What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Magick #1
Black Magick, Vol. 1: Awakening, Part One
Collecting the first five issues of the critically-acclaimed new series from creators GREG RUCKA (Lazarus, Star Wars: Shattered Empire) and NICOLA SCOTT (Secret Six, Earth-2). Rowan Black is a detective with the Portsmouth PD... and a witch, two aspects of her life she has struggled to keep separate. Now someone is targeting Rowan, someone who knows her secrets and means to expose her... or worse.
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 2016
30 people are currently reading
2517 people want to read
About the author
Greg Rucka
1,495 books1,923 followersGreg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 461 reviews
January 3, 2018
I've always enjoyed reading about a Witchy Woman, so this was right up my alley. Add to that all the beautiful artwork with the (mostly) black & white palette that pops with color at just the right times?
Perfection! <--for me, anyway
Ok, since this was the first volume, there is a lot of backstory that's left unexplained.
But.
There's a ton of very interesting stuff that's hinted at as part of the origin story of these ladies, and I can't wait to find out more about their past. Or maybe not necessarily their past so much as that of all the witches in this world?
Anyway, the gist of the comic is that our main character, Rowan Black, is a cop and a (fairly old) witch. But nobody knows about the witch part, except her coven. In the first issue some (apparently) crazy dude tries to kill her (also apparently) on the orders of some secret society with a grudge against her kind.
It doesn't work out well for him, but it does let her know that she (and her friends) are being hunted. Long story short, she's got to use her police powers and her magic powers to investigate the who/what/why of the murder attempt.
Of course, her BFF/coven leader is hoping it won't be anything too terrible.
*cough*
Ehhhh.
At any rate, the whole mixing of the cop mentality with the ancient paranormal powers aspect worked really well in my opinion, and the visuals were absolutely wonderful.
So yeah. I truly enjoyed the hell out of this and I can't wait to get my hands on volume 2!
Perfection! <--for me, anyway
Ok, since this was the first volume, there is a lot of backstory that's left unexplained.
But.
There's a ton of very interesting stuff that's hinted at as part of the origin story of these ladies, and I can't wait to find out more about their past. Or maybe not necessarily their past so much as that of all the witches in this world?
Anyway, the gist of the comic is that our main character, Rowan Black, is a cop and a (fairly old) witch. But nobody knows about the witch part, except her coven. In the first issue some (apparently) crazy dude tries to kill her (also apparently) on the orders of some secret society with a grudge against her kind.
It doesn't work out well for him, but it does let her know that she (and her friends) are being hunted. Long story short, she's got to use her police powers and her magic powers to investigate the who/what/why of the murder attempt.
Of course, her BFF/coven leader is hoping it won't be anything too terrible.
*cough*
Ehhhh.
At any rate, the whole mixing of the cop mentality with the ancient paranormal powers aspect worked really well in my opinion, and the visuals were absolutely wonderful.
So yeah. I truly enjoyed the hell out of this and I can't wait to get my hands on volume 2!
February 13, 2021
➽ And the moral of this rereread is: oh yeah, this one really is Slightly Very Cool (SVC™) and stuff.
The coloring in this series one of the most scrumptious things ever, if you ask me. (And even if you don't. Ask me, I mean.)
That's my new girlfriend in technicolor there. Pretty hot, huh? Yeah, I think so, too. But I've got to say she's not the only Super Sexey One (SSO™) in this volume. No, indeed she is not. As you can see down there ↓↓, the Lusciously Tantalizing Crew (LTC™) is pretty fierce competition in the Sheer Hotness Department (SHD™). Especially the Yummy Dude of the Appetizing Pustules (YDotAP™) on the right (he kinda sorta reminds me of my ex-boyfriend Jabba the Hutt, aka 😍😍).
Oh, and by the way, I rereread this one because this one and stuff. Just so you know and stuff .
👋 To be continued and stuff.
· Vol. 2: Awakening II ★★★★★
· Vol. 3: Ascension I ★★★
August 2018
➽ And the moral of this reread is: this definitely ain't not your Boring, Average, Typical, Standard Police Procedural (BATSPP™), my Glittering Decapods! It's exciting and fresh and original and slightly dark and cool and stuff. Which makes me want to um, you know, do the thing I usually do when I get all titillated and stuff. You know, that thing that sometimes involves shimmying and shaking and getting down and footing it and hoofing it and and working it and generally displaying one's super smooth moves to the world?
This puny human here went to Fleet Admiral DaShrimp's Dance Academy of Fun and Slaughter. Seems pretty obvious to me (DaShrimp's signature Wild and Rowdy Pincers™ move is a dead giveaway, after all) but I thought I'd mention it anyway. You are quire welcome.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars. ← Don't mind me, I was obviously drunk as a crayfish a little tipsy when I first rated this volume.
Okay, let's be disgustingly honest here. I would never have picked this one up had it not been for Greg Rucka of the Most Luscious Lazarus Series (GRotMLLS™).Because I'm stupid like that. I mean, I'm a big fan of exquisitely subdued colors. You know, stuff like this:
And like this:
So you give me something like this:
And I'm like…
Pretty much.
BUT. This was Greg Rucka! And Greg Rucka I slightly lurves! Because, you know, Lazarus and stuff! So I thought to my little self, "Hey, what the fish! Let's be bold! Let's be audacious! Let's go where no nefarious shrimp has gone before! Let's read this!" And here we are.
So. The art. Yes it was black and white and should have been kinda sorta dull because you know black and white is somewhat boring and lackluster and doesn't pop right out of the page and stuff except that it wasn't and that it did. Boring and lackluster, I mean. It wasn't. And pop right out of the page, I mean. It did. Nicola Scott and Chiara Arena both did an amazing job here. I ended up loving the artwork, and the brownish black & white color theme is fantastic. And you know what makes this extra special scrumptiously perfect? The way colors are introduced in a few, select panels. I mean, look at this beauty right here:
Can I lick that? Pretty please?
And then there are tiny touches of colours here and there:
Bloody shrimping cool and stuff.
As for the story, well, given the premise it could and should have been naught but your basic UF-cum-police procedural type plot, yet nevertheless however: this is Greg Rucka, my Little Barnacles, and Greg Rucka basic stuff does not do! Yes, the heroine (Rowan Black is her name) is a cop but she also happens to be a slightlydecrepit ancient witch. She belongs to a coven that does, you know, coven stuff.
The coven leader is Rowan's best friend, by the way. Just thought you'd like to know. You're welcome. Anyway, so Rowan is a witch and a cop and one day there's a hostage situation thingie and the guy holding the people hostage is a teensy little bit possessed and kinda sorta tries to kill Rowan dead but hahaha nice try and stuff and then spoiler spoiler spoiler and to be continued in the next volume. Oh come on, you didn't really think I was going to spill it all, were you? You read it for yourself and find out what happens. Ha. Okay, I'm feeling uncharacteristically kind and compassionate today so I'll tell you this: 1/Rowan and her witchy friends might possibly be the target of people who may perhaps not like them very much for unknown reasons not known and 2/There are some evil, evil people in the world. And there are also sexy lovely people like this:
Well hello there, comely maiden!
So the story is really fun and compelling and intriguing and stuff, despite thebasic UF setting. I would have rated this 8 5 stars, had it not been for the total lack of background story about Rowan and her coven. That was a bit frustrating and stuff. But I'm guessing this is just Mr Rucka being evil and saving some of the juicy stuff for later. Which is a little cruel, if you ask me. But I'm willing to do the lenient thing and forgive him. Yes I am. Why, you ask? Because 1/Rowan actually has a female best friend (which is as rare an occurrence in UF as are genius barnacles in the Nobel Prize Committee), 2/Rowan is friends and ONLY friends with her male police partner (and with his wife, too. Please try not to faint) and 3/No bloody shrimping romance. And that, my Tiny Decapods, is a thing of utter beauty indeed. Ergo, I am hereby deciding to forget about this silly 4.5 stars nonsense and to rate this 5 gloriously glorious stars instead. The end.
» And the moral of this I Was Young and Naïve and Thought Black and White Was Boring as Fish But Now I am Old and Wise and Have Seen the Light and Tada and Stuff Crappy Non Review (IWYaSaTBaWWBaFBNIaOaWaHStLaTaSCNR™) is: volume 2 need it NOW I do. Unable to survive until it is published I might be. Slightly dying before it is released a shrimping shame it would be. Remain alive until May 8 I shall try my best to.
P.S. I have a message for you, on behalf of this volume:
[Pre-review nonsense]
Greg Rucka, Father of the ever-wondrous Lazarus, I slightly lurves thee and stuff.
Nicola Scott & Chiara Arena, you made me lurve the art despite its being mostly black and white. Quite an achievement this is,little shrimps ladies.
I slightly liked this one. Let's celebrate and stuff.
➽ Full Bloody Shrimping Hell Do I Really Have to Wait Until May 2018 to Read the Next Volume This Cannot Be This Will Not Do Crappy Non Review (BSHDIRHtWUM2018tRtNVTCBTWNDCNR™) to come.
The coloring in this series one of the most scrumptious things ever, if you ask me. (And even if you don't. Ask me, I mean.)
That's my new girlfriend in technicolor there. Pretty hot, huh? Yeah, I think so, too. But I've got to say she's not the only Super Sexey One (SSO™) in this volume. No, indeed she is not. As you can see down there ↓↓, the Lusciously Tantalizing Crew (LTC™) is pretty fierce competition in the Sheer Hotness Department (SHD™). Especially the Yummy Dude of the Appetizing Pustules (YDotAP™) on the right (he kinda sorta reminds me of my ex-boyfriend Jabba the Hutt, aka 😍😍).
Oh, and by the way, I rereread this one because this one and stuff. Just so you know and stuff .
👋 To be continued and stuff.
· Vol. 2: Awakening II ★★★★★
· Vol. 3: Ascension I ★★★
August 2018
➽ And the moral of this reread is: this definitely ain't not your Boring, Average, Typical, Standard Police Procedural (BATSPP™), my Glittering Decapods! It's exciting and fresh and original and slightly dark and cool and stuff. Which makes me want to um, you know, do the thing I usually do when I get all titillated and stuff. You know, that thing that sometimes involves shimmying and shaking and getting down and footing it and hoofing it and and working it and generally displaying one's super smooth moves to the world?
This puny human here went to Fleet Admiral DaShrimp's Dance Academy of Fun and Slaughter. Seems pretty obvious to me (DaShrimp's signature Wild and Rowdy Pincers™ move is a dead giveaway, after all) but I thought I'd mention it anyway. You are quire welcome.
Okay, let's be disgustingly honest here. I would never have picked this one up had it not been for Greg Rucka of the Most Luscious Lazarus Series (GRotMLLS™).
And like this:
So you give me something like this:
And I'm like…
Pretty much.
BUT. This was Greg Rucka! And Greg Rucka I slightly lurves! Because, you know, Lazarus and stuff! So I thought to my little self, "Hey, what the fish! Let's be bold! Let's be audacious! Let's go where no nefarious shrimp has gone before! Let's read this!" And here we are.
So. The art. Yes it was black and white and should have been kinda sorta dull because you know black and white is somewhat boring and lackluster and doesn't pop right out of the page and stuff except that it wasn't and that it did. Boring and lackluster, I mean. It wasn't. And pop right out of the page, I mean. It did. Nicola Scott and Chiara Arena both did an amazing job here. I ended up loving the artwork, and the brownish black & white color theme is fantastic. And you know what makes this extra special scrumptiously perfect? The way colors are introduced in a few, select panels. I mean, look at this beauty right here:
Can I lick that? Pretty please?
And then there are tiny touches of colours here and there:
Bloody shrimping cool and stuff.
As for the story, well, given the premise it could and should have been naught but your basic UF-cum-police procedural type plot, yet nevertheless however: this is Greg Rucka, my Little Barnacles, and Greg Rucka basic stuff does not do! Yes, the heroine (Rowan Black is her name) is a cop but she also happens to be a slightly
The coven leader is Rowan's best friend, by the way. Just thought you'd like to know. You're welcome. Anyway, so Rowan is a witch and a cop and one day there's a hostage situation thingie and the guy holding the people hostage is a teensy little bit possessed and kinda sorta tries to kill Rowan dead but hahaha nice try and stuff and then spoiler spoiler spoiler and to be continued in the next volume. Oh come on, you didn't really think I was going to spill it all, were you? You read it for yourself and find out what happens. Ha. Okay, I'm feeling uncharacteristically kind and compassionate today so I'll tell you this: 1/Rowan and her witchy friends might possibly be the target of people who may perhaps not like them very much for unknown reasons not known and 2/There are some evil, evil people in the world. And there are also sexy lovely people like this:
Well hello there, comely maiden!
So the story is really fun and compelling and intriguing and stuff, despite the
» And the moral of this I Was Young and Naïve and Thought Black and White Was Boring as Fish But Now I am Old and Wise and Have Seen the Light and Tada and Stuff Crappy Non Review (IWYaSaTBaWWBaFBNIaOaWaHStLaTaSCNR™) is: volume 2 need it NOW I do. Unable to survive until it is published I might be. Slightly dying before it is released a shrimping shame it would be. Remain alive until May 8 I shall try my best to.
P.S. I have a message for you, on behalf of this volume:
[Pre-review nonsense]
Greg Rucka, Father of the ever-wondrous Lazarus, I slightly lurves thee and stuff.
Nicola Scott & Chiara Arena, you made me lurve the art despite its being mostly black and white. Quite an achievement this is,
I slightly liked this one. Let's celebrate and stuff.
➽ Full Bloody Shrimping Hell Do I Really Have to Wait Until May 2018 to Read the Next Volume This Cannot Be This Will Not Do Crappy Non Review (BSHDIRHtWUM2018tRtNVTCBTWNDCNR™) to come.
July 6, 2016
Sweet! I haven’t been this excited about a Greg Rucka comic book since... Gotham Central? Whiteout? Like those two minor classics, Black Magick is a crime title with a twist, though in this case the twist is witchcraft rather than superheroes or the ice of Antarctica; like them, it feels a bit like a cheap but surprisingly good 70s genre flick—despite the occasional computer screen. So yeah, Rucka was the reason I picked up Black Magick, but boy will I also be on the lookout for Australian comic-book artist Nicola Scott from now on: her dark, restrained and subtle yet very stylish pencils are exactly what this title needs. Recommended to anybody with a weak spot for crime/horror mash-ups!
May 15, 2016
Buh… wha… Greg Rucka… wrote a... GOOD comic…?! What am I saying, I’m losing my edge! Noooo….. NO - credit where it’s due and Black Magick was great! (Goes to lie down)
Rowan Black is a homicide detective on the Portsmouth PD - and she’s also a witch. Magic be real, witches! After a series of grisly ritual killings, she begins to suspect she and her coven are being targeted by an unseen enemy. Can she stop them before they destroy her? Well?! Oh, I guess we’ll find out in the next volume or so…
(Returns from lying down, wondering aloud if Rucka’s bewitched me somehow) Rucka’s on familiar territory with the cop cast and police procedural storyline and all of that is handled convincingly. Throw in some magic for spice and you’ve got an unusual and interesting angle to approach what would otherwise be an average episode of CSI. The magic/wiccan stuff though is nothing original from the black cat familiar to the natural spells and sigils, even the nekkid rites, oh my!
However also like Rucka’s other books, his protagonist, Rowan, is something of a blank. She’s a part of an enthralling story but never really stood out as distinct in her own right. She’s Rucka’s generic female main character this time dressed up in police clothes and dabbling in the occult - essentially the main character of Batwoman/Whiteout/Lazarus with a different look.
But while this book is basically the first act - entirely table-setting - of a larger story rather than a book that contains its own arc, it was never boring or laborious. Corpses crop up with fairly alarming regularity who have all died in bizarre ways to keep your attention from straying. Then just when you’re losing interest in Rowan’s world the action shifts to a new group as the wider storyline is hinted at. And even though that other group’s goals are obscure at this point, Rucka shows just enough to make them compelling and satisfying to the reader.
Nicola Scott’s artwork is superb. It’s almost entirely a black and white comic full of grey washes that look stunning. The occasional spark of colour is used when magic or fire is used making the scenes when they do appear very eye-catching and memorable. It’s a very beautiful comic from an extremely talented artist.
I’ve never been a Greg Rucka fan and I started this one thinking that if it sucks I’ll give up after one issue - and then found myself tearing through it until I got to the last page! Black Magick is a very entertaining crime murder mystery sprinkled with magic throughout. I’m hooked and will definitely be coming back for Volume 2 to find out what happens next - the best reason to be following a series!
Rowan Black is a homicide detective on the Portsmouth PD - and she’s also a witch. Magic be real, witches! After a series of grisly ritual killings, she begins to suspect she and her coven are being targeted by an unseen enemy. Can she stop them before they destroy her? Well?! Oh, I guess we’ll find out in the next volume or so…
(Returns from lying down, wondering aloud if Rucka’s bewitched me somehow) Rucka’s on familiar territory with the cop cast and police procedural storyline and all of that is handled convincingly. Throw in some magic for spice and you’ve got an unusual and interesting angle to approach what would otherwise be an average episode of CSI. The magic/wiccan stuff though is nothing original from the black cat familiar to the natural spells and sigils, even the nekkid rites, oh my!
However also like Rucka’s other books, his protagonist, Rowan, is something of a blank. She’s a part of an enthralling story but never really stood out as distinct in her own right. She’s Rucka’s generic female main character this time dressed up in police clothes and dabbling in the occult - essentially the main character of Batwoman/Whiteout/Lazarus with a different look.
But while this book is basically the first act - entirely table-setting - of a larger story rather than a book that contains its own arc, it was never boring or laborious. Corpses crop up with fairly alarming regularity who have all died in bizarre ways to keep your attention from straying. Then just when you’re losing interest in Rowan’s world the action shifts to a new group as the wider storyline is hinted at. And even though that other group’s goals are obscure at this point, Rucka shows just enough to make them compelling and satisfying to the reader.
Nicola Scott’s artwork is superb. It’s almost entirely a black and white comic full of grey washes that look stunning. The occasional spark of colour is used when magic or fire is used making the scenes when they do appear very eye-catching and memorable. It’s a very beautiful comic from an extremely talented artist.
I’ve never been a Greg Rucka fan and I started this one thinking that if it sucks I’ll give up after one issue - and then found myself tearing through it until I got to the last page! Black Magick is a very entertaining crime murder mystery sprinkled with magic throughout. I’m hooked and will definitely be coming back for Volume 2 to find out what happens next - the best reason to be following a series!
September 7, 2019
4.5 stars
"Why am I doing this again?" -- Detective Rowan Black, concerned for her safety
"This would be the 'protect' part of 'Protect and Serve.'" -- SWAT team commander
"There's something off about this guy." -- Pete, captain of the detective squad
"I think taking the hostages was the first clue . . . " -- Detective Rowan Black
The opening scene of Black Magick is a minor classic -- on a moonlight night deep in the forest, a group of robed women and men are performing a pagan witchcraft ceremony, complete with a pentacle altar adorned with candles, incense, and a chalice. The reverential tone of a chant is quickly broken by a cell-phone ringtone - which I'm fairly certain is supposed to be La Bouche's '95 dance hit "Be My Lover"- and one of the ladies makes a hasty departure. That would be Detective Rowan 'Ro' Black, a plainclothes investigator with the Portsmouth PD (an actual small waterfront city in eastern Virginia), being called to the scene of a hostage situation. A crazed suspect is demanding to speak to her in person. To say things don't go well for said suspect would be an understatement . . .
I really liked this volume. It skillfully combines both the seriousness of a straight-forward police-procedural with the trendiness of the 'hip cop' genre, and then throws strong supernatural and sci-fi / fantasy elements on top to make for a solid storyline. Black (who is illustrated to resemble a cross between 70's actress Adrienne Barbeau and rocker Joan Jett, in my opinion) is an interesting and original character - she's skilled as both a policewoman and a witch, but has to be very careful with those positions / responsibilities mixing too much with each other. She's also got some dependable folks in her corner - detective partner Morgan Chaffey and snappy friend / fellow witch Alex Grey are both good supporting types. The largely black & white palette (with only occasional but effective flashes of color) was also the right choice, toning down the graphic nature of some of the criminal and/or magical activity. Writer Rucka and artist Scott, both DC vets, did great work with this one.
"Why am I doing this again?" -- Detective Rowan Black, concerned for her safety
"This would be the 'protect' part of 'Protect and Serve.'" -- SWAT team commander
"There's something off about this guy." -- Pete, captain of the detective squad
"I think taking the hostages was the first clue . . . " -- Detective Rowan Black
The opening scene of Black Magick is a minor classic -- on a moonlight night deep in the forest, a group of robed women and men are performing a pagan witchcraft ceremony, complete with a pentacle altar adorned with candles, incense, and a chalice. The reverential tone of a chant is quickly broken by a cell-phone ringtone - which I'm fairly certain is supposed to be La Bouche's '95 dance hit "Be My Lover"- and one of the ladies makes a hasty departure. That would be Detective Rowan 'Ro' Black, a plainclothes investigator with the Portsmouth PD (an actual small waterfront city in eastern Virginia), being called to the scene of a hostage situation. A crazed suspect is demanding to speak to her in person. To say things don't go well for said suspect would be an understatement . . .
I really liked this volume. It skillfully combines both the seriousness of a straight-forward police-procedural with the trendiness of the 'hip cop' genre, and then throws strong supernatural and sci-fi / fantasy elements on top to make for a solid storyline. Black (who is illustrated to resemble a cross between 70's actress Adrienne Barbeau and rocker Joan Jett, in my opinion) is an interesting and original character - she's skilled as both a policewoman and a witch, but has to be very careful with those positions / responsibilities mixing too much with each other. She's also got some dependable folks in her corner - detective partner Morgan Chaffey and snappy friend / fellow witch Alex Grey are both good supporting types. The largely black & white palette (with only occasional but effective flashes of color) was also the right choice, toning down the graphic nature of some of the criminal and/or magical activity. Writer Rucka and artist Scott, both DC vets, did great work with this one.
July 7, 2016
I liked this a lot, a really fast read, a page turner, with very good writing and strong art to match from Nicola Scott. Rowan Black is a cop for the Portsmouth PD and she's also a witch, part of an area coven. But she wants to keep these two aspects of her life separate, secret from each other. There's a lot of magick-related bad stuff going on, seemingly targeting her as witch. they have to figure that out, clearly, hopefully without blowing Black's magick secret life. And a lot happens in the first volume, maybe three pretty major events, so it's not a lot of slow world-building going on. The dialogue is snappy. The art is black and grey, but there's judicious use of color, and then a lot of color in large images at dramatic moments, which I thought really worked well as a color strategy. We sort of start to get to know Black a little bit, and her one main friend, a teacher who is also a witch, but there's not a lot of character work in the first volume.
The only thing I have really liked by Rucka, really, up until now, has been Gotham Central, though I admit there are dozens of mainstream superhero volumes from Rucka I don't know at all and don't really interest me. I am reading the Lazarus series, which is good, not great. I didn't like Whiteout much. But this one looks like the most promising yet from him at least in terms of my interests, which includes horror/crime mashups like this one!
The only thing I have really liked by Rucka, really, up until now, has been Gotham Central, though I admit there are dozens of mainstream superhero volumes from Rucka I don't know at all and don't really interest me. I am reading the Lazarus series, which is good, not great. I didn't like Whiteout much. But this one looks like the most promising yet from him at least in terms of my interests, which includes horror/crime mashups like this one!
September 6, 2019
A police procedural featuring a detective who's also a witch. Detective Black is brought into a hostage negotiation and the hostage taker knows her secret, that she's secretly a witch. From there, Det. Black and her partner try to uncover who is behind the attack. Nicola Scott's art is quite good and the art has a unique look to it. It's almost all black and white shades except for magic. Magic is presented in full color.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2016
One of the best comics I read recently and I read lot of great stuff recently.
May 13, 2016
(Received from Netgalley for review.)
Really interesting. I've liked most of what I've read by Rucka, so I requested this book without really investigating what it was or what it was about. I probably would have requested it anyways. It's a blend of police procedural and Wiccan-flavored magic, and at least in this volume, it works rather better than it probably should. Main character Rowan Black is a cop, and a witch, and she's being hunted. The question of who, or what, is hunting her and why is the central mystery of the series at this point, and it isn't resolved at the end of the book. I'm more than interested enough in seeing how this plays out to look for volume two, when it's released.
There are flaws, mainly that I'm having trouble connecting with the characters. The stellar art more than makes up for those minor flaws. I'm especially in love with the limited color palette, primarily shades of grey with color being used to indicate magic. It looks great, and it gives the book a look of its own, always nice things.
Really interesting. I've liked most of what I've read by Rucka, so I requested this book without really investigating what it was or what it was about. I probably would have requested it anyways. It's a blend of police procedural and Wiccan-flavored magic, and at least in this volume, it works rather better than it probably should. Main character Rowan Black is a cop, and a witch, and she's being hunted. The question of who, or what, is hunting her and why is the central mystery of the series at this point, and it isn't resolved at the end of the book. I'm more than interested enough in seeing how this plays out to look for volume two, when it's released.
There are flaws, mainly that I'm having trouble connecting with the characters. The stellar art more than makes up for those minor flaws. I'm especially in love with the limited color palette, primarily shades of grey with color being used to indicate magic. It looks great, and it gives the book a look of its own, always nice things.
January 21, 2019
Haven't read any Rucka for a while, so I was anticipating a rush of the old magic from this dude - even though he seems to have let the air out of the tires on Lazarus (when is he delivering volume 4 already? Oh - it's been out for months already? Well shit, now *I'm* the asshole - a role I'm well familiar with).
I love the opener - was beginning to worry Rucka had lost his droll sense of humour, gotten a little too deep into Portlandia lifestyle.
LOVE the sparse use of colour. Why don't more books do this?
I've noticed I stopped reviewing the art in most of the comics I read these days. It's like they're all converging on a contemporary style, so unless someone's really borking it, not really worth mentioning the same damned qualities every time.
But somehow in independent books, I'm more interested in helping people notice that the independent books are as good as any of the mainstream books. And this one has some pretty stellar art - happy to be reading a book like this.
Yeah, that book was definitely elevated by the art. So much so that I didn't even detect any of Rucka's normal tics (small as they are) and found myself just immersed in this story - and now it's fucking over?? Just when it got really good and scary. Bastards.
How long til the next one?
I love the opener - was beginning to worry Rucka had lost his droll sense of humour, gotten a little too deep into Portlandia lifestyle.
LOVE the sparse use of colour. Why don't more books do this?
I've noticed I stopped reviewing the art in most of the comics I read these days. It's like they're all converging on a contemporary style, so unless someone's really borking it, not really worth mentioning the same damned qualities every time.
But somehow in independent books, I'm more interested in helping people notice that the independent books are as good as any of the mainstream books. And this one has some pretty stellar art - happy to be reading a book like this.
Yeah, that book was definitely elevated by the art. So much so that I didn't even detect any of Rucka's normal tics (small as they are) and found myself just immersed in this story - and now it's fucking over?? Just when it got really good and scary. Bastards.
How long til the next one?
September 17, 2020
Damn Rucka really hardly makes bad books, and when he has full control? Oh yeah here we go.
Rowan Black is a badass detective who, in the opening pages, is confronted with a man holding up people in a restaurant. She reluctantly goes inside to meet this man and he seems to know ALL about her. She hasn't a clue who the hell this loser is. Then he goes to burn her and Rowan here uses her Black Magic to turn the lighter on himself, burning the SOB to death. This is just the start and it only gets better from here.
Greg Rucka is known to create very strong female characters and he does wonderful here. Rowan comes off as strong, badass, and yet she is extremely likable from the start. The deeper you get into the story with her partner, the witch clan she is with, and the people that are after her the better it gets.
Let's talk about Nicola Scott. My god, this is a thing of beauty. Wonderful action scenes, emotion pouring through each page, and a great feel of gloom and doom throughout. She kills it with the art here.
Overall, this was fantastic. I want more now. Ordering volume 2.
Rowan Black is a badass detective who, in the opening pages, is confronted with a man holding up people in a restaurant. She reluctantly goes inside to meet this man and he seems to know ALL about her. She hasn't a clue who the hell this loser is. Then he goes to burn her and Rowan here uses her Black Magic to turn the lighter on himself, burning the SOB to death. This is just the start and it only gets better from here.
Greg Rucka is known to create very strong female characters and he does wonderful here. Rowan comes off as strong, badass, and yet she is extremely likable from the start. The deeper you get into the story with her partner, the witch clan she is with, and the people that are after her the better it gets.
Let's talk about Nicola Scott. My god, this is a thing of beauty. Wonderful action scenes, emotion pouring through each page, and a great feel of gloom and doom throughout. She kills it with the art here.
Overall, this was fantastic. I want more now. Ordering volume 2.
June 2, 2016
I would like to thank NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Introduction:
Now, I have been reading graphic novels that usually have a mixture of different genres within a story and most of them were pretty well done as it is quite unusual and rare to see two different genres existing in the same story. So, when I heard so many good things about Greg Rucka’s “Black Magick Volume One: Awakening” graphic novel, I just knew that I had to give this series a try!
What is this story about?
Rowan Black is a detective who works with the Portsmouth PD and she has a secret…she is a WITCH! Fortunately, Rowan was able to keep her identity as a witch a secret from the police department and from the world at large. Unfortunately, one night, she comes across a man who held up a restaurant and she had to go inside the restaurant to confront the man. It turns out that the man knows that Rowan is a witch and he ended up lighting himself on fire! This event then made Rowan realize that someone knows about her powers and is targeting her and Rowan must find out who this person is before it is too late!
What I loved about this story:
Greg Rucka’s writing: That thing I mentioned earlier about reading various graphic novels that combine two different genres effortlessly? Greg Rucka did a great job at combining mystery and magic all into one story and I loved the way that we have a main character in Rowan Black who not only uses her detective skills to solve various cases, but also uses her magic to discover things about the case that would be impossible for the human eye to see. I really loved the character Rowan herself as she is shown to be a strong female protagonist who uses her magic for good and it was interesting seeing a character who is a witch, but also a detective as that made her into such a unique character! I also loved the way that the story mixed crime and mystery with magical elements as it made this story interesting to read as I was interested in seeing how the detectives would solve the case while also enjoying the fantasy elements of the story.
Nicola Scott’s artwork: Nicola Scott’s artwork is seriously beautiful to look at as all the characters look so realistic that I actually thought that these were real people being photographed into the artwork! I also loved the fact that the colorings in this volume were mostly in black and white as it made the mystery and crime theme of this story truly stand out and I also loved the way that the magical elements in this story such as fire and wisps of magic are the only objects that are colored as it made the artwork much more imaginative.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
The reason why I gave this volume a four star rating was because the story seems to drag on in many places and I found myself getting bored a bit with the story as there were not that many action scenes or any scenes that would keep my interest up and it seems like it was only towards the ending that the action really picks up.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Black Magick Volume One: Awakening” is a pretty interesting volume that introduces the reader to Rowan Black’s world of magic and mystery and I hope to read more of this series in the future to see where it goes next!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
October 28, 2022
Detective Rowan Black is an accomplished witch, her sigil her badge. things aren't going right for our sardonic heroine: a hostage-taker who knows her "true name" attempts to burn her alive and she is forced to magick that burning right back 'atcha pal. and that's just the start of what looks to be a compelling series that will be about witch and witchfinder societies, a satanic adversary, cop life, and lots of gory murders. Nicola Scott's black & white art (with brief flashes of witchy color) is splendid. Greg Rucka is a frequently employed but often underrated writer and his skills with pacing, character, and dialogue are on full display here. I liked this fun, spooky read ('tis the season) and I bet I'll enjoy this even more as the series progresses. I should have bought the collected edition, damn it.
June 2, 2016
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
The first issue of Black Magick got its deserved spot on my Good list. It was intriguing and it looked like it will lead to something bigger and even better. However... it did not. The entire volume lead to one single evil pawn of someone more evil that we have no idea about, except that they, well, exist.
The problem I had with the entire volume is basically that. Some of the single issues don't even have a villain. We see one crazy, possessed guy and one demon-like creature. There is some witch-hunting organization which we know nothing about, neither their motivation, nor their intentions. If the writers of this are even mildly clever, they will not make it black and white, or at least I hope so. But nonetheless, the only thing we learn after 150+/- pages is that they have symbol. Boom. Even the dead guy in the sea did not add up to any certain event that actually happened here. I do support deeply thought through and convoluted stories with many Easter eggs but the issue with Black Magick is that we do not see the results of all that. The entire volume is an Easter egg without a culmination.
I liked how the majority of the volume was black and white and only the very important scenes were colored, but I did not like the fact that all of the female characters have identical faces. If it weren't for their hair, they would be absolutely impossible to distinguish. I had such suspicions with the first issue and decided to give it one more chance, but the results are obvious and definitely does not influence my opinion of Black Magick in a good way. I'll probably read the next volume out of sheer curiosity, but I don't have high hopes for it.
The first issue of Black Magick got its deserved spot on my Good list. It was intriguing and it looked like it will lead to something bigger and even better. However... it did not. The entire volume lead to one single evil pawn of someone more evil that we have no idea about, except that they, well, exist.
The problem I had with the entire volume is basically that. Some of the single issues don't even have a villain. We see one crazy, possessed guy and one demon-like creature. There is some witch-hunting organization which we know nothing about, neither their motivation, nor their intentions. If the writers of this are even mildly clever, they will not make it black and white, or at least I hope so. But nonetheless, the only thing we learn after 150+/- pages is that they have symbol. Boom. Even the dead guy in the sea did not add up to any certain event that actually happened here. I do support deeply thought through and convoluted stories with many Easter eggs but the issue with Black Magick is that we do not see the results of all that. The entire volume is an Easter egg without a culmination.
I liked how the majority of the volume was black and white and only the very important scenes were colored, but I did not like the fact that all of the female characters have identical faces. If it weren't for their hair, they would be absolutely impossible to distinguish. I had such suspicions with the first issue and decided to give it one more chance, but the results are obvious and definitely does not influence my opinion of Black Magick in a good way. I'll probably read the next volume out of sheer curiosity, but I don't have high hopes for it.
October 9, 2020
I enjoyed the procedural life of Rowan Black a lot, and the artistic choices made were bold and effective. Will definitely be checking out Vol. 2 and beyond.
October 7, 2017
Nicola Scott provides some great art here, expressive black and white work that features specific, sparse splashes of color when magick is used. Story-wise, although this first volume is mostly a lot of set-up, Greg Rucka uses his time-honed skills at writing police procedurals and strong female characters to put together a decent crime/occult combo that promises interesting things to come as Detective Rowan Black struggles to keep her identity as a witch a secret as an occult conspiracy grows around her.
April 11, 2018
A really cool urbsn fantasy/horror/police crime novel. A detective arrives at a crime or hostage situation. Shes also a witch and from here we lead down a trail of investigation on who is attemtping to murder her. Cool artwork which has these black/grey tones in every frame. The only colour is when magic appears. Reccomended for any UF fans
January 19, 2019
Really nice! I like the black and white artwork very much. The brief bits of colour are very nicely placed and the line art is gorgeous.
Great attention to detail.
Issue #2 was a bit of a filler. Issue #3 was slightly more interesting, but this definitely seems like a slow burning type of story. The ending of Issue #4 was a scary cliffhanger... Issue #5 brought it all to a nice climax, with two plotlines coming together and a new one opening.... which means that I will very likely get the next volume.
Bottomline, the plot is not Earth shattering, there is nothing terribly new or unusual. Not a lot of suspense until the end of Issue #4, but the story is solid enough. The black and white artwork with rare swirls of coloured highlights on the other hand is great. Great sketching, especially the shading and expressions of the various faces were fantastic.
Artwork ★★★★★
Plot ★★★★☆
Great attention to detail.
Issue #2 was a bit of a filler. Issue #3 was slightly more interesting, but this definitely seems like a slow burning type of story. The ending of Issue #4 was a scary cliffhanger... Issue #5 brought it all to a nice climax, with two plotlines coming together and a new one opening.... which means that I will very likely get the next volume.
Bottomline, the plot is not Earth shattering, there is nothing terribly new or unusual. Not a lot of suspense until the end of Issue #4, but the story is solid enough. The black and white artwork with rare swirls of coloured highlights on the other hand is great. Great sketching, especially the shading and expressions of the various faces were fantastic.
Artwork ★★★★★
Plot ★★★★☆
March 6, 2021
Rowan Black, a bona fide modern-day coven-affiliated witch-slash-Oregon police detective, finds herself targeted by a secret, magick-wielding shadow society. Their activities draw the attention of a menacing, self-appointed witchcraft-oversight organization.
Rucka's two favorite themes are present: tough, smart women and riveting crime mystery. And he's in top form. It's gripping and funny and scary, there's a ton of plot space to explore, I want to know more about these modern witches, I want to know more about this version of magick, I want to know more about everything.
And the illustration is effing gorgeous. It's all a crystal clear grayscale, except when magick is used and vibrant color creeps subtly into some singular element of the panel. It's a striking effect and some of the best art I've ever encountered.
My only complaint is that almost two years on there's still no second volume. I fear Black Magick isn't getting the traction it deserves. The first volume raced by, it's just getting spun up, and I badly want to see what happens next. Woohoo! More
Black Magick
!
Plot points:
----------------------------------------
THIRD READ
This creator-owned series is not getting the love it deserves.
Rucka's two favorite themes are present: tough, smart women and riveting crime mystery. And he's in top form. It's gripping and funny and scary, there's a ton of plot space to explore, I want to know more about these modern witches, I want to know more about this version of magick, I want to know more about everything.
And the illustration is effing gorgeous. It's all a crystal clear grayscale, except when magick is used and vibrant color creeps subtly into some singular element of the panel. It's a striking effect and some of the best art I've ever encountered.
Plot points:
----------------------------------------
THIRD READ
This creator-owned series is not getting the love it deserves.
May 15, 2016
Greg Rucka writes one of my favorite lady detectives - Dex from his series Stumptown. So this series, Black Magick, which features a female detective, Rowan Black, looked particularly interesting because it combines the procedural world of being a cop with the world of pagan magic.
First off, Nicola Scott's art draws me in, with her distinct characters and uncanny ability to make characters who are inherently sexy without sexualizing them. There's such a clean, almost filmic translation of the reality of a scene onto the page, and I dig the way she brings the supernatural elements into the everyday of these characters' lives.
The story itself is a slow burn, but never felt slow paced. This book feels like it is created by a confident writer who is taking his time to lay the groundwork for a mystery, and so far it's a story that feels worth sticking around and continue reading to see how it plays out. I LOVE IMAGE!!!! The artistic freedom Image gives its creators really comes through in a story like this, where it feels like Rucka was given the space to do what he wants.
I'm in! I look forward to seeing more of Rowan's character developed, and learning more about the magic-side of her life and history. In the hands of someone like Rucka, I know he will get us there, and I know I will enjoy the ride.
Thanks to NetGalley, Image and Diamond Book Distributors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
First off, Nicola Scott's art draws me in, with her distinct characters and uncanny ability to make characters who are inherently sexy without sexualizing them. There's such a clean, almost filmic translation of the reality of a scene onto the page, and I dig the way she brings the supernatural elements into the everyday of these characters' lives.
The story itself is a slow burn, but never felt slow paced. This book feels like it is created by a confident writer who is taking his time to lay the groundwork for a mystery, and so far it's a story that feels worth sticking around and continue reading to see how it plays out. I LOVE IMAGE!!!! The artistic freedom Image gives its creators really comes through in a story like this, where it feels like Rucka was given the space to do what he wants.
I'm in! I look forward to seeing more of Rowan's character developed, and learning more about the magic-side of her life and history. In the hands of someone like Rucka, I know he will get us there, and I know I will enjoy the ride.
Thanks to NetGalley, Image and Diamond Book Distributors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
May 21, 2016
Voilà - Maybe my favorite new series.
My buddies said I should buy something else, because the cover has a shitty kind of 80s look :D
What a compelling argument! I bought it anyway since I already read the first pages and sensed some potential here. And the main character doesnt look as weird as on the cover throughout the book imo ;)
The witch theme combined with the intriguing crime story works really well for me and the art is especially interesting when it gets more witchy than detective...-y.
I can't wait for the next issue -> 5/5
P.S. There is some german dialogue in there. Thats a plus, too...since I'm, well...german and could understand it ;) I felt very special in that moment.
My buddies said I should buy something else, because the cover has a shitty kind of 80s look :D
What a compelling argument! I bought it anyway since I already read the first pages and sensed some potential here. And the main character doesnt look as weird as on the cover throughout the book imo ;)
The witch theme combined with the intriguing crime story works really well for me and the art is especially interesting when it gets more witchy than detective...-y.
I can't wait for the next issue -> 5/5
P.S. There is some german dialogue in there. Thats a plus, too...since I'm, well...german and could understand it ;) I felt very special in that moment.
October 2, 2022
4.5🌟 The art is stunning in this book. Doesn't hurt that Rucka can write the hell out of almost anything.
May 11, 2018
Whenever I think of paganism, my first thought goes to The Wicker Man, a British cult horror that embraced some form of Celtic paganism, even if the film ended with a policeman being a reluctantly participant in ritual human sacrifice. Obviously, that sheds some darkness towards the subject of paganism, despite that there are many forms of paganism ranging from ancient to modern and even some actually makes more sense than today's other religions.
At the beginning of Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott's creator-owned series at Image, we see a union of Wiccan performing a ritual, which may look sinister, but then someone's mobile phone starts ringing, interrupting the ritual-in-progress. The mobile phone is owned by Rowan Black, who not only is a witch in her secrecy, but in the public, she is a cop for the Portsmouth (USA) PD.
The whole first issue showcases Rowan as a cop when she has to resolve a hostage situation, which is caused by a man who knows about Rowan's other life. Based on this revelation, following the burning of this hostage taker, Rowan fears that a threat from many years has returned to attack the witches of Portsmouth.
At its core, Black Magick is about the duality of a woman whom you are not quite sure whether you think she is the good guy or not, because all we get about her witching history are clues that suggest she is still traumatised, especially after the outcome of the first issue. For most of the first volume, it plays like a police procedural with a supernatural twist as the more her police buddies delve deeper into the case, the more Rowan fears that she will be discovered.
Throughout these five issues, Rucka keeps it gripping and that largely comes his signature trait of writing strong female characters, from our protagonist who is conflicted as her two lives are beginning to merge, whilst sharing snappy dialogue towards her Wiccan friend Alex who is more relaxed in her magical side. As this does read as a first act of an ongoing narrative, there isn't much characterisation for the supporting cast as I would like to spend more time towards Rowan's detective partner Morgan, whilst it's still unclear about this other organisation that has dastardly plans for the witches.
Although Nicola Scott would later collaborate with Rucka on the colourful Wonder Woman for DC's Rebirth initiative, I prefer the world of Black Magick where noir meets witchcraft. Drawn mostly in black and white, Scott illustrates with a grey wash that gives the setting an untimely and eerie feel, along with gorgeously-detailed character designs as they are so expressive that you don’t need as many words to show what a character is feeling. Through a stroke of artistic genius to get across the fantasy aspect of the book is Chiara Arena's subtle colouring that is used witches' spells occurred that gives a nice contrast to the monochrome surroundings.
As this is Part One, the larger story is slowly progressing, but the dynamic duo that is Rucka and Scott keeps us engage with a gripping thriller that has a compelling protagonist that is part-Wiccan, part-cop.
At the beginning of Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott's creator-owned series at Image, we see a union of Wiccan performing a ritual, which may look sinister, but then someone's mobile phone starts ringing, interrupting the ritual-in-progress. The mobile phone is owned by Rowan Black, who not only is a witch in her secrecy, but in the public, she is a cop for the Portsmouth (USA) PD.
The whole first issue showcases Rowan as a cop when she has to resolve a hostage situation, which is caused by a man who knows about Rowan's other life. Based on this revelation, following the burning of this hostage taker, Rowan fears that a threat from many years has returned to attack the witches of Portsmouth.
At its core, Black Magick is about the duality of a woman whom you are not quite sure whether you think she is the good guy or not, because all we get about her witching history are clues that suggest she is still traumatised, especially after the outcome of the first issue. For most of the first volume, it plays like a police procedural with a supernatural twist as the more her police buddies delve deeper into the case, the more Rowan fears that she will be discovered.
Throughout these five issues, Rucka keeps it gripping and that largely comes his signature trait of writing strong female characters, from our protagonist who is conflicted as her two lives are beginning to merge, whilst sharing snappy dialogue towards her Wiccan friend Alex who is more relaxed in her magical side. As this does read as a first act of an ongoing narrative, there isn't much characterisation for the supporting cast as I would like to spend more time towards Rowan's detective partner Morgan, whilst it's still unclear about this other organisation that has dastardly plans for the witches.
Although Nicola Scott would later collaborate with Rucka on the colourful Wonder Woman for DC's Rebirth initiative, I prefer the world of Black Magick where noir meets witchcraft. Drawn mostly in black and white, Scott illustrates with a grey wash that gives the setting an untimely and eerie feel, along with gorgeously-detailed character designs as they are so expressive that you don’t need as many words to show what a character is feeling. Through a stroke of artistic genius to get across the fantasy aspect of the book is Chiara Arena's subtle colouring that is used witches' spells occurred that gives a nice contrast to the monochrome surroundings.
As this is Part One, the larger story is slowly progressing, but the dynamic duo that is Rucka and Scott keeps us engage with a gripping thriller that has a compelling protagonist that is part-Wiccan, part-cop.
January 10, 2017
7th book read in 2017.
Number 104 out of 572 on my all time book list.
Review Pending:
Number 104 out of 572 on my all time book list.
Review Pending:
February 18, 2021
I prefer sexy witches over the green big-nosed kind (think “Wizard of Oz”), but, really, who doesn’t.
Greg Rucka’s graphic novel series “Black Magick” is full of sexy witches, all wonderfully drawn by Nicola Scott (“Birds of Prey” and “Wonder Woman”), who has an amazing knack for drawing sexy women, period.
The protagonist of “Black Magick” is a police detective named Rowan Black, who also happens to be a witch. To be more politically correct, she is a “practitioner of Wicca”, but, yeah, basically a witch…
Anyhoo, someone or a group of someones knows her secret and is trying to kill her. They are using some seriously powerful bad black magic, apparently.
Volume 1, “Awakening”, is a good introduction to the series. Rucka’s story is heavy on the police procedural (a plus for me) and light on the gratuitous blood and guts (also a plus), but it still manages to be dark and creepy. The black and white artwork by Scott adds to that vibe well.
I am looking forward to reading more of this series.
Greg Rucka’s graphic novel series “Black Magick” is full of sexy witches, all wonderfully drawn by Nicola Scott (“Birds of Prey” and “Wonder Woman”), who has an amazing knack for drawing sexy women, period.
The protagonist of “Black Magick” is a police detective named Rowan Black, who also happens to be a witch. To be more politically correct, she is a “practitioner of Wicca”, but, yeah, basically a witch…
Anyhoo, someone or a group of someones knows her secret and is trying to kill her. They are using some seriously powerful bad black magic, apparently.
Volume 1, “Awakening”, is a good introduction to the series. Rucka’s story is heavy on the police procedural (a plus for me) and light on the gratuitous blood and guts (also a plus), but it still manages to be dark and creepy. The black and white artwork by Scott adds to that vibe well.
I am looking forward to reading more of this series.
January 25, 2019
I totally enjoyed this start to what looks like an interesting story. Rowan Black, police officer, and practitioner of magick, deals with a hostage taker and murdered rapist in quick succession, with some mysterious group seemingly targeting her.
The artwork is fantastic, with highly effective and targeted use of colour. I like how Rowan is trying very hard to keep the two different parts of her life separate, and her two recent cases look like they're going to bring both sides colliding. There's enough that's curious and menacing at this point in the story that I have to know more.
The artwork is fantastic, with highly effective and targeted use of colour. I like how Rowan is trying very hard to keep the two different parts of her life separate, and her two recent cases look like they're going to bring both sides colliding. There's enough that's curious and menacing at this point in the story that I have to know more.
April 30, 2016
I'm a big fan of Rucka's writing--Lazarus is a brilliant series--so was really looking forward to this one. It's a very interesting mixture of police procedural with elements of magic and the supernatural. Portsmouth police detective Rowan Black is a practicing witch who slowly becomes involved in a series of weird, seemingly inexplicable events. First, a man takes hostages at a local burger joint, insisting that he'll only talk to Rowan. She agrees to go in and talk to him, if he'll free the hostages, but she has no idea who he is, only that he seems to be under the influence of a spell, a spell which leads him to attempt to set her on fire with kerosene. Later, Rowan and her partner on the force are called in when the body of a rapist/suspected murderer is discovered near the waterfront, missing its left hand. As events continue to unfold, becoming more and more dangerous, it becomes apparent that someone or something has it in for Rowan and is coming after her. This first volume had just enough story to get me hooked and wanting to know more. The artwork by Nicola Scott and coloring by Chiara Arena is also very effective. Much of the book is done in black and white or shades of gray, with sudden bursts of color whenever magic makes an appearance. Not much is resolved in this first collection and things remain very mysterious, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. Thanks to publicists at Image for sending a galley for preview.
June 10, 2016
3.5 stars, rounded up for potential. It's the kind of urban fantasy I really like, there wasn't anything for me to criticize about the story. It was just a little slight. If I had been buying each issue as it came out I think I would have been pretty frustrated, since it felt like the entire volume didn't have much meat. It was because there were a lot of things that had to be introduced, so we only got to see a little bit of each opening storyline and how they are going to intertwine. I can start to see how the larger "novel" is going to develop, but for now it was just an introduction. I enjoyed the art a lot, despite not usually being a huge black and gray fan. It was very expressive and had great details and shading. It felt like the entire creative team worked in lockstep together. All together it was a good introduction to the series and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.
June 9, 2016
Loved it, great crime story mixed with witchcraft. Rucka does a great job telling the story of Rowan Black a cop who practices witchcraft. I like that he anchors the story telling from the police perspective and balances it Rowan's personal story. The art is damn near perfect, Nicola Scott is super talented. Her skill at drawing the human face is something to marvel at, seriously impressed. The story follows Rowan as she works on a few strange cases that seem to be targeting her but the mystery is yet to be discovered. We get just enough mystery and crime that it makes you beg for volume two.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 461 reviews