, then take the spotlight off her for a few years.<<
Except that’s the same as saying Marvel should take the spotlight off Spider-man, something that was extremely successful and helped build them. What it needs is MORE iconic characters. And whether that’s a male or female character, I’m pretty confident it won’t be someone unattractive in a parka quoting catcher in the rye.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
>>Except that’s the same as saying Marvel should take the spotlight off Spider-man, something that was extremely successful and helped build them. What it needs is MORE iconic characters. And whether that’s a male or female character, I’m pretty confident it won’t be someone unattractive in a parka quoting catcher in the rye.<<
Spider-man doesn’t give Marvel any negative preconceptions. So that’s a poor analogy.
I’m hesitant to call it success when a publisher relies on the T&A perceptions to “survive” as Fillip would say. If anything TOP COW has become a one trick pony ever since Witchblade took over as their signature title.
But I do agree with you TOP COW does need more iconic characters that would help overshadow Witchblade’s negatives.
November 6th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Hi Folks,
I don’t want to get involved in calling specific people out or arguing individual points, but did want to point out that Top Cow has a long history of diverse and successful projects since launching Witchblade including Straczynski’s Midnight Nation and Rising Stars, Mark Millar and JG Jones’s Wanted, The Darkness (which launched after Witchblade), and Pilot Season to name just a few.
Additionally saying a property cannot be rebranded or cannot evolve doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. There are plenty examples of iconic characters changing to suit the times from Batman to Luke Cage to Stormwatch/Authority and the list goes on and on.
If you disagree with me, take DCBS up on the free trade and make an educated decision based on actually reading the book.
Take care,
Filip Sablik
Publisher, Top Cow Productions
Read all of The Darkness/Pitt #1 FREE at http://www.comiXology.com
November 6th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
>>don’t want to get involved in calling specific people out or arguing individual points, but did want to point out that Top Cow has a long history of diverse and successful projects since launching Witchblade including Straczynski’s Midnight Nation and Rising Stars, Mark Millar and JG Jones’s Wanted, The Darkness (which launched after Witchblade), and Pilot Season to name just a few.<>Additionally saying a property cannot be rebranded or cannot evolve doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. There are plenty examples of iconic characters changing to suit the times from Batman to Luke Cage to Stormwatch/Authority and the list goes on and on.<<
Those I.P.s you listed don’t suffer from negative preconceptions. Sure Witchblade can evolve and shed it’s negative perceptions, but its not going to happen unless Top Cow can prove they don’t rely on Witchblade variants to survive.
Only way I see that happening is if there’s more push on other I.P.s TOP COW has. Again I’m not suggesting you abandon the Witchblade property, just put your focus on other characters.
November 9th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
You are all obviously living in Jesus country, now.
And it sucks.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
If Top Cow is dropping the T&A from it’s books,then I’m opting out to.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
I gotta say when I first seen witchblade I thoughtr like most another T&A book but it has got a really good story going with it and has from day one as far as I’m concerned. I’ll keep buying WB no matter what the art looks like because of the story itself. as long as the story stays as good as it has been then I’ll keep buying it till they quit putting it out.
It seems like all the publishers are going for the hot covers no matter what your reading it’s a thing like all the covers back in the 90’s. Long as they keep a good story they’ll have plenty of people reading no matter if it’s one story or 30. Keep up the good stories Top Cow we’ll stick with you.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I’ll keep this simple. Quality writing and quality artwork make a good comic book. T&A shouldn’t even enter the equation. You can have both T&A and quality at the same time if need be - Witchblade is a mature read after all.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:37 am
Oh my God, why didn’t you people tell me Witchblade was so very pretty?!
I mean, I guess when I heard that Melo and Manapul had drawn it before that it’d have a VERY high standard for art, but OMG, JUST LOOK AT IT!