Lucifer: The Divine Comedy, Vol. 4 FROM THE PUBLISHER
With the original gate between the two worlds shattered into a million separate gates, beings from all of the worlds in the old Creation now have the opportunity to join Lucifer's recently opened existence.
While neither Heaven nor Hell await them there, the forces aligned against the Lightbringer still have a card or two left to play�and their attitude towards Lucifer's new subjects is a far cry from charitable!
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Lucifer Morningstar is a fallen angel of Heaven, who ruled Hell for a time, then left for Earth before growing disenchanted with his time there. He later created his own realm and universe to have a place where his beliefs about life and the afterlife could be realized. He's populating his land with lost souls, and anyone who settles in his land is free to live as he or she chooses, his only mandate that they must worship no one. The forces of Heaven view Lucifer's universe as an atrocity against God and insist the domain must be closed at any and all costs. In this compendium of issues 21-28 of the Eisner Award-nominated series, the Archangel Michael finds himself torn between his service to God and his service to his brother Lucifer. Lucifer's new land isn't as "heavenly" as he may envision it, though, and several non-heavenly forces are at work against him. A group of demons have planted their seed in a woman and plan to use their offspring for their own diabolical needs. Will the story end when Lucifer is slain, or can a being such as this fallen angel defeat Death and get yet another chance? Although writer Carey weaves an unusual story with an original take on the forces of good, evil and beyond evil, the art (by Gross, Ormston and Kelly) lacks detail and is often simplistic. But the group doesn't go overboard in background details, nor do they spare the gore and monsters. (Apr.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
In the pages of Neil Gaiman's celebrated "Sandman" series, Lucifer Morningstar quit his job as King of Hell and went to live on Earth. Now, in this excellent dark fantasy series from DC's Vertigo imprint (for mature readers), Lucifer has engineered the creation of his own cosmos, where there is only one rule: worship of anything, including Lucifer himself, is forbidden. In this fourth volume, Lucifer must defend his new realm when refugees from God's creation arrive, threatening to usurp his power. Carey's writing is full of intrigue and surprise, with the daring and manipulative Lucifer a marvelous lead character. The rest of the cast is also compelling, including a half-angel, half-human girl and Gaiman's popular goth girl Death. Most of the art is by Gross and Ryan Kelly and is realistic in a standard DC manner. Dean Ormond's art in two stories here is simpler and creepier, reminiscent of the work of Mike Mignola-it's more of an acquired taste. Strongly recommended for adult collections: there's nudity, gore, strong language, and mature situations and speculations. Fans of "Sandman" series looking for more absorbing work in that vein need look no further. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Adult/High School-In book four of the series, the Basanos, a tribe of horrifically evil spirits derived from a deck of tarot cards, plot to invade and take over the peaceful, religionless realm of Lucifer, the heroic (at least here) archangel cast down from Heaven by God. After kidnapping a Vegas nightclub singer, the Basanos impregnate her and murder Lucifer with the hope that the offspring will take Lucifer's place. It's up to Elaine, the teenaged angelic daughter of Michael (the brother of Lucifer and son of God), to stop them even if it means giving Lucifer her own life. Divine Comedy is chock-full of weighty ideas, clever imagery, and eerie circumstances, and has a well-written text. It also contains an extreme amount of violence, gore, and horror-including the up-close and personal murder of children. For this reason, it is most appropriate for sophisticated readers. Previous knowledge of earlier Lucifer titles is not required, but recommended.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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