Rating:  -
Done in the best elseworlds tradition, Mark Waid and Alex Ross take us to a future that has become a bit too grim and a bitt too gritty. So much so that Superman, having lost Lois to the Joker and then having lost the Joker to a new type of hero, Magog, has decided that the world would be best served if he wasn't around. The rest of the heroes that followed the trail that Superman blazed followed him along this path as well, leaving the world without the other heroes that we usually associate with the DC Universe. Flash becomes a blur of good deeds, but isn't truly seen, Green Lantern becomes a sentinal who watches the skies beyond our own for possible threats, Wonder Woman is stripped of her title for her failure to bring peace to mans world and the Batman simply becomes too old to be the Batman, relying instead on his technological skills to protect Gotham.
All the while, the new breed of hero that has been spawned by the generation we know and love so well has all but destroyed crime and the criminals who committed it. Magogs killing of the Joker and eventual exoneration have given this new breed all the license they need to end threats with the most extreme prejudice. At the point we join the story, there are very few villains left in the classic sense of the word, but now the new breed, having grown bored instead fight each other, in most cases causing death and destruction where ever they are.
After a cataclysm of epic proportions Wonder Woman contacts Superman to show him what the world has become without him. Superman argues his point but in the end, being Superman, he does what he always does. Superman comes to the rescue. The road is long, hard and sometimes bloody, but together with the help of the old heroes, there is triumph, though not without tragedy, there is hope, but not without horror and we find love, though not without loss.
In the end you are left with a feeling of unease, but hope. As a comic book fan it amazes me that though this was to have been an elseworlds story and therefor something that couldn't happen, I see so many things happening in the new books that makes it seem as if this will become a reality, as far the DC comic world goes. :)
Read it, it's a great book with great writing and fantastic art. You'll spend as much time looking for the Beatles and Elvis as you will reading the story itself.
Rating: -
This graphic novel is possibly the best I've read. The storyline is fantastic and brings up ideas about super heroes we never thought about as kids, or adults, for that matter. Best of all there is great interplay between characters, showing that not everyone, even superheroes, would see things the same way. There is plenty of humor and the dialogue seems realistic. There's plenty of little details for hardcore comics fans too. The illustration, which is as much painted as drawn, is amazing--Alex Ross created a masterpiece. I'd recommend this to anyone with any interest or experience with DC comics at any time in there life.
Rating: -
During the summer of 1997 I was walking through my comic shop looking at all the comics that came out that day, and my eyes caught a glimps of Kingdom Come #1. I couldn't believe how amazing the artwork was on this book and how it looked so real. I purchased it and instantly read it once I got home. Up to that point nothing had thrilled me as much as that story had (except for Knightfall, Reign of the Supermen).
As the years have gone by people still talk about this story and hold it on a pedistal all by itself. Kingdom Come will be remembered and enjoyed by many generations to come. If you haven't read it get a copy now. The absolute Edition came out last month and comes highly recommended.
Rating: -
The Ultimate DC story ever told! To date! The Artwork, the storytelling. Amazing! I was started to thinking comics, american comics, couldn't be this damn good. In fact, I think it deserves six stars. Yes, I said SIX!
Mark Waid is not by no means my favorite writer, but with this story he totally hit the mark. Set in a appalling future in which our heroes roam free and uncheck. Something of our own doing by the way, our will! The Heroes of yesteryear, retire! Or, so it seems. Mark Waid did an excellent job of showing just how important SuperMan is in the DCU. He's an example and leads by example. Unlike Batman who leads by taking charge. Superman does it through example. He's an inspiration to many of them and that is why when he quit the others quit as well. The other heroes who didn't know Superman, for one reason or another. They are inspired by a new, darker type of hero called Grog, I believe.
It is unclear wheter they killed all the villians or not but one thing is certain. They are out of control and they need an example of someone who has tried and succeded all his life to be an upstanding example of humanities best qualites. That's right, folks, Superman. However, remember what I wrote earlier about Superman leads through example, rather then by taking charge. Leading by example is a good thing, but a leader who takes charge is often times seen more as a true leader then the one who prefers to lead by example. This is where Superman falls short. Waid does an excellent job of showing that shortcoming in him because Superman fails to inspire that impedence in his comrades. Wonderwoman has that mixture that is required for a great leader but she acts as a subservant role to Superman. She like Superman has obviously no real interest in taking charge although, she will if she has to but, she knows that she doesn't inspire the same determination nor, I believe, does she have the chirsma to do it as well as Superman.
That is why Superman and Batman make such a great team up. The others have qualites that the other lacks. They complenent each other. Perfectly! However, this time Batman declines from joining Superman in his quest to straighten out the heroes of today/future. Batman's always playing it smart! Refering to work in shadow rather then in the light like Superman. Superman made the noise and while the noise was being made! Batman, like always, tried to find the ones who were trying to squash that noise, from the shadows!
Very well done. Everybody is in character, doing exactly as you think they would do. Nobody is miss represented for this story and the everybody important to the story gets a fair representation. Some people are left out, like Flash, Green Lantern, and Red Robin (Nightwing), but these are minor characters whose story would have just cluttered up this magnificent book. That is the hardest part about telling a story. Knowing which to leave out and which to keep; and Waid or the editior, or maybe both did an excellent job of that.
One for your collection! Buy it today! Yes, go out right now and get you a copy! It's that good!
Rating: -
A disillusioned pastor questions his faith when Kansas is destroyed in a nuclear explosion cauased by the "superhero" Magog. He is summoned by the Spectre (DC's Angel of God's Wrath) to witness the unfolding of the events involving Superman's return after Magog killed the Joker, which led Superman into an self imposed exile.
THe story involves the return of the Justice League and a scheming Lex Luthur. It's a very good book and shows pastors in a good light. The main character, Pastor Norman McCay is very down to Earth and real. Mark Waid doesn't make him "Holier than Thou" and it's really great.
As for the artwork, it's top notch. Alex Ross is one of the best illustrators out there, he does for painting what Jim Lee does for illustrating. The pictures are so life like that you feel like you're looking at photographs and not actual paintings. All the characters look realistic and are painted wonderfully.
The story isn't a fast-paced, rock 'em sock 'em slugfest like other comics that focus on the fight scenes. This story focuses on the characters, mainly Superman and Batman. The story is grounded in character development and the fighting mainly takes place near the end of the story.
Kingdom Come is an excellent book for fans of Batman and Superman. A well told story, combined with fantastic artwork makes for an entertaining read.
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