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LUCIFER #17
"A Dalliance With The Damned"
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
Writer: Mike Carey
Pencils: Peter Gross
Inks: Ryan Kelly
Colors: Daniel Vozzo & Jamison
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Shelly Bond
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
Though I have greatly enjoyed what I've read of Lucifer, I wasn't really
sure it was among the best comics being published, as its nomination for several
Eisners would seem to imply. Having read this first issue of a new arc, however,
I may have to reconsider that opinion, as Carey has expanded the title beyond
simply following the lead character to exploring all the various things that
surround his concept, much as Gaiman expanded the story of Morpheus the
Dream-King into a book about stories in general. In this case, the book is now
following the after-effects of Lucifer's latest plot in Hell, and Carey and
Gross have created a version of Hell that is engrossing, horrific and vivid and
they're using it as the backdrop for political and personal intrigue.
This vision of Hell is certainly one of the
most unusual ones I've seen, but it fits perfectly with the version of Lucifer
that Vertigo has given us. Carey and Gross have combined the decadent cultures
of Victorian England and the Roman Empire and given it a supernatural twist, and
in so doing have made it an interesting setting. The reader is witness to gaudy
cocktail parties, brutal arena combat, twisted sexual games and monstrous
torture, and it all fits into one believable culture. And all the while that the
creators are establishing the setting and characters, they are hinting at the
plot, a bit of palace intrigue that ties into Lucifer and perhaps hints at what
purpose the lost soul of Christopher Rudd will have in the grand scheme of
things.
I'm really impressed by the writing skill
that goes into this issue. We're introduced to the important characters and
given hints as to what role they might play, but it is all introduced with such
subtlety that the reader has to pay attention to understand it. Rudd's sin and
his skills, along with the words "duel" in response to Lucifer, hint that he may
be teaching in Hell when all is said and done. The desires and relationships of
Lys, Seviram and Brosag, ranging from friendship to lust to blood relations,
lays a foundation for a variety of stories as this arc unfolds.
As impressive as the writing is, Peter
Gross and Ryan Kelly match it with stunning visuals. Whether it's their
disturbing visuals of torture in Hell or the designs for its hollow beauty, they
have given Hell a visual style to match the one implied by dialogue and
characterization. And the storytelling on Rudd's flashback is absolutely
perfect, with Vozzo's alternating color and gray/white palette helping to give
the sense of tortured memories, setting it apart from the rest of the
storytelling.
If you haven't been reading Lucifer, this issue is a good place to start. If you have been reading Lucifer, then perhaps you're one
up on me for realizing just how good this series can be.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
