Lucifer #36 - A Review

Written by: Mike Carey
Penciled by: Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly & Dean Ormston
Inked by: N/A
Colored by: Daniel Vozzo
Lettered by: Comicraft
Editor: Shelly Bond
Publisher: Vertigo Comics

My biggest complaint about this book in the past has been that it is very involved, has a huge cast of characters with complex relationships between one another and that it is very difficult for new readers to get started on “Lucifer” without reading all the back issues. Apparently someone at Vertigo is listening to me; the cover of this issue proudly says “New Storyline” and the very first page gives a list of some of the characters encountered in the series so far, their relationships to one another and a hint as to what is to come.

And what is to come, you ask? A heroic boat voyage on a scale beyond even that of The Odyssey and Jason’s quest on the Argo. Okay, granted the Naglfar (the ship of Norse Chaos God Loki) is a lot more impressive and temperamental than that famous ship, but what do you expect from a ship made of the fingernails of dead warriors?

Lucifer has gathered various misfits (including a half-breed angel, a ghost, two demonic cherubs and Loki’ half-brother) to take Narglfar and go on a quest of vaguely defined importance. Nothing is said outright, but the purpose of the quest and Lucifer’s reasons for sending others to act on his behalf instead of working alone is hinted at in a way that will tickle the suspicions of long time readers while still allowing a bit of mystery to the plot. And with the relationship tree on the first page, even the new readers may be able to guess at what is coming but is left unsaid.

The artwork, as usual, matches the grand and epic scale that this book sets the standard in defining. Each character is uniquely defined, be they human or monster or a mix of the two. I was particular fond of the scene in which Lucifer shows off his power in an impressive display which shows what he is capable of on a grand scale while showing why he usually works in more subtle ways.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is one of the best books on the market today. If you’re a fan of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman”, you should be reading this book as it is the best child of that legendary series. And even if you aren’t, check this issue out. Like the quest of the crew of the Naglfar, this book promises one hell of a journey.