It's a new story arc for Lucifer, and it's something of a shift in tone. Oh, the political maneuverings and mysterious dealings of Lucifer are still there, but a new character with a new mission gives it something of a noir crime feel at time, which mixes nicely with the fantasy and modern day elements. Carey's script dances amongst a variety of players in the Lucifer saga, tying a few of them together but leaving plenty of questions for the rest of the arc, and Gross and Kelly are solid as always, with some particularly impressive work on the new character and his ruthless style of investigation.
Every story arc that Carey writes on this title seems to leave him with ideas for a dozen more. There are several story points in this arc that spring from previous stories, not the least of which are the fates of Elaine Belloc and her grandmothers. And Carey also uses story points from Sandman, such as a visit with Loki, whose status quo was visited during one of the Sandman stories (maybe the Season of the Mists?) and which provides some great background for this issue.
Since we're at the beginning of the arc, though, a lot of the story isn't clear yet. What Lucifer is up to is a mystery as always, and while the new character wears his heart on his sleeve in regards to his motivations, I'm not entirely sure what he plans to accomplish with his investigation yet. Likewise, I don't really know where Jill's story is going to go now, although her casual attitude with regard to the bloody mess she left her hotel in was quite a bit of fun.
I'm a fan of Gross and Kelly's work on this book, and I continue to be impressed with what they're doing. I thought the work was at its best this issue when Inspector Donoghue was confronting the investigator, as it reminded me somewhat of the darker and edgier work of Marcelo Frusin, a nice touch given the crime-noir style of that part of the story. They are just as comfortable, however, with the underground caverns that represent Loki's status quo, or the depressing but mundane home of the Bellocs, and the detail on the London streets as the investigator tries to follow Gaudium looks great.
I much prefer to read Lucifer in trade collections, where I can get the story in bigger chunks, but the book works on a month to month basis as well. Whether it's the old favorites or the new twists, Carey and company continue to deliver the goods on Lucifer.
