Earlier this week, sources in Vatican City revealed that the Catholic Church has long been unhappy with DC Comics’ use of the term “Caped Crusaders” to describe comic book heroes Batman and Robin. The contention is apparently based on actual historical figures that were the original caped crusaders, the Knights Templar.

The Catholic Church, which boasts an estimated 1.2 billion followers, has decided to produce documents from the period of the Crusades that contain period art showing the Knights with their capes and cloaks. Additionally, tapestries and other art pieces have long been known to exist, but nothing was ever done about it. Their argument states that if anyone has the right to be known as such, it should be the warriors who risked life and limb to protect travelers.

The Magdalena #11
Written by Ron Marz
Pencils by Nelson Blake II and David Marquez
Inks by Sal Regla and David Marquez
Color by Dave McCaig
Letters by Troy Peteri
Cover by Nelson Blake II, Sal Regla and Dave McCaig
Top Cow Productions, Inc.
Release Date: March 7, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

I have been a fan of Top Cow comics for years, unfortunately I have never had the chance to read this series before. Lucky for me, though, Dave3 sent the first ten issues to catch me up for The Magdalena #11. Like most comics from this company, it rocks! Plus, in this issue, we have Sara Pezzini… you know, the freaking Witchblade!

Our story for this issue revolves around Patience (The Magdalena) and Kristof (a Vatican agent) searching for not only a piece of the one true Cross, but also for the freshly stolen Spear of Destiny. Knowing she needed help, Patience contacted Sara for assistance. Not just the bearer of the Witchblade, Sara is also a detective… and pretty handy to have around.

The Magdalena #1
Written by Ron Marz
Pencils by Nelson Blake II
Inks by Sal Regla
Colors by Dave McCaig
Letters by Troy Peteri
Top Cow
Price: $3.99
Release date: April 21, 2010

Finally Ron Marz, known for his other recent Top Cow work on Witchblade and Broken Trinity, got his wish to work on The Magdalena and wow did he start off great. I really was blown away by this first issue of the new run. It isn’t very easy to please everyone with a first issue, but I think Marz did a great job of mixing in references to the old material as well as inform new readers of what they’re in for. Doing all this while peppering in characterization for all of the main cast shows just how much love Marz has for the series.

Let me start off by telling you what The Magdalena is about. After the death and rise of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, who was said by a few to be his wife, had a daughter. From this daughter started the line of Magdalena, which is the royal bloodline. Each daughter is trained as a warrior to protect the Catholic Church and carries the title of Magdalena, which entitles them to weild the Spear of Destiny — the spear that pierced Jesus in the side — as their weapon against evil.