Comics / Back Issues

Lobo: The Last Czarnian

By Brad Dade
September 23, 2006 - 09:59

With Lobo making his triumphant return in the pages of DC comic’s “52” series, we should look back at the original mini-series that took Lobo into nearly every DC comic put out in the 1990’s. While he had appeared in various series before, namely OMEGA MEN and L.E.G.I.O.N, it was THE LAST CZARNIAN when fans first really noticed the “main man”.

The story is fairly straight forward. Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter and all around bad dude receives an assignment from L.E.G.I.O.N. He is to escort a prisoner across the galaxy. Sounds fairly simple, but to no one’s surprise, it is anything but.

SO, WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT IT?

Simon Bisley’s artwork here is a lot of fun. A darker ink is used, especially around Lobo. Bisley does a great job of controlling the chaos that seems to follow Lobo everywhere so the reader can easily follow the story. It was Bisley that helped “redesigned” Lobo to a more “grungier” appearance. The fights are a lot of fun at times.
This book is not meant to be taken very seriously and it shows. The creative team look to be having a lot of fun and it shows in their work.

While technically a spin off series from L.E.G.I.O.N, the reader doesn’t need to have read that book nor any other Lobo appearances in order to understand the story. The writers used a great plot device that lets readers learn all they need to know about Lobo. In the story we learn that one of the character’s has written an “unauthorized” biography of Lobo. The pages of the book are used throughout the series as chapter brakes with each pages filling in the reader the history of Lobo. This is used very effectively and helps to enhance the overall plot.

SO, ANYTHING BAD HERE?

The plot is overly simple and repetitive. I know this is not meant to be taken as a “serious” book but even then the little jokes and the mindless fights can eventually get boring. While Bisley does a great job, after awhile each fight gets less and less interesting. The story is basically Lobo goes somewhere, ticks off a group of people, beats them up, moves on, then repeat. That’s what you get for 4 issues. You never feel that Lobo is ever in any real danger, which makes the conflicts here boring. You will likely not be reading this story over and over again no matter how much you may enjoy it.

Although it may be unfair, reading this book now, it suffers from over exposure. When first published it was the first Lobo solo series and therefore unique. But if you read comics in the 1990’s you saw Lobo appear in countless mini-series, one-shots, guess appearances, and a way-outlasted- its-welcome ongoing series. Therefore, if you are already turned off by the character, this story will likely not turn you into a convert.

WORTH ANOTHER LOOK?

If your first exposure to Lobo has been the recent “52” comic you may want to give this a try. While the art is great, the story is not very deep and very repetitive. But if it’s your first time reading it and want to kill about 20 minutes

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12