Lan, he of Best Shots and Blog@ and more, holds forth on Top Cow . . .
"You can never judge a book by its cover."
However in the case of comic books, most retailers and consumers do. The waves of super-hero titles and familiarity cover today's shops, because that's what supposedly sells and a lot of readers aren't taking many risks due to the rising costs of books themselves. I have seen Vertigo and Boom! doing $1 first issues to try and ensnare new followers, and for the most part, it's worked for me. Vertigo's <b>The Unwritten</b> started out like that and it's one of my go-to books. Now in my line of work, I have a small obligation to try and recommend strangers, as well as my best friends and colleagues, to try something new.
Four years ago, I had reviewed <b>Dragon Prince</b>, an all-ages fantasy book published by Top Cow and was written by Ron Marz with art by his current <b>Shinku</b> collaborator, Lee Moder. I had given a pretty substantial praise about it, mainly since Marvel/DC were both in the middle of a mega-event. I think DC had Batman RIP and Final Crisis going on at the same time. There was really nothing out there that a kid could just pick up and enjoy without having to buy everything else to have a cohesive story. Dragon Prince was a four-parter and easy to understand and enjoyable. The kicker is still the fact that it was published by Top Cow.
Top Cow did an all-ages book without their trademark t'n'a shots? What?
Well, yeah. Because that's what the common consensus is about that publisher and what they represent. Shortly after I reviewed Dragon Prince, I realized that Marz had been writing one of Top Cow's staple books, Witchblade. Now I didn't even know Witchblade was still relevant, much less being written by one of my favorite comic writers growing up. To me, Top Cow was still seen as "those" kind of books you really enjoy when you're thirteen and then realize how shallow and one-dimensional they really are. That's mainly because writers were constantly trying to have Sara in the silliest of outfits and situations that required four butt shots in maybe a five-paneled page. Though, after, I was told I'd actually enjoy this if I loved things like FX's The Shield. So, I gave it a shot with a random issue, but it was the beginning of a new arc and everything just felt right. I didn't feel left behind, or like I was missing out on something. It read amazingly well. Marz didn't complicate things, but still had a consistent level of layered storytelling that made me want to come back. Sara was no longer in hooker-like or risque outfits, but sensible and professional attire. Even the Witchblade evolved into full-scale armor and not just conveniently-placed plates.
Also, add the fact that Sara had matured and accepted her role as this supernatural avenger. It really did read like Supernatural meets The Shield. Sara and her boyfriend/partner Patrick Gleason had been basically turned into Mulder and Scully and investigated supernatural crimes and instances, but with Scully having a mystical weapon that can shred demon faces off. This is hardly the same woman that burst onto the scene almost fifteen years ago. Calling Top Cow cheesecake or something aimed at pre-teen boys is an inaccurate summary. They publish terrific horror as well. The much-acclaimed <b>Echoes</b> was brought to you by the Cow, as well as non-supernatural superheroics (Velocity and Madame Mirage). I just think their past image does not reflect well on them now and people are unaware of the evolution they've gone through. It's like a restaurant you used to like as a kid, but then your tastes get more sophisticated so you stop going, but then you hear they're under new management and really doing great for themselves.
So on that note, I say why not change up your pallet and take a bite over at Top Cow. I'm sure your pullbox will thank me later.
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