I'm of two minds as far as this issue of Witchblade is concern. Is it really necessary to write a fairy tale to move the Artifact story line forward? We must assume that it fits with Ron Marz’s plans for the story arc, but it is not obvious to me. I see it as a filler issue and nothing more. The art is excellent as always with Stjepan Sejic showing us why he has become sought after for covers. Sejic’s panels have the feel of murals and gets high marks for the artistic execution.
I don’t feel that this fairy tale really contributed to my understanding of the Artifact story arc. I guess if you pick up only this title and are not aware that there is an Artifact story arc under development and executed in another sister publication, then this could be an introduction, distorted as it may be, to the story arc. I think it’s a waste of effort as an introduction of the Witchblade character and its history. If you pickup this title you already know what is happening in the Top Cow Universe. I would have much better preferred a contribution to said story arc instead of delay tactics. This disappoints me as I was looking forward to the development of the Artifact story arc and not a filler fairy tale.