This story is about the children and grandchildren of the Old Guard superheroes (think Justice League and the like), who are lacking in finesse, compassion and an overriding need to protect the regular people. Instead, they bicker, brag about wiping out Old Guard villains and then proceed to become the villains by having gang fights out in public, putting the humans at risk amidst flying cars, crumbling buildings and all types of energy blasts.

Superman has since withdrawn from things after a yo More...

4.0 to 4.5 stars. Excellent graphic novel with incredible art by Alex Ross and a compelling storyline set in the near future of the DC universe in which the "old guard" super heroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern) retired from service and were replaced by a much more brash, violent and careless group of meta-humans who are not so easily distinguished from the bad guys they fight. The story involves Superman being lured out of retirement in order to help get the world back on the More...

I know that this was one of those epic comic storylines of the 90s. And on its face, it's a good story - war is about to break out between the generations of superhumans and everyone, super and regular, will suffer for it. Will the older generation of heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman abandon their morals to stop their children and grandchildren, who have little regard for human life? And on the other side, we have mortals like Batman (who is not aging well - but who ever expects Batman to a More...

A previous review summed up my feelings on this - Alex Ross does kick-ass covers, but once you get over the fact that his panels look "really life like!" you realize that life-like isn't what you want out of a comic. Do you want Norman Rockwell drawing Bat-Man? Not really. The story is okay, a decent bit of alternative-future, everyonne-dies-but-it-doesn't-matter-as-its-not-cannon fluff.

This was an engaging graphic novel that was interesting and well-drawn, but not quite on par with the other graphic novels I've read ( Watchmen and The Killing Joke), in part because, despite a novel concept, this story wasn't quite able to handle the broad scope of that idea.

This edition came with an introduction that explained the genesis for the story--what would happen if Superman was no longer relevant? The impetus behind this being, what if a desperate world called for a new breed of super More...

To begin with, this book is best known for its art, and deservedly so. However Alex Ross is not my personal preference in comic art. His art is still an impressive feat, and I think my feelings towards it are in a small minority. I think it may be initially more accessible to the non-comic reader, though I would argue it can be harder to follow than a more traditional approach. His painted work is probably one of the most realistic looking styles out there... which may actually be why I skew awa More...

it had been about twenty years since i'd read a comic book before recently haven't my interest in the genre piqued with the release of buffy season #8. after some research, discussions in online forums, and the advice of some trusted friends, i came away with one clear-cut comic to persue: anything painted by alex ross. since it's nearly impossible to just jump in and start recollecting (it's tough to pick things up already in progress), i decided to go the graphic novel route. 1) they're a lot More...

Possibly the best comic ever written. The artwork alone makes this a joy to look at but the story goes into just what really makes a hero.

Kingdom Come takes place in an alternate future. Superman, and most of the Golden Age heroes, have retired or gone underground. Other heroes, new heroes, who were willing to seek street justice were chosen by the masses. Why keep locking up criminals who later escape when a metahuman (person with super powers) could kill the bad guy and solve the problem perma More...

some read harry potter, lord of the rings, twilight, etc...I still love comic books. considering I just read "Call Me Ted", it was nice to read a graphic novel of different sort of 'heroes.' Most definitely would recommend this to comic book lovers: story told from the perspective of our favorite heroes aged. It's weird seeing superman, batman, wonder woman all old.

I think I may have confused Alan Moore's proposal for a dystopian future DC universe showdown with descriptions of Kingdom Come, which is a shame, because the thing with warring Houses and actual characterization was so much better. Or it was in my head, anyway.

I'm sure this works better for people who know the DC universe better, but basically only Superman and Batman have consistent motivations and behaviors (Wonder Woman has consistent behavior until the denouement, when she suddenly doesn't, More...

former of justice league, decided to work as their ways. after tragedy of "magog" new generation of superheroes that "become more respected than superman" because of his decision to more firm to criminal. superman ways is more soft, because superman thinks that every criminal must have chance to changed. but worlds more agree with magog, and superman leave justice league, choose to retire

meanwhile the other former of justice league (which now becoming old superheroes) still protecting their cit More...

Langsam mit den jungen Pferden!

Ich stelle mich hier absichtlich gegen die überschwängliche Rezensionsbewegung für diesen Titel. Zwei Gründe veranlassen mich dazu.

Erstens, die Zeichnungen. Das ist sehr subjektiv, aber ich finde diese pseudo-realistischen Zeichnungen ziemlich kalt, emotionslos, leer und ohne Inspiration. Es "kommt nix rüber", die Charaktere bleiben durch diese Zeichnungen immer Fremde und lassen mich höchstens mit den Schultern zucken, wenn einer von ihnen in Nöten ist. Es fehlt More...

Kingdom Come no es para cualquiera porque necesitas calcetines fuertes para no salir volando de ellos.

Mientras que la trama general de Kingdom Come no necesita realmente que tu conozcas todo acerca de los superhéroes habidos y por haber de DC Comics, sí ganas un entendimiento mucho más profundo entre más personajes distingues de la gigantesca lista de 'metahumanos' que la historia propone, y déjenme decirles, gigantesca no es una hipérbole.

El arte de Alex Ross, hiperrealista, siento que le agreg More...

There’s no denying that the comic industry from the very late 80s to early 90s is something people try to forget about. With huge guns, heroes which were indistinguishable from the villains, complete removal of the “no kill” policy, a severe artistic licence with physiology and bad writing it was a mess. While I’ll be the first to defend those which were genuinely good, there was no denying there was little in terms of quality storytelling. The end result of this was Kingdom Come which served as More...

Despite having my absolute least favourite DC pairing (Superman/ Wonder Woman - just, nope. It's Lois or nothing for me), I did enjoy this story. I am really drawn to fiction that draws on scriptural references or mythos; some of my favourite books I've read this year focused on Greek mythology (The Song of Achilles, Gods Behaving Badly, The Lightning Thief). Kingdom Come, as the title might suggest, is inspired by Revelation and the day of judgement as in the Bible. Our POV character for the st More...

As might become my standard, I've neglected to give this book a star rating because I have mixed feelings. I feel as though because of the context in which I come read this book I can't give it a fair star rating and if I were to give it one it would end up being the standard 3 star that means neither good nor bad but really means nothing much at all.



My uncle gave me an edition of Kingdom Come for my birthday. He is a lifelong fan of comics and in the past year I've become more interested, and More...

Superman's gone into retirement and other legendary superheroes like Batman, Flash etc. are past their prime. In their absence the younger lot of superheroes, without the same moral compass or sense of responsibility, have fallen into the abyss of ego and anarchy. With no one to stop them they are out to wield their powers on the weaker humans and even against each other. The world is on the brink of a great battle as the humans are up in arms against the 'superheroes'. Only one man stands betwe More...

I didn't really like this... there were too many characters, many of them new, or old obscure ones in the forms of cameos, and none but a few familiar faces were really developed for any period of time. It's essentially a story of cameos, with no really interesting conflict to make it interesting, and it trots out cliche old Revelations passages for the sake of a confusing, blurrish, blahish mess of a struggle between new and old superheroes, which sounds more interesting on paper than it is her More...

easily the best artwork I've seen so far in a comic book. Alex Ross may use models and photographs and Photoshop intensively in order to obtain this photorealistic effect, but I don't really care as long as the final product is something like this. He's abusing a little the trick of illuminating a face from bellow to increase dramatism, but I love the color palette and the dynamism of his scenes.


The decision to depict the superheroes as mature / older versions of their established images is anot More...

First, if you do not love superheroes, and if you do not love DC, this comic is probably not for you. I'm still relatively new to the DC universe, so I feel in the future when I am more knowledgeable about the characters I could get much more into this book. If you are not willing to totally suspend your disbelief in superheroes, there is no way you can fully enjoy this comic.

Nevertheless, this is a monumental work, both of literature and of art. Waid, in a way that is neither pretentious nor p More...

Waid's take on a world of irresponsible super- or metahumans without the guidance of the vets and "legends" is an interesting and compelling one. With no real villains in existence, they fight each other over the right to save the normal ole humans while harming millions in the process. The return of Superman to build a new Justice League and get things under control further displays how the best intentions can go horribly awry. I thought the biblical references really drove home the power the " More...

by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, published in 1996.

This is my second attempt at reading through a graphic novel. Kingdom Come is an Elseworlds tale set ten years after Superman has decided to buy the farm (literally) and hang up his cape.

New Metahumans rule the day and dish out their new style of justice which often includes harming innocents and causing a lot of wholesale destruction. A lot of Supervillians have been killed also, including the Joker, and Wonder Woman comes to Superman to convince hi More...

The Question Addressed
Does reliance upon God lead to human irresponsibility? Yes, says the Mankind Liberation Front, a humanistic enterprise supported by the U.N., headed by Lex Luthor, and populated with the likes of familiar DC villains like Catwoman, Riddler, and Captain Marvel. Superman has given up his role as a god—his role as a purveyor of justice and truth—and his great influence has trickled down, leaving humanity in the clutches of injustice, at the mercy of the meta-humans.

[SPOILERS More...

Superman has been eclipsed by other, darker superheroes in recent years (Spiderman and Batman, especially) and there has been much talk in Hollywood about finding a way to make the Man of Steel relevant for audiences that like darker, edgier heroes. They need look no further than Kingdom Come. By portraying Superman as a father figure whose commitment to values like truth and justice (and never using lethal force) now seem corny and out-dated, Kingdom Come makes Superman current while staying tr More...

I'll admit, after seeing the gorgeous art of Alex Ross, I'm sort of tracing his steps and reading through all the graphic novels he's worked on. I think his style of painting rather than penciling and inking art is fabulous. And so it is my love of his art that brought me to Kingdom Come, written by Mark Waid. Waid's writing is every bit the equal of Ross's outstanding art.

The story takes us to a time in which the superheroes of Justice League fame are in their twilight years, and having difficu More...

After skimming my Goodreads list and seeing that I'd read Marvels toward the end of last year, I decided to finish this year by re-reading Kingdom Come, it's spiritual sequel.

Like Marvels, it's a comic about comic books, in this case, the conflict between traditional "legacy" heroes and the grimmer, gritter characters that began springing up in the 90s. (Part of my apathy for this book might stem from hating both extremes.) I haven't read Kingdom Come since it originally came out in 1996. At th More...

It's rare in a comic that the artwork is so profoundly beautiful that it doesn't even matter how good the writing is, but Alex Ross's art is something truly special whether you happen to love or loathe the content of this grandiose -perhaps pompus and trumped up - future world story.

On the surface it's an epic struggle between the Justice World superheroes of the past and a new, more callous breed of future heroes, but really essentially an extended souped up moral dilemma for Supes. As such, i More...