It looks like we are finally going to see Hope and the imminent rescue scene with father and mother united in a common purpose. Talk about united, in this issue they were most united as the Darkness met the Witchblade in carnal affection.
The attempt to give the three artifacts a rational for existence and a background for the nemesis that wants to capture the thirteen artifacts and redeem himself is fairly well done. We now know that there is a universe before this one and the nemesis is the cause of the destruction of one universe and
is ready to do it again to the Top Cow Universe.
Suddenly we are faced with Darkness and Witchblade as the main characters holding this series together, the remaining Top Cow characters are only side dressing.