New Releases by Ron Marz

12-year-old Max Duncan becomes the most powerful boy in the world when he gains the power to absorb the abilities and physical characteristics of any animal he touches. Lost and separated from his family during a vacation in the dense Amazon jungle, Max is chosen by the Earth Spirits as the latest in a long lineage of planetary defenders. Entrusted with a mystical artifact known as the Animus Stone, Max gains the power to absorb the abilities of any animal he touches and transform himself into a human-animal hybrid for seven minutes at a time. Taking on the attributes of lizards, lions, tigers, elephants, spiders, dolphins, and more - sometimes the transformations are gross, weird and bizarre ¨C Max has a power no one else in the world seems to have. Joined by his faithful friends, Chris and Jenny, the three young heroes gradually find a way to use Max¡¯s abilities to protect the planet and all its many creatures.

SILVER SCORPION #1 As seen in hundreds of major media outlets around the world, such as Time, Wired, The New York Post, USA Today, Fox News, NPR, Gulf News, Asharq Al-Awsat and more, experience the origin story of the new superhero, "Silver Scorpion." "The comic book will help to establish trust and understanding between cultures, to empower young people with disabilities." ¨C President Bill Clinton, at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative The Silver Scorpion tells the story of a teenager, Bashir Bari, who loses his legs in a tragic accident. Consumed with anger and grief, Bashir retreats into a world of isolation, resentful of the pitiful looks and whispers of strangers. When he accidentally witnesses the murder of Tarek, a mysterious local metal smith, Bashir is unwittingly chosen as the new guardian of an ancient power that has remained hidden for centuries. With new abilities allowing him to manipulate the metal around him, Bashir must now decide how to use this gift and balance the line between justice and vengeance.

Alien invaders are on the verge of conquering all Barsoom. Only one man stands between them and the planet''s annihilation: John Carter, Warlord of Mars. But John is marooned deep in the Martian wastes, confronted by a savage white ape. Even if he survives, how will he return to the side of his beloved Dejah Thoris in time to save his adopted world? Ron Marz finally tackles the series he''s always wanted to write, teaming with rising artistic star Abhishek Malsuni for the best Barsoom ever!

DOUBLE-SIZED SERIES FINALE! RON MARZ returns to the title he helped launch with a self-contained MAGDALENA story foreshadowing his new MAGDALENA series (coming in January) while wrapping up ARTIFACTS! Also inside are two talent hunt winner stories! One a story of the Witchblade deep in the heart of Africa in 1904, and the other a present day story of Tom Judge trying to help a man afflicted with an ancient curse.

Collects Silver Surfer (1987) 60-66, Dr. Strange : Sorcerer Supreme 36, Warlock & the Infinity Watch 1-6, material from Silver Surfer Annual 5. After defeating Thanos, Adam Warlock won the Infinity Gauntlet - and now has absolute power! Can the most powerful being in the universe be convinced to give up the Gauntlet? And who can be trusted with even a portion of its awesome abilities? Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer races to destroy Thanos' shrine to Death - but first he must contend with onetime Infinity Gem owner the Collector, and face his darkest fears!

Sara Pezzini has solved myriad mysteries as both a detective and the bearer of the Witchblade. But now to save her own life, and perhaps save the entire world, she must unravel the most starling mystery of all: who serves as the new host for the power of the Angelus?

Collects Guardians of the Galaxy (1990) 1-7, Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1, Fantastic Four Annual #24, Thor Annual #16 and Silver Surfer Annual #4. Thrill to the exploits of the greatest heroes of the 31st century, the original Guardians of the Galaxy! Join telekinetic Vance Astro, alien archer Yondu, flame-haired Mercurian Nikki, superstrong Jovian Charlie-27, crystalline Plutonian Martinex, the mysterious Starhawk and his wife Aleta as they undertake a quest to find the long-lost shield of Captain America - a mission that pits them against Iron Man''s twisted legacy, the marauding alien cyborgs called the Stark, as well as the intergalactic thieves known as Force! Plus, the Guardians confront the devil''s daughter, Malevolence - and battle across time alongside the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange and the 26th century''s Thor, Dargo Ktor, against the mad god known as Korvac!

Collects WITCHBLADE #170-174. This first volume in a new series of WITCHBLADE collections provides a perfect jumping-on point! Sara Pezzini has given up the Witchblade and taken up the life of a small-town Sheriff, but her past comes back haunt her in deadly fashion. Acclaimed writer RON MARZ returns to the series, working with gifted artist LAURA BRAGA to tell the next chapter in the life of Sara Pezzini and the Witchblade!

Sara Pezzini believes her life is returning to normal...at least normal for someone who wields an ancient gauntlet of immense supernatural power. But when dark secrets about an abandoned amusement park surface, SaraÕs investigation draws her into a living nightmare.

DOUBLE-SIZED ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! Starting a new storyline, the team of writer RON MARZ and artist LAURA BRAGA continue their acclaimed run, providing an entry point for new readers, as well as a celebration of all that''s gone before. Also features a second story by MARZ & BRAGA, revealing a previously untold tale of the Witchblade in feudal Japan, as well as other bonus features.

Is the Witchblade out to reclaim Sara as its rightful host...or is it out for revenge?

Sara Pezzini will soon discover who the Witchblade chose to be its next bearerÉ

WITCHBLADE NO MORE! Sara Pezzini violently ripped the Witchblade from her body and abandoned it. For Sara to begin her life anew, the Witchblade must find and bond with a new host. But not all who wield the Witchblade are worthy to bear the burden of the gauntlet.

As a part of the acclaimed DC Comics - The New 52 event of September 2011, Priscilla Kitaen is Voodoo, a mysterious beauty whose origins and motivations are unknown, seemingly even to her. Regardless of whether she is a hero, villain (or both) Voodoo is on the run in the new DC Universe, trying to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, using all of her considerable skills to complete a mission that will put the entire Earth in danger. Will even her shapeshifting powers be enough to keep her pursuers, including Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, at bay?DC''s sexy, edgy new series, coming from the minds of writer Ron Marz (GREEN LANTERN, ION) and artist Sami Basri (POWER GIRL) is a fascinating look at one of the unseen corners of the DC Universe! Collects issues #1-6.

END OF AN ERA! WITCHBLADE reaches its landmark one hundred-fiftieth issue! The series reaches another landmark as long time writer RON MARZ and artist STJEPAN SEJIC put a final stamp on the series they helped define for the modern reader with their final issue.

TIAMAT,'' Part Four ...The epic battle between Sara Pezzini, bearer of the Witchblade, and Tiamat, the ancient Babylonian Queen-Goddess culminates in an earth-shaking showdown! The ongoing team of RON MARZ (Artifacts, Magdalena) and STJEPAN SEJIC (Angelus) inch closer to the huge anniversary #150 issue!

TIAMAT,'' Part Three ...Despite her most valiant efforts, Sara Pezzini succumbs to the mythic power of the Babylonian God-Queen Tiamat. With the Balance out of the way, will Tiamat remake New York in her serpantine image?

TIAMAT,'' Part Two ...In modern day New York, the ancient Babylonian goddess Tiamat seeks vengeance upon current Witchblade bearer, Sara Pezzini, to settle an ancient score. With the weight of recent events bearing down on her, can Sara possibly stave off a power older than civilization itself? ......Join longtime writer RON MARZ (ARTIFACTS, MAGDALENA) and collaborator STJEPAN SEJIC (BROKEN TRINITY, ANGELUS) as they charge towards the landmark issue #150!

It''s a ''lost'' story of Green Lantern from the 1990s, by the legendary creators of that era: Ron Marz and Darryl Banks! While on monitor duty in the JLA Watchtower, an unexpected threat will challenge Kyle Rayner''s abilities and imagination...can this young Green Lantern overcome his fear to stop a villain in his tracks?Plus, don''t miss a special reprint from the 1990s!

Tiamat, Part 1 of 4! ...The Witchblade''s power dates back to the beginning of time. But there have been other powers through the centuries, and some of them have merely slumbered, awaiting an awakening. Now an ancient goddess arises in New York City, and only Witchblade bearer Sara Pezzini stands against her. Is Sara ready to face a foe that was old when the world was young? Join longtime writer Ron Marz (Artifacts, Magdalena) and collaborator Stjepan Sejic (Broken Trinity, Angelus) as they charge towards the landmark issue #150!

Witchblade 15th Anniversary Issue! In 1995, Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner, David Wohl, and Brian Haberlin created a new kind of comic heroine with the origin of Sara Pezzini, the latest in a long line of bearers of the mystical gauntlet known as the Witchblade. ......In an over-sized 15th Anniversary issue, Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic tell Sara''s origin from a new perspective, planting seeds that soon will bear deadly fruit! Featuring two covers and also including special anniversary features, pin ups, and much more!

Catch up on the Event of the Year! Discover the series that has everyone buzzing with this introductory priced trade paperback collection released to coincide with the beginning of the second chapter of the yearlong event! Separately, thirteen mystical Artifacts will guide the fate of the Universe. Together, thirteen Artifacts will end the Universe! When a mysterious antagonist kidnaps, Hope, the daughter of Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado, Armageddon is put into motion. Starring virtually every character in the Top Cow Universe, this is a series for diehard fans and new readers alike. Written by Top Cow Universe architect Ron Marz (Witchblade, Magdalena) and featuring art by Michael Broussard (The Darkness), this volume collects Artifacts #1-4 along with the Free Comic Book Day #0 issue, a beautiful cover gallery, behind-the-scenes extras, and much more! "It''s loud, widescreen comic book mayhem that sticks to the roof of your brain!" [4 out 5 stars] — Comic Book Resources "...dramatic and heavy...visually striking..." — Newsarama

Tiamat, Part 3 of 4! ...Still reeling from the events of Artifacts, Sara succumbs to the mythic power of the Babylonian God-Queen Tiamat. With the Balance out of the way, will Tiamat remake New York in her image?

The Witchblade''s power dates back to the beginning of time. But there have been other powers through the centuries, and some of them have merely slumbered, awaiting an awakening. Now an ancient goddess arises in New York City, and only Witchblade bearer Sara Pezzini stands against her. As the pieces move into place for Artifacts, is Sara ready to face a foe that was old when the world was young?

Sibling Rivalry! Julie Pezzini has led a rough life, including a stint in prison. But that''s nothing compared to being the sister of an NYPD Detective who also happens to wield a powerful mystic weapon. Even Sara and the Witchblade might not be enough to keep Julie safe in Sara''s world of supernatural threats!

The Witchblade has borne many wielders in many eras, perhaps even in other realms. Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic tell a fantasy tale of epic proportions as only they can. But how does all this connect to Sara Pezzini?

Raise the Dead''...Guest-starring The Necromancer! Sara Pezzini can gain an important ally in Abby van Alstine, the Necromancer ... but only if Sara can keep her alive! Abby''s visit to New York City is interrupted by a demonic attack, and her only chance for surival is entering the world of the Witchblade.

Pantheon'', Part 3 of 3...Guest-starring Aphrodite IV! Sara Pezzini, the current bearer of the Witchblade, is caught between the deadly robotic assassin Aphrodite IV and the corrupt mega-corporation Cyberdata. Even with a mystical gauntlet at her disposal, will Sara be able to walk away from this encounter?

Presenting the long-contested face-off between the powerhouses of comics, we find heroes and villains crossing over from each dimension into the other and celestial beings begin a strange and deadly cosmic chess game to determine which universe is more powerful.

Pantheon'' Part 2 of 3...Guest-starring Aphrodite IV! The android assassin Aphrodite IV is back in town and Sara''s confrontation with the cold-blooded killer will force her to face her own actions during ''War of the Witchblades.''