Review: Lucifer (2015) #14
By Andy Frisk
January 23, 2017 - 16:35
DC Comics
Writer(s): Richard Kadrey
Penciller(s): Lee Garbett
Colourist(s): Antonio Fabela
Letterer(s): Todd Klein
Cover Artist(s): Dave Johnson
Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim) takes over as series writer with Lucifer #14 and immediately launches into the next story arc. With a eye to keeping Lucifer more grounded in Los Angeles (he doesn't leave the city at all the entire issue), perhaps to tonally make the series closer to the television show, or perhaps because it's Kadrey's favorite stomping ground, the series begins to move towards a rising action with potentially universe shattering implications: a plot to kill God. Lucifer is going to need a little help though to save humanity-and his beloved concept of free will, by way of a newly introduced character to the story.
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God isn't as nice as he once was though. Holly Black set up the reborn Presence as a seriously dark figure who's going to use the demons of Hell to raze Creation, and the fun is just beginning. Enter Arabelle Crane, a very John Constantine looking character (trench coat wearing and all), who's a bit of an exorcist, a mage, and a smart mouth (as I said, a VERY Constantine looking character). It's the kind of character that will help Kadrey feel more at home in his new gig. Arabelle, I suspect, is going to be every bit the heroic scoundrel that his signature creation Sandman Slim is. This is not to say that Kadrey doesn't already have a pretty good feel for Lucifer as a character and Judeo-Christian/Miltonic figure though, as Lucifer remains true to form under Kadrey's early guidance.
Along with the consistency that Kadrey maintains with Lucifer as a character, the book's visual tone remains the same as series artist Lee Garbett remains the book's artist. Visual continuity is important in a book with a story like the one that Holly Black started and that Kadrey is continuing.
Kadrey's Sandman Slim books are great reads. I have complete faith that his take on Lucifer for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint will be as well. The only thing I'm going to be looking out for that I haven't quite seen yet (granted, we're only one issue in) is some of that signature Kadrey dark humor. I suspect it's just around the bend though.
Rating: 9/10
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