"Remembrance, Part One"

Tania Del Rio returns to both writing and drawing Sabrina with this issue. And a spectacular return it is, as she kicks the Four Blades storyline into high gear and ties it in to Sabrina's search for redemption.

The opening splash page is a stunner. It's a simple three-quarter length portrait of Sabrina, yet it tells a great deal about her. Alert readers will notice the changes the Dark Wand has wrought in her. She sports pointed ears and clawed hands. The split heart necklace at her throat is a nice touch as it symbolizes her divided nature: good/evil, mage/mortal. It shows up again later on in a different form. The rich purple background that gradually fades to blue sets a somber, yet hopeful mood for the story. The lettering and design of the title and caption boxes were well chosen. It gives the page the look of having come from some antique book, which suits the theme of "Remembrance."

Del Rio does a superb job depicting Sabrina's fears and frustrations as she tries to use the Duality Wand to restore the memories of those involved in the first Four Blades uprising. The progression where she restores her crazy tutor Batty's memory is both funny and dramatic. In the four page sequence the tension builds and releases, builds and releases, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

There are two scenes that bring the emotional core of the book to the front and center. The first has Llandra suggesting Sabrina use the wand to restore her boyfriend Harvey's memories. Sabrina's response is perfect. It could have so easily become overwrought or maudlin. Instead Del Rio keeps the balance, allowing us to see it's something Sabrina's considered, desperately wants to do, but has ultimately rejected. Readers who've been following the series will see it as a huge step in her maturation process. But even readers who are new to the story can pick up on what an important moment it is due to the staging. Del Rio goes from a long view shot in the previous panel to an extremely tight close-up showing Sabrina's bared fangs, her creased brow, and small eye, all universal signs of anger and agitation. The next shot remains tight, focusing on her closed eyes and the tears streaming from them. That stream removes the clichéd nature of the image and replaces it with a sense of genuine emotion.

The second sequence involves Sabrina's other former love interest Shinji. And while the scene is actually between Llandra and Shinji, Sabrina is its focus as Llandra tries to convince Shinji to help Sabrina heal so she'll be "the Sabrina we both used to know…and love." Again, Del Rio goes in with a tight shot of Shinji's profile. His eyes are lowered; there's a high blush on his cheeks. Readers in the know will realize what a difficult choice this is for Shinji. He's loved Sabrina, but she's betrayed him and his cause. But again, new readers can pick up on some of this because of the way Del Rio has staged the moment. In the next panel, he gives his answer. He's facing the reader. The shot is still tight, but his eyes aren't visible. This is a fairly standard shojo trope, and it's used very effectively here. Without the visible eyes the reader is forced to fill in for themselves what Shinji is feeling. It allows the reader to invest themselves in the character action.

Both these moments reinforce that for all Sabrina has been about magical mayhem, mischief, and rebellion lately, it's still a story about a love triangle and a girl trying to make the right choice.

Speaking of rebellion, Del Rio throws an unexpected twist into the plot when the new Four Blades discover they might not really know what the original Four Blades were up to. This twist brings in to question what readers have been expecting to happen. In most "magical girl" manga, the heroines deposes the evil forces, order is restored, and the girl gets the boy. And that's been the unspoken assumption of readers every since this plot was introduced. But after this issue's revelations, it looks like Del Rio is playing with the formula.

While newcomers might not get all the nuances, this issue offers an excellent jumping on point for readers looking for drama and romance.

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