Aphrodite IX #1 (FCBD) - Thoughts/Discussion?

I'd seen Aphrodite IX show up on several "favorites" lists and finally broke down and bought the miniseries she was in. I thought it was going to be pretty much just cheesecake but I actually felt something for the character, and even though the story was somewhat predictable I ended up liking it quite a bit (enough, anyway, not to feel ashamed of having bought it).

Part of the reason I grabbed it was because I'd seen that, on the tail of resurrecting (for FREE) Cyber Force, (which features a different Aphrodite), they were bringing back IX in a new self-titled series. The first issue came out today for Free Comic Book Day, and I'm wondering if anyone else read it (worth noting: you can get it on Comixology too).

And if so...what do folks think? Particularly anyone who's actually read Time Out of Mind?

Primetime bump...I know I'm not the only one who picked it up, because it sold out in a lot of places :P

@akbogert: Yep It was a good story. I kinda prefer Aphrodite 4 but it's definitively one of the better Top Cow limited series out there.

@crom_cruach: Are you referring to the mini or the FCBD issue? (And have you read both?)

I really enjoyed it. I'm on board.

@jloneblackheart: I would definitely recommend going back and reading Aphrodite IX: Time Out of Mind #1 - TPB. While I appreciated the new series I thought the original mini had a bit more heart to it. Also, hard to go wrong with Finch.

I've only read her once on... I think Witchblade but it could be The Darkness. And i'm not sure which Aphrodite that was :p

@aiden_cross: I am pretty sure the one who has appeared most (and therefore the one who was in one of those books) was Aphrodite IV.

And while yes it is confusing, I am pretty sure that that's it. Aphrodite IX (who was created first, and whose story is in the future); Aphrodite IV (about whom I know almost nothing, ironically despite her being the one with the most face time); Aphrodite V -- a brand new character in the new Cyber Force book.

@akbogert i think you're right. I do remember it didn't much like the character, basically your sexy android hitm..err..hitwoman. But i don't know what number lX is like :)

@aiden_cross: Yeah, as I said in OP, I kinda thought that might be all there was to her. But I ended up caring for her.

She was created to be a weapon. And as part of that, her memory is wiped exactly 15 minutes after completing a mission. So even though she's been around for a while, and has been on many missions and done terrible things, every time she finishes she wakes up and remembers none of it. Meanwhile she's got the mind of a child, and a life-loving innocence, which is just straight-up tragic when you consider the reality of what she is. Time Out of Mind deals with her slowly overcoming her situation and gaining awareness/resisting. It's short (and, seemingly, has no bearing on the new series), but I actually thought it was pretty cool. I think IV is supposed to be a little bit more of a jerk? But I really don't know for sure.

@akbogert It does sound interesting, maybe i'll give it another shot when i come across it :)

The original mini, "time out of mind". I have the current FCD issue but I've only just got it today and I haven't read it yet.

@crom_cruach: Ah, well I'd be interested to hear your thoughts (as you're the first one thus far to say you've read the mini).

I'd also like to hear more about IV, in particular what sets her apart/makes her more likable. This and Cyber Force are basically my introduction to the whole Top Cow universe, so I know nothing but the brief bits I've read on the wiki.

Aphrodite IV was the present time Aphrodite, created by Cyber-Data. She was mostly an antagonist for Witchblade and the other artifact bearers. However I preferred her because her limited screen time almost always really counted . And she was a great "remorseless bad guy/girl"

It's important to understand that the current run of Cyber-Force and Aphrodite IX is drastically different from the original of both. That's because, after the artifacst 1-13 arc, the universe was destroyed, then remade with a different timeline. Which is the current driving conflict of the Top Cow universe. Cyber-Force and Aphrodite IX were thrown into a dystopic future , that might be a possible alternate future that could be made.

@crom_cruach: The new Cyber Force takes place before the dystopic future though -- finding out about the Aphrodite protocol is what sent Velocity fleeing for her life in the first place. Aphrodite IX, however, does indeed seem to take place well after the prophesied apocalypse.

I'm looking for a jumping-on point (or at least, a reasonable access point) to the Top Cow universe. I'd originally thought of starting with the thing that preceded Artifacts, but perhaps there's a better, later point? I'd presume that the events that destroyed the universe would make for a rather substantial reboot/new direction?

Not really it's not like crisis on infinite earths, it's not a reboot it's the same story continuing. Plus , pre-destruction events are actually key to what is happening right now.

If you want to start with the current universe. Witchblade Rebirth volume 1 covers the issues just after the universe was destroyed. Artifacts volume 4 does the same, collecting the artifacts series after the universe got remade. Both excellent starting points.

I only buy trades thought so I don't have the exact issue numbers.

@crom_cruach: Oh, sounds like that was only about a year ago, then? That would make catching up far more reasonable.

The wiki page for Witchblade: Rebirth: Unbalanced Pieces says issues 151-155, and it's only been ten issues since then. I'd imagine the Artifacts volume is around the same time. Honestly Artifacts is probably the book I'm interested in trying to pick up, though Pezzini does seem like a neat character.

It wouldn't be around the same number of issues since artifacts is only just started as an ongoing. Artifacts as a series title started with the 13 issue crossover that let to the universe getting destroyed, then started as an ongoing.

That said, the first artifacts trade is very good and an excellent starting point.

@crom_cruach: My original plan was to begin with Broken Trinity: Pandora´s Box. That evidently directly precedes Artifacts.

My main question is whether it's even possible to just follow a single Top Cow ongoing and not be really confused. I get the impression there's a lot of crossover stuff, not just with actual events but with the whole deeper mythology/characters/etc. And I don't want to start a series from issue one (or even a prequel) and still feel lost -- at that point I may as well just be reading wiki's entirely, you know?

You definitively can go with just one series. However Pandoras box is not a good starting point. Each is pretty much self-contained with when cross series stuff show their heads, you get recaps and information through dialogue between characters or straight recaps in a preface before the issue.