A worldwide epic, an intriguing cast of characters, gorgeous artwork and the best use of Death that I've ever seen outside of Neil Gaiman's writing makes this one of the best issues of Lucifer so far. Carey has really crafted an interesting setting and tale for Lucifer, with an expansive cast and a sympathetic but still edgy rendition of his title character fitting into a war for control of a new universe. It's the kind of scale that Lucifer should be operating on, and it's delivered in all its artistic glory by Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly, making their already-impressive world-building from Books of Magic look like simply a warm-up for the main event here in Lucifer.
There's a wonderful payoff to the past plot elements in each issue of Lucifer, but what I really appreciate is that you don't have to have been reading all along to get the story. While the arrival of Susano at the gates is more ominous for those who know his history with Lucifer, anyone can sense the power and danger he wields with his pack of vicious demonic dogs or the Basanos' healthy caution about him. And while those who read the first arc will really understand the irony of Meleos's actions this issue, the dialogue makes it painfully clear that Meleos is a reluctant ally of Lucifer at best, with his own motivations.
Actually, the complexity of motivation is a big part of what I like about the book as well. Everyone is out for something, whether it's respect, a chance at power, a chance to do it all again or simply a desire to help friends, and though some of their goals may align at times, it's always clear that characters have their own interests at heart. Carey has developed very real and well-fleshed out characters who seem to have a life of their own, and he plays them off one another in a style that makes this partly a political book as much as a fantasy book.
One can't underestimate the importance of the art to this book, either. Gross and Kelly have always been good at fantasy or alternate worlds, but they have topped their past work with their designs for the Basanos'/Lucifer's world. The dark and medieval architecture, the empty caverns or the open spaces all have an unfinished, early world look to them which reinforces the themes going on in each scene and resonates nicely with the idea of a world that was created very recently. I also quite enjoy their creation of fantasy creatures, such as Susano's demonic pack of dogs or the fearsome Lilim army. And their interpretation of Death, Lucifer and Elaine, among others, has a range of emotional expression that is very impressive.
Lucifer is a grand epic tale in the tradition of Sandman or Preacher, with a creative team that ranks among Vertigo's finest. Each story builds upon the last, without leaving out the new reader, and Carey and company are crafting one of the best reads in the Vertigo line today.
