These days, the multi-part stories in Lucifer have a tendency to make my head hurt, and I usually wait to really read them until the trade paperback edition comes out and I can make more sense of them. The single issue stories, however, continue to shine, and this issue's tale, "The Yahweh Dance" is a great example of the kind of thing that Mike Carey has been doing well on Lucifer from the beginning, taking the cosmic and Biblical and making it relatable and even fun. It ties into the over-arcing story of Lucifer, but it is also an interesting self-contained story in a speculative science-fiction style that analyzes "Genesis" from the point-of-view of God. It is also noteworthy for the introduction of artist Ronald Wimberley, an impressive new talent who does a good job both on the point-of-view tales with Elaine and Lucifer and the more mythical storytelling of Elaine's people.
Carey has explored this type of tale before in the pages of Lucifer, looking at the disconnect between godly beings and the way they and their works are perceived by mortals. The way each views the passage of time, the way even the most routine acts of a god can become epoch-shaping acts of faith for mortals, the changing sense of scale becomes an important part of the story, and Carey has managed the impressive task of explaining how some can have faith even when God lets bad things happen to bad people. Ironic that a book about Lucifer has given me a greater insight into the notions of the Christian faith, but in exploring Lucifer as a character and concept, Carey has really gone pretty in-depth into all aspects of Biblical apocrypha.
There's a lot of ironic humor to be found in these pages, even though the subject matter, about the seeming capriciousness of gods and the harm that causes amongst their mortal followers, is quite serious. Carey shows how the smallest thing becomes a sign, and though the outcomes often involve massive numbers of deaths or huge changes to the lives of those in the world, it's hard not to find some amusement about how the actions of a very human and fallible God are being misinterpreted. At the heart of the story, however, there's a serious exploration of how culture is affected by religion, and Carey is careful to present his characters not just as playthings of a larger force but characters in their own right, so that the reader comes to care about what happens to them. The sequence in which the creations confront their creator, in a way, is very effective as a result.
As with many of the single issue stories in Lucifer, this issue does not feature the regular art team of Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly. This time out, the guest art is provided by Ronald Wimberly, a new name who makes an impressive debut showing. His sequences from the point-of-view of Elaine's creations encompass the style of a number of mythmakers throughout the age, from the Native American style of the early sequence to the 16th century woodcut style, but what is most notable is his main style, seen throughout the story. The general look and feel is clear and realistic, not unlike Gross's work, but with some exaggeration that reminds me pleasantly of Paul Pope. Certainly after seeing his take on the "future" of Elaine's world, which looks like an odd mix of '30s noir and 19th century England, I'd love to see him work in either one of those genres again.
It seems like we're coming to the closing days of Lucifer, when Carey will bring the series to a close, and that's always the test for a Vertigo book, to see if it can end well and serve as a series of solid trade paperbacks for years to come. Whether it achieves that larger story goal or not, however, it's certain that Lucifer has had some really intriguing single issue tales throughout it's run, and "The Yahweh Dance" is most certainly one of those. 9/10
