David Wohl, Christina Z., Michael Turner, Randy Green, and Jason Pearson’s Witchblade Origins, Volume 3 collects Witchblade no. 18-25 and The Darkness nos. 9-10. Most notably, these stories feature Top Cow Productions’ first crossover storyline between titles with The Darkness, the inverse of the Witchblade, appearing in his own title. The story continues to follow the developing gang war between the Mafia and the Yakuza, with the Darkness working as the Mafia’s enforcer and Tora No Shi representing the Yakuza. A third group of police led by Joe Siry and working outside the confines of the law plans to take on both groups. Meanwhile Sarah Pezzini and the Witchblade find themselves in the middle while Sonatine plays Ian Nottingham for his own game to control both the Witchblade and the Darkness. The second half of this collection focuses on a religious cult led by a charismatic figure and his connection to Pezzini and her partner through a series of murders, all while Sarah and Nottingham work to resolve their issues with the Witchblade.

This was the final volume of Witchblade Origins even though a further 55 issues separated it from Witchblade Volume 1: Witch Hunt, which began with issue number 80. Witchblade perfectly captures the essence of late-90s comic books, from the character poses to the focus on antiheroes, the plotting, pages featuring extensive pin-ups of the characters rather than more natural movement and blocking for their interactions. It’s also quite enjoyable for those who like the over-the-top stories of the late-90s and early-2000s and is great to revisit for nostalgia, especially if the reader was in middle or high school during the time of these comics publication. ( )