Mostly new to Top Cow's Universe

[Larfleeze]

I have recently been re-introduced to the Top Cow universe. I read Witchblade a bit when it was first starting, but I don't remember much (nor do I still have those issues). I have gotten into the new Magdalena series and picked up the Magdalena Origins trade that just came out and really enjoyed it. A friend got me the Witchblade: Witch Hunt trade.

I am interested in getting more into both of these series. Magdalena won't really take too much effort if they continue the Origins trades and I keep up with the current running series. And Witchblade, I can pretty much buy trades for and then start collecting the series whenever.

My real question is: Like other comic companies, does Top Cow have a lot of huge, company-wide crossovers? I know that Artifacts is going on right now (though I know very little about it). But have they been through a lot of these? And are any of them important to the overall Top Cow Universe?

Honestly, I don't feel a need to get into many other characters. I wasn't impressed with the character of Darkness, and I know very few others in the Top Cow universe. But if crossovers are important to the Witchblade and Magdalena franchises, I would be more interested in reading them.

[Count Yoda]

Hey, I have been reading Witchblade (just the Ron Marz stuff, though I do have the first compendium waiting to be read), and I have read the first six trades of his run, and what was nice about doing the trades is that though there was an event at one point, First Born, the Witchblade trade has those issues, in addition to the normal Witchblade issues. Thus, you should be fine, at least in regards to that event arc.

I can not help you regarding Magdalena, as I have only been reading Ron Marz Witchbalde, and very early The Darkness.

Also, you may want to look into Broken Trinity, which is after First Born, and has its own trade.

I hope that helped.

[Estrecca]

My real question is: Like other comic companies, does Top Cow have a lot of huge, company-wide crossovers? I know that Artifacts is going on right now (though I know very little about it). But have they been through a lot of these? And are any of them important to the overall Top Cow Universe?

Having read a fair bit about the Darkness:

1- Company wide crossovers are very rare in comparison to the big two. Artifacts is the first of this size they have done in recent memory. Limited crossovers between two series, however, are more frequent.

2- Witchblade in particular tends to cross over a lot with the Darkness and the other related minis and such sometimes contain pretty important info. In my opinion, however, titles are still readable even without specific knowledge about the crossover stuff.

[King Nonentity]

Artifacts is really the first major cross-over. If you were to look into the mini's, I suggest Witchblade issues 62-65. I'm not sure which trade those were collected in, but Patience and Pezzini cross paths. I also agree that Broken Trinity is pretty important.

[HEATWAVE 2010]

Larfleeze, if the only characters you are interested in are Witchblade and Magdalena, then the only two crossovers you need or want to get is Broken Trinity and First Born. They are more Witchblade/Darkness/Angelus oriented, but Magdalena appears and they are must reads if you are getting into the "supernatural" side of the Top Cow Universe. There are not too many Mags issues out there, so she is easy to catch up on. WB has many more issues, but Top Cow has made it easy to get into if you want to get into it. You can start with the one you have Witch Hunt and go forward, or you can leap in right now with Artifacts. Happy reading! :smile: