Cyblade / Shi: The Battle for Independents #1
Cyblade/Shi: The Battle for Independents #1 (1995) is one of the most consequential crossover one-shots of the 1990s independent comics boom, chiefly because it serves as the first appearance of both Sara Pezzini and the Witchblade — the supernatural sentient gauntlet that would anchor a Top Cow franchise running 185 issues, spawning a TNT television series, an anime, a manga, and a novel. The issue is also a deliberate creative statement: writer Billy Tucci embedded the story's premise as a direct allegory for independent publishers pushing back against the perceived stranglehold of Marvel and DC, with Shi and Cyblade fighting alongside a roster of creator-owned characters from across the indie landscape. As the opening chapter of a two-part cross-company story between Crusade Comics and Top Cow/Image, it demonstrated that small independent publishers could collaborate and share characters without corporate mediation — a meaningful act in the mid-1990s landscape. The issue's back-up story, narrated by the Witchblade artifact itself, established the character's mythology of female warriors throughout history, setting the template for the entire ongoing series that launched just months later.
In "Battle for Independents," Cyblade—formerly known as Dominique Thiebaut—seeks peace in Soho, only to find chaos when her friend Ana Ishikawa’s art gallery is stormed by S.H.O.C. mercenaries. Left unconscious and believing Ana dead, Cyblade is soon visited by the Witchblade, who reveals Ana is still alive and urges her to act. With the fate of her friend hanging in the balance, Cyblade must answer the call—no matter the cost. Written by Marc Silvestri, William Tucci, Brian Haberlin, and David Wohl, and illustrated by Silvestri and Anthony Winn, with inks by Batt, Victor Llamas, and Jason Gorder, colors by Ashby Manson, Tyson Wengler, and Juan Carlos Rodriguez, and letters by Dennis Heisler, the cover by Marc Silvestri and Batt captures the tension of a world where independence comes at a price.
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The issue is a co-production between William (Billy) Tucci's Crusade Comics — home of Shi — and Marc Silvestri's Top Cow Productions, an imprint of Image Comics. The main story was written by Brian Haberlin and David Wohl, co-plotted by Silvestri and Tucci, and illustrated by Silvestri and Anthony Winn with inks by Matt Banning; Witchblade was co-created through this collaboration by Silvestri, Wohl, and Haberlin in part as a response to the market success of strong female-led independent books like Shi. The issue shipped in August 1995 with a September cover date and carried two distinct cover variants — one by Silvestri, one by Tucci — as well as retailer-exclusive editions (including a Golden Apple edition and a Dynamic Forces signed edition), reflecting the variant-cover era in which it was born. The story continues directly in the companion one-shot Shi/Cyblade: The Battle for Independents #1, published by Crusade, which completed the two-part arc.
Trivia · 7 facts
- First appearance of Sara Pezzini (later the ongoing protagonist of the Witchblade series) and the first appearance of the Witchblade artifact itself, both confirmed across the Image Comics Database, Witchblade Wiki, and multiple retailer records.
- First appearance of NYPD Detective Sara Pezzini, who debuted here before headlining the Witchblade ongoing series that launched in November 1995 — meaning this issue predates her solo title by only a few months.
- The main story was written by Brian Haberlin and David Wohl, co-plotted by Marc Silvestri and Billy Tucci, and illustrated by Silvestri with inks by Matt Banning (credited as 'Batt'); the Witchblade back-up feature was written by Brian Haberlin with art by Adam Robert McDaniel.
- The issue is a co-published crossover between Top Cow Productions (an Image imprint) and Crusade Comics, representing the first half of a two-part story; part two was published under Crusade's banner as Shi/Cyblade: The Battle for Independents #1.
- The back-up story presents the Witchblade narrating its own history as a weapon bonded to female warriors throughout time — claiming connection to Excalibur, the Spear of Longinus, and other legendary arms — establishing the franchise's core mythology before the ongoing series began.
- Cyblade's civilian identity is Dominique Thiebaut, a founding member of Cyberforce and one of the earliest recurring characters in the Top Cow/Image universe; the character was created by Marc Silvestri and Eric Silvestri.
- The issue was reprinted in Witchblade Origin Special #1, published in October 1997, underscoring its recognized status as the foundational chapter of the Witchblade continuity.
Cast · 7 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Dominique Thiebaut, aka Cyblade, takes a trip to Soho seeking relaxation but when she visits the art gallery of her friend, Ana Ishikawa, the gallery is attacked by armored men from S.H.O.C. and Cyblade is knocked unconscious while Ana is missing and presumed dead. Recovering in her apartment, Cyblade is visited by Witchblade who tells her that her friend is still alive and they must join forces to save her.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).