Ron Marz on Witchblade #173, Godlike Power and Smarmy, Small-Town Politicians

Typically, ComicBook.com runs a commentary track with writer Ron Marz after every issue of Witchblade, often just a few days after the book hits the stands. In the case of March's #173, there were a number of scheduling conflicts and that didn't happen. By the time we finally got around to chatting with Marz, it was so close to the release of Wednesday's Witchblade #174 that it seemed worth hanging onto. As the battle with the Angelus heats up and Sara's involvement in the strange goings-on in town are revealed, what will the future hold for the character as we close in on the landmark Witchblade #175 and celebrate the character's 20th birthday next year? Read on for some insight. As always, this is a spoiler-filled discussion. If you haven't read Witchblade #173 yet, go buy a copy and read along with us.

ComicBook.com: This is the first issue since your first back where Sara is actually conscious at the start...but you begin the issue without her, in flashback. Was that intentional? Ron Marz: Every issue of this story arc has had a flashback component, so I wanted to continue that here. Up to this point, the flashbacks have seemed to be Sara's story, but in reality, they've been the Witchblade's story. This was the final piece of necessary flashback. Issue #175 takes place completely in the present. ComicBook.com: Really, Sara was more of a B plot this month in general, no? It felt like we got a lot of Angelus. Marz: I think we had more pages of Angelus here than in previous issues of the arc, but that's because we needed to set up her motivations and goals. We needed to make Angelus a personal, powerful enemy for Sara. Heroes have to go up against credible, even overwhelming threats in order for their victories to have any meaning. ComicBook.com: That's one talkative Garduna. Do you think he goes to Heaven for his service, or is penalized for saying "Oh my God" in the Vatican moments before his death? Marz: I think he ends up in the part of Heaven where chatty people go. Except people who talk in movie theaters. They go to the other place.

ComicBook.com: Will we see what drove the Angelus to seek out the Witchblade, or is it really as simple as it seems: just the power? Marz: Yeah, that aspect is pretty simple for her. There are three central powers in the universe: the Angelus, the Darkness and the Witchblade. With the Darkness seemingly eliminated, gathering the remaining power is a pretty obvious tactic for the Angelus. And, of course, the Angelus is one of the "parents" of the Witchblade. It's a family affair. ComicBook.com: There's an almost mythological aspect to this story, isn't there? Supernatural and godlike forces are too powerful to wield the Witchblade; it has to be in the hands of humanity. Marz: Sure, I think that's a trope that almost always works. Sara can wield the god-like power of the Witchblade, but she's ultimately very human. She's one of us, and she stands for us. ComicBook.com: Is nobody moving to fill the void left by the Darkness? Or is that something we'll see play out down the line? Marz: That's another story for another time, but definitely one that will be told.

ComicBook.com: Why is this "for me to do alone?" It would seem like you'd bring backup, knowing what you do about Sara. Marz: Sara's not going to put anyone else in danger because of something she sees as her failure. She now understands that giving up the Witchblade was not the responsible decision, no matter how appealing it was to her personally. Her acceptance of needing to do this alone reflects her acceptance of her responsibility. It's her burden to bear, for good or ill. ComicBook.com: This might be a weird question, but...is Maguire actually involved with the supernatural stuff? Not only is he not particularly surprised when Sara gets a visit from the Angelus, but if he were it might explain some of his previously-inexplicable behavior. Or, you know, he could just be an asshat. Marz: Asshat. Definitely asshat. He's obviously not a dumb guy, he's at least got the craftiness of a small-town politician. So he's realized that Sara's involved in some things that can't be explained. But it's not a world he understands at all. In some ways, he'd like to pretend it doesn't exist. ComicBook.com: In terms of the "power corrupts" element of the Artifacts, have you been doing it for so long you just don't think about these things, or do you have to consciously avoid repeating beats that you wrote in Green Lantern years ago? Marz: You never want to repeat yourself, at least knowingly, and I try to avoid it at all costs. But if you're telling enough heroic stories, you're going to touch on the same themes with some regularity. The trick is to make sure you're touching on those themes through the characters, which should mean you're doing different stories. I think Sara Pezzini and Kyle Rayner are different characters, despite both of them being fairly grounded and, I hope, realistic.