This issue reunites My Faith in Frankie collaborators Carey and Hempel on a story of big changes in the cosmology of Heaven and Hell, centered around one of the most interesting characters in the Lucifer mythos. It is a standalone in many ways, but it is also a pivotal issue for ongoing stories and certainly sets up plot complications for later on down the line as well. The story deals with ramifications that spin out of the Sandman: Season of the Mists story, but it also plays off of events that have taken place in more recent Lucifer tales, and despite all of that, it remains accessible, and at times even funny, all the while exploring the nature of Heaven and Hell the way the series as a whole has.
Probably my favorite character that Carey has created for Lucifer has been Christopher Rudd, a former swordsman who rose from one of the tormented in Hell to one of the players in its hierarchy. His moral center and difficulty in reconciling the realities of Hell with his somewhat Puritanical viewpoint makes for fascinating character drama, and his willingness to buck the system has resulted in a number of interesting stories. This time out, he's revealed to be "rocking the boat" once again, pitting him against not demons but the angels, although he is also once again bumping heads with his former lover and current nemesis Lys.
While Carey has taken on more jobs with a horror bent than anything else, his work on Lucifer has me wishing he would do some kind of political book. Certainly the strongest stories in this book for me have centered on the politics of Hell, with the added bonus of including notions of guilt, moral strength and faith in amidst the political maneuvering. The borderline insanity and stress that comes between Remiel and Duma is fascinating, as we see that even the faith of angels can be tested in the right circumstances, and the notion of Rudd stirring up the status quo and being punished for it has a nice parallel with the Christ story, ironic given the angels' role in the tale.
Carey has also presented some interesting ideas about the nature of Hell, and this issue opens with another one, a rather elaborate dissection of a method of torture/punishment/absolution (depending on your point-of-view) that is fiendish and clever. It is beautifully and horribly designed by Marc Hempel, whose angular, instantly recognizable style really works with this particular issue. Usually, I prefer the more realistic style of Peter Gross, but Hempel's work is ideal for this vision of Hell, reminding me of the woodcut style used in medieval depictions of Hell and its devils. He also does exquisite work with the frustrated rage of Remiel, showing him on the verge of breaking throughout the story.
Though his name is in the title, Lucifer is only one of the many players in the epic story that Carey is telling in this book. I've found that the more interesting tales are only tangentially related to Lucifer himself, but instead they reflect on aspects of his being, such as deception, charm and the rebellious streak that makes him attractive despite his role as the embodiment of evil in Christian doctrine. 8/10
