When it comes to witches in popular culture, the world has seen everything to funny and clever to the downright scary. In the movies we have seen the crazy antics of Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic, and we have seen the skin crawling scenes in movies like Suspiria and Drag Me to Hell.  On television, we have seen the whole gamut form the screwball styling of Bewitched to the spellbinding storytelling in Charmed to the somewhat underachieving Witches of East End. When it comes to comics, the genre has enjoyed a much more diverse and interesting additions to the canon.

The most recent book that comes to mind is what they are doing over at Archie Horror, with Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, where it evokes a classic style while being suspenseful and telling a totally different story than what is on either TV show.  The other  equally as engaging title, is Wytches, which Scott Snyder and Jock , is knocking out the box, as it  remembers exactly why being should be very afraid of witches in the first place. Then there is Harrow County, which does not necessarily enter on a witch or witches, but definitely has hints of a witch amidst. Among all these examples, few never cross genres with another to create something unique, until Black Magick.

You are introduced to Rowan Black, who is not only a witch but also police detective, something that has been somewhat seen in the average Wynonna Earp, but with the creative team behind this, actually soars. The very first scene leaves all doubts at the door, if she really is a witch, as she gets called to hostage situation, where she finds a conspiracy to kill witches in her city of Portsmouth. Before long, a series of murders and bodies being found, leads our heroine to believe that someone is using magic for their own benefit. By this volume’s end,   Rowan has fought the politics of her police department and her coven, a bigger fight is on its way within the next story arc, and Rowan is more than ready for the war.

Overall, a strong story form beginning to end, this has added a very rich tome to the genre. The story by Greg Rucka proves just how versatile a write he is, as he remembers the key to good writing, is to keep your characters interesting. The art by Nicola Scott, is beautiful and haunting, perfect the story it tells. Altogether, this creative team soars where others fail; this is the comic to the TV/ movie gods, that you bring this to the masses.

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Nicola Scott
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy Now

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review