LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 3, 2009 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. unveiled an homage cover variant provided by artist Luke Ross (Captain America) for Witchblade #128. The issue, which is scheduled for release on July 8th 2009, is the forth installment of the six-part “War of the Witchblades” story arc.

Two covers of Witchblade #128 will be available: one by series artist Sejic and the homage variant cover by Luke Ross (Captain America). The cover created by Ross depicts a dramatized pose of Dani holding a mortally wounded Sara as other characters look on from the background. It is a direct homage to the famous 1980 John Byrne cover of Uncanny X-Men #136 and similarly inspired by the George Pérez cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. Both covers are regarded as one of the most recognizable and “homaged” cover illustrations in comics. Comic Vine calls it the “The ‘Stand with a dead loved one in your arms expressing grief to the sky’ cover,” although the image arguably has inspirational precedents that date back to the earliest paintings and sculptures of the Pietà. The use of the homage cover for Witchblade #128 signifies the major plot developments and character conflicts that are central to the “War of the Witchblades” story arc.

“Obviously things don’t look too promising … for Sara or anyone else … by the end of Witchblade #127,” explained writer Marz, “The Luke Ross cover for issue #128 definitely takes that in account, and gives us a chance to homage two of the great covers in the history of comics in John Byrne’s Uncanny X-Men #136 shot, as well as the George Perez Crisis #7 image. If there was ever a time for this kind of cover on Witchblade, it’s now.”