Lucifer

Lucifer 63-75, Lucifer: Nirvana

The final battle.  The Lilim launch their assault on the Silver City, but before they can complete their victory, Christopher Rudd and his army of Hell denizens swoop in and take command of the field.  Lilith dies in the fight. Lucifer kills Fenris. Yahweh grants Elaine Belloc the power of God. She takes her creation and merges it with those of Lucifer and God, claiming sovereignty over all.  Before she leaves behind her humanity forever, she gives all of her friends happy endings. Lucifer transfers the mantle of Morningstar to Mazikeen. She transfers a scar across his face for leaving her.  After one final conversation with his father, Lucifer flies off into the void.

It’s not bad, but the fact that I remembered none of it from my previous readings (I believe this was my third time through) speaks to the...meh-ness of it all.  Mike Carey sacrificed his characters on the altar of Plot. Even Lucifer, such a compelling personality at the beginning of this title, ended up feeling like nothing more than an observer in his own story.  I can’t put my finger on it. His role in Lucifer is not that far off from Morpheus’ in Sandman - often that of supporting character in his own title.  I think it’s that at the end of the day, Morpheus is still clearly the core around which all the other stories revolve.  Everything still comes back to him at the end of the day. Carey could just as plausibly called this comic Belloc and not needed to change a word of the script.  

I’m retroactively going back and classifying all my “Would buy agains” to No.  While I’d read it again if given the chance, I wouldn’t feel the need to repurchase it if I lost it in a fire.  Perhaps that’s how I should approach that category in the future...

Lucifer: Nirvana serves as a coda, taking place somewhere in the middle of series.  The story’s fine, but the real star is clearly Jon Muth’s gorgeous art.  

What really blows me away are these two pages:

The juxtaposition between the beautiful, luminescent angel and the bloody filth of her company and her environment is quite arresting.  What is it that compels her to such a congress? Muth’s depiction of her purity makes her willing defilement at the hands of the Silk Man all the more haunting.  

As I wrap up Lucifer, some final images that spoke to me.

Mazikeen is so badass.

Gorgeous splash page.

Now we all know the gesture for nubile.

Gotta give Gaudium and Spera props, they’re pretty funny.

Heh, one last dig at Remiel.  Self-important to the end.

Mike Kaluta had some nice covers, but it’s hard not to think of him as a Charles Vess clone.  (Though to show how much I know, Vess lists Kaluta as one of his major influences.)

Kaluta.

Kaluta

Vess.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Nice