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aceinit's review
2.0
Review is for the individual comics contained in this collection.
Mike Carey’s Lucifer is my favorite graphic novel series of all time. When I heard it was getting rebooted, I was nervous. Then I read that new series writer Holly Black was also an avid Lucifer fan, and I relaxed a bit. The story presented here should appease long-time fans of Gaiman’s Lucifer, who was first introduced to us in the pages of The Sandman.
However, there were some bits regarding Gabriel that reminded me of Wile E. Coyote constantly falling off cliffs in pursuit of that elusive roadrunner; parts which the writing later insists were essential to the plot, and which are impactful (and pretty darn horriffic) at first, but which, through repetition, seem more like a running gag in the vein of “oh my god, they killed Kenny.”
The story seems a bit too big for six issues, and bounces from memorable place from the original series to memorable place from The Sandman, to memorable place from the original series (all with cameos by characters returning readers will be familiar with), without ever truly feeling like any of them are more than set dressing. And when we get to the ending of the murder investigation and the killer is revealed, it all feels a bit forced.
The truth is, Lucifer’s storyline would have benefitted from the same kind of slow reveal given to the secondary storyline regarding a rather literal demon in a bottle. The characterization and pacing here is much more enjoyable, and I am perhaps more interested in what will happen to Medjine and Lorin. As it stands, and I’m sure eventually someone will come along who can phrase this feeling better than I am capable of, it feels like I am reading something akin to a Lucifer parody--something that plays a bit too hard for levity and falls short.
And I am very much not sure what to make of the big reveal at the end of the stand-alone issue included in the collection, which revolves around a nice college-aged Satanist girl taking her new boyfriend home to meet her Satanist parents. At this point, I’m leaning pretty strongly towards “do not like/do not want,” but here’s the thing. Despite its flaws, Black has created a Lucifer that’s pretty damn readable, and Lee Garbett’s art is a great companion to the story. I’m glad to see the return of this series, and am interested to see where it goes next.
Mike Carey’s Lucifer is my favorite graphic novel series of all time. When I heard it was getting rebooted, I was nervous. Then I read that new series writer Holly Black was also an avid Lucifer fan, and I relaxed a bit. The story presented here should appease long-time fans of Gaiman’s Lucifer, who was first introduced to us in the pages of The Sandman.
However, there were some bits regarding Gabriel that reminded me of Wile E. Coyote constantly falling off cliffs in pursuit of that elusive roadrunner; parts which the writing later insists were essential to the plot, and which are impactful (and pretty darn horriffic) at first, but which, through repetition, seem more like a running gag in the vein of “oh my god, they killed Kenny.”
The story seems a bit too big for six issues, and bounces from memorable place from the original series to memorable place from The Sandman, to memorable place from the original series (all with cameos by characters returning readers will be familiar with), without ever truly feeling like any of them are more than set dressing. And when we get to the ending of the murder investigation and the killer is revealed, it all feels a bit forced.
The truth is, Lucifer’s storyline would have benefitted from the same kind of slow reveal given to the secondary storyline regarding a rather literal demon in a bottle. The characterization and pacing here is much more enjoyable, and I am perhaps more interested in what will happen to Medjine and Lorin. As it stands, and I’m sure eventually someone will come along who can phrase this feeling better than I am capable of, it feels like I am reading something akin to a Lucifer parody--something that plays a bit too hard for levity and falls short.
Spoiler
The interactions between Even and Lilith, and pretty much everything with Detective!Lucifer and his trenchcoat felt weird. And, yeah, we’re in The Dreaming and things there are weird, but I couldn’t escape the scenes just feeling wrong.And I am very much not sure what to make of the big reveal at the end of the stand-alone issue included in the collection, which revolves around a nice college-aged Satanist girl taking her new boyfriend home to meet her Satanist parents. At this point, I’m leaning pretty strongly towards “do not like/do not want,” but here’s the thing. Despite its flaws, Black has created a Lucifer that’s pretty damn readable, and Lee Garbett’s art is a great companion to the story. I’m glad to see the return of this series, and am interested to see where it goes next.
geekwayne's review
3.0
'Lucifer, Volume 1: Cold Heaven' by Holly Black is a continuation of a series about a character who was spun out of the Sandman series. That there are things that have gone before should be understood before you dive into this one.
Lucifer, cast out of heaven, has also seemingly been cast out of hell. He has a new nightclub on Earth, and all seems to be going ok. Except someone has killed God, and angel Gabriel is pretty certain that Lucifer did it. These two unlikely partners team up to find out who really did the crime.
It's as weird as it sounds, and as sacrilegious too. It's hard to know who is sympathetic here. Perhaps it's the young girl adopted into a family and treated like crap in one of the subplots. The book also includes a backup story about a death in a satanic church and a strange young man who has shown up in town.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Lucifer, cast out of heaven, has also seemingly been cast out of hell. He has a new nightclub on Earth, and all seems to be going ok. Except someone has killed God, and angel Gabriel is pretty certain that Lucifer did it. These two unlikely partners team up to find out who really did the crime.
It's as weird as it sounds, and as sacrilegious too. It's hard to know who is sympathetic here. Perhaps it's the young girl adopted into a family and treated like crap in one of the subplots. The book also includes a backup story about a death in a satanic church and a strange young man who has shown up in town.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
viera's review
2.0
Not really memorable. It reads like an episode of supernatural, except instead of two brothers in flannel, it’s two fallen angels in the nude. The art is lovely through.
as_in_crazy's review
3.0
Maybe its me but I wasn't exactly engrossed by this one. Perhaps it felt the need to make as many references to the events of the previous "Lucifer" series as possible. The story was pretty good, but no real hook or emotional investment on my part. While I generally enjoyed the stylized art, it's simplicity didn't always serve the gravitas that a character like Lucifer should be portrayed with. I'll be reading the next volume in hopes that it truly hooks me.
abookabookabook's review
4.0
I enjoyed this as a mystery and the setup for future story. Not having read all the past Lucifer books I was a little in the dark on some parts but the conclusion was satisfying.
oceanescence's review
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Drug use, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Rape
michael_benavidez's review
4.0
3.5 really
I was completely unaware that there as going to be a new/continuation of the Lucifer series. I saw this at the book store, saw that the names of those making this "new" series were unfamiliar to me (I haven't read the series that Holly Black seems to be known for), so I didn't really have any expectation on what I was/should be getting in this book.
I bought it quickly, didn't peek at the blurb or the art or anything. The cover was interesting enough, add that it's a Lucifer title, I wanted to enjoy it as I did with the original series: with fresh eyes.
The story itself starts off slightly after where the original series run ended. The writer does a well enough job of setting things up for fans of the original, while also setting up the stories for those that haven't read the original run.
As it is, it's interesting. They try to get the very linear story line style of the original, but falter a bit with the several story threads going on at the same time. They try to get us going on a mystery case, but use it more as a virtual tour for the old fans. It's sort of a fan service start, taking us to the Dreaming, to Hell, etc. The story really is the weakest point, and fails miserably with the ending/discovery of the who-dun-it. It boils down to one line, with no clues (unless I have to reread it, or know better about certain characters), or any sort of help for the reader to understand it. While I get that Lucifer keeps things to himself, there never was a problem with understanding his sometimes very selfish motivations in the original run. While this is not that run, it's still the same character, and they don't use the world to help the reader follow his train of thought.
The best part though are the characters. Lucifer is a delight to read again. Gabriel is actually really interesting, and this has sparked my desire to continue reading the Hellblazer series to understand what exactly happened to him before. The two work well off each other, a sort of buddy cop thing, and I look forward to seeing them interact some more.
The art finds its voice pretty early on, sort of going along the lines of what the original run while also becoming unique to itself. It really helps bring the already lively characters into a more tangible voice.
Because of those last two things, I think I'll continue on with this series. I'm also very curious how much better the actual story will get, if at all, once this Holly Black can get into the groove of writing Lucifer.
I was completely unaware that there as going to be a new/continuation of the Lucifer series. I saw this at the book store, saw that the names of those making this "new" series were unfamiliar to me (I haven't read the series that Holly Black seems to be known for), so I didn't really have any expectation on what I was/should be getting in this book.
I bought it quickly, didn't peek at the blurb or the art or anything. The cover was interesting enough, add that it's a Lucifer title, I wanted to enjoy it as I did with the original series: with fresh eyes.
The story itself starts off slightly after where the original series run ended. The writer does a well enough job of setting things up for fans of the original, while also setting up the stories for those that haven't read the original run.
As it is, it's interesting. They try to get the very linear story line style of the original, but falter a bit with the several story threads going on at the same time. They try to get us going on a mystery case, but use it more as a virtual tour for the old fans. It's sort of a fan service start, taking us to the Dreaming, to Hell, etc. The story really is the weakest point, and fails miserably with the ending/discovery of the who-dun-it. It boils down to one line, with no clues (unless I have to reread it, or know better about certain characters), or any sort of help for the reader to understand it. While I get that Lucifer keeps things to himself, there never was a problem with understanding his sometimes very selfish motivations in the original run. While this is not that run, it's still the same character, and they don't use the world to help the reader follow his train of thought.
The best part though are the characters. Lucifer is a delight to read again. Gabriel is actually really interesting, and this has sparked my desire to continue reading the Hellblazer series to understand what exactly happened to him before. The two work well off each other, a sort of buddy cop thing, and I look forward to seeing them interact some more.
The art finds its voice pretty early on, sort of going along the lines of what the original run while also becoming unique to itself. It really helps bring the already lively characters into a more tangible voice.
Because of those last two things, I think I'll continue on with this series. I'm also very curious how much better the actual story will get, if at all, once this Holly Black can get into the groove of writing Lucifer.
htb2050's review
3.0
It was okayish. Read these because of Richard Kadrey but looks like other people had a say in writing too.
mxgxn_03's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0