Kingdom Come

Jan 27, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

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Superman has since withdrawn from things after a yo...more This story is about the children and grandchildren of the Old Guard superheroes (think Justice League and the like), who are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Superman has since withdrawn from things after a younger superhero did something horrible in the eyes of some and was acquitted by the courts. Now he resides on a farm in the midwest and has lost touch with humanity as his wife, coworkers and parents are long gone and buried. But continued recklessness by those young superheroes compels Superman and other former Justice Leaguers to come out of retirement to end it all. Fortunately for him he and Captain Marvel are the apparently the strongest of all the superheroes and Superman also has enough charisma to get many of the younger types to join up. All said, though, there are a large number of younger superheroes who refuse to change and are put into a superhero prison.

Things heat up unsurprisingly in the latter part of the story as the imprisoned superheroes threaten to break out and the humans get involved as well. A plethora of known and unknown superheroes are present in this graphic novel. There are so many that they have a few picture pages of all their names. Other than the Justice Leaguers I knew less than a dozen. True fanbois/girls of the superhero genre will know more.

The artwork is startling lifelike and the senior citizen Justice Leaguers are grayish but mostly dignified (though Robin looked like the gimp but that's another story). Throughout the story there's a pastor who travels with Spectre to watch like a ghost from the sidelines. He represents a humanity that has put so much of its trust in the Old Guard that later generations have learned to look up to them but now of course they're in fear of the younger breed and they question their lives and the choices they have made. I felt the pastor was a hit or miss experience. Several spinoffs sprouted from this title.

The wiki claims that this tale took place on Earth 22 (revealed in the "52" series).

ARTWORK: B plus; STORY/PLOTTING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; ADVANCES SUPERHEROES IN SOME WAY: B plus to A minus; OVERALL GRADE: B plus; WHEN READ: early February 2012.(less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Sam Quixote rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "Kingdom Come" is one of the most boring, overrated, and simply bad "event" books from DC I've read. It lacks a coherent narrative, competent writing, strong characterisation, and, maybe most basic of all, an interesting story. Mark Waid's writing on this book is truly abysmal. The saving grace of this book is Alex Ross' artwork which may be the reason so many people think it's a "classic" of the superhero genre. But even Ross' photo-realistic art can't save it from the literary quagmire it driv...more "Kingdom Come" is one of the most boring, overrated, and simply bad "event" books from DC I've read. It lacks a coherent narrative, competent writing, strong characterisation, and, maybe most basic of all, an interesting story. Mark Waid's writing on this book is truly abysmal. The saving grace of this book is Alex Ross' artwork which may be the reason so many people think it's a "classic" of the superhero genre. But even Ross' photo-realistic art can't save it from the literary quagmire it drives itself into and fails to leave for the entirety of this book.

The story setup is most baffling of all. Superman has "retired" for 10 years because he lost his parents and Lois. He just felt he couldn't be Superman anymore. Uh... ok. But then everyone else in the Justice League, except Batman, decide to call it a day too! Green Lantern builds himself a giant green space station and sits on his throne, Hawkman flies about the Pacific North-West, Wonder Woman disappears back to her island, Flash runs endlessly in circles. Why?! Just because Superman hung up his blue and red costume? It doesn't make sense and it's never explained. So in the vacuum the JLA left, a new, younger generation of superhero arrives. These guys aren't really superheroes, they don't care about honour or protecting the innocent, they just fly about the place, smashing things up, firing off lasers, doing all kindsa nutty things - for no reason. It's never explained just why these new superheroes have no conscience - except that that's what Mark Waid wrote in his script, so that's it. Great. Arbitrary nonsense.

So after Magog - who is now the superhero the world deserves, I suppose? - makes a mess by accidentally killing the Atom, thus triggering an atomic explosion that destroys Kansas, Superman finally returns. Why? Because it's his "home state"? There have been other terrible incidents in the 10 years he's been away but this causes him to return, which consequently brings the rest of the JLA back at the same time! They basically do whatever Superman tells them to do, I suppose, they're not individuals, at least not in the hands of Mark Waid.

Now it's Superman and the JLA, the "classic" superheroes who stand for truth, honour, justice, etc. against the arbitrarily stupid, evil, ignorant, and conscience-free "new" superheroes. For some reason, their fighting will bring about Armageddon. But not really because it's humanity who will do this because they don't much like superheroes anymore. The humans, led by Lex Luthor, have had enough of superheroes or "meta-humans" and have decided to build an army to fight them so that humanity will be left alone to make their own decisions (and mistakes). An old and battered Bruce Wayne, held together by an exo-skeleton, joins Luthor and promises to build an army of Bat-robots like the kind he uses to police Gotham. But it doesn't matter because the United Nations decide to fire a nuke into the heart of America at the superheroes who are gathered at the site of Superman's gulag to fight, thus bringing about Armageddon. So it's the humans' fault, not the superheroes'.

But before going into how utterly stupid this scenario is, let's talk about the unnerving undercurrent of right wing politics appearing in this book. Superman and co. are "old" therefore "good" while everything "new" is instantly portrayed as "bad". Superman reiterates that "all life is sacred", he destroys a bar's alcohol because "it doesn't help", and he builds a gulag - yes, it's called a gulag in the book! - to house the rebels! Their stance on crime is extreme. There's a scene where some kids mug a man and run off only to be cornered by not one, not two, but four giant Bat-robots! Police state = good. And throughout the book are quotes from the Bible. So, in this book at least, we have pro-life, prohibitionist, security obsessed Christians as the heroes. Sounds pretty conservative and damned repulsive to me. I don't know Waid's political views but judging from this book I'd say he's an ardent Republican.

If Superman's characterisation is disturbing, it's nothing compared to Wonder Woman who pushes for military action right from the start, urging Superman to build a prison as an answer to any kind of theological opposition. Democracy's bad I guess, Stalin had the right idea! Two of DC's flagship characters behaving like fascists is very disturbing to read but at least they got to speak - Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkman? They never say a word. They silently stand about, helping Superman, like colourful goons and then disappear when he doesn't need them. They are simply ciphers. And the book is filled with weird character moments that were so out of place they took me out of the story like, why does Superman need an oxygen mask to breathe in space, or why is Red Robin piloting the UN's nuke?

Batman is maybe the one character I thought Waid did justice to. Despite being some kind of Transformers-obsessed creator, his personality was right even if his Batman outfit was basically a robot suit and, besides one scene, he's never in costume but he's still called Batman, not Bruce Wayne, which is kinda weird.

There's also the framing device of the Spectre taking an elderly preacher called Norman McCay on a ghostly trip through the book, so they're constantly in the background witnessing events unfold. This is because we're told by Spectre that Norman is to decide the fate of everything - are the superheroes to be saved or damned? It's up to Norman. Who? Why? But in the end this premise proves completely redundant as it's actually Billy Batson who decides. Shazam! Yup, another narrative dead end.

Alex Ross' artwork is great and I always enjoy it. He employs real people wearing real superhero costumes to pose as models and then paints them onto the page, giving his work that photo-realistic look that's much lauded. And it's great, except when you have people pose for each panel, you don't get a good sense of motion in the book. Every pose is static because it has to be in order for Ross to paint it. He doesn't do movement very well - and this book is full of movement! Not once does it seem like the characters are actually moving. Also, as great as his art is, I feel like there can be too much of a good thing, like eating a ton of lobster and garlic butter and making yourself feel sick. I like seeing Ross' work on covers and maybe the occasional short, but a 212 page book? The "wow" factor really diminishes by the end.

The story made no sense. Superman's story arc from retired superhero to returning hero to fascist leader to saviour again made no sense and was horrible to witness. Luthor's plan made no sense. The UN's behaviour made no sense - nuking Superman does not work, yet they do it anyway. And of course afterwards he shows up and trashes the place (it was this scene in particular that made me see where Waid got his inspiration for his "Irredeemable" character, Plutonian, from) and could easily have killed them all if he wasn't stopped and reminded of who he is. Yeah, there's one of those scenes included here. The story of the old and new superheroes fighting one another made no sense and the whole point of Armageddon was really forced. Nothing that happens in this book has any relevancy in later, or earlier, story arcs. It stands alone as an empty, pointless, uninspired and directionless disaster. Everything about this book is flawed beyond belief and beneath it all beats the cold dead heart of conservatism and a fear and hatred of modernity and changing attitudes.

It's another example of the kind of superhero book that tries to be relevant by being as "real" as possible. But the biggest problem for me was the basic requirement I have for any piece of fiction: entertainment. This book is SO BORING! Once you get past the nonsensical plot, there is nothing here that is of any interest. The characters are bland and despicable, the tone is joyless and morbid, and the plodding "story" is utterly bland and uninteresting. If nothing else, this book should be avoided due to it being so purely dull.

For comics fans who've read and enjoyed the wide range of superhero comics DC offer, coming to "Kingdom Come" is a jarring and unpleasant experience that throws up too many questions, offering no answers, and manages to create a miserable, soggy piece of storytelling with some of the most interesting characters ever created. It's bad on every level and serves as one of the nadirs of crap comics - "Kingdom Come" is to be avoided by any and all readers.(less)

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Dec 31, 2010 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics-graphic-novels

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

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Nov 28, 2008 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comic-book, fiction, god, graphic-novel, morality, superhero, dystopia, sandman, cameos

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 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 age well?) and Lex Luthor and his most unfortunately named organization, the Mankind Liberation Front, or MLF. I swear, I could not read that abbreviation without thinking "MILF" and wondering if that had not crossed Mark Waid's mind. Anyways, these men seek to protect humanity, though for very different reasons. And then there's Captain Marvel/Billy Batson, caught in the middle of it all.

So yes, it's a good end-of-the-world story. But it just didn't appeal to me. The artwork is incredible. That's probably the biggest selling point for this story. But I felt like I was reading a "Who's Who" of DC heroes and villains, which became so dizzying that I couldn't keep characters straight and I really didn't care. In the back of the compilation, there's a chart of 105 of the heroes/villains, and many of their names end with the numbers 2 or 3. Despite the plethora of characters, the focus is mainly on Superman, with supporting roles from Wonder Woman and Batman. Several of the heroes I recognized (which didn't feel like many... go go Wesley Dodds) looked like they'd have interesting stories to tell and opinions to contribute... but they hardly utter a word. Which brings me to my biggest gripe - Captain Marvel/Billy is the character that this whole story hinges on. He is both mortal and superhuman. His mental state is less than whole, and he's the only person capable of matching Superman's powers. But he gets so little attention for such a pivotal character! Plus, I have a little trouble getting invested in a scene where the key word is Shazam. I guess it's just a sign of the times.(less)

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Apr 06, 2007 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comic-books

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.

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Sep 02, 2008 Patrick rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Hardcore Comic Book Aficionados

Recommended to Patrick by: Jacob Schultz

Shelves: books-read-in-2008

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 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 superhero who would be willing to cross the lines (e.g. cold-blooded murder of criminals) that Superman and his ilk simply cannot out of principle (Truth, Justice, The American Way, all that jazz). The comic itself then goes about illustrating a story wherein just such a world exists.

It's a great idea, and it's not handled poorly, per se. It's heavy-handed with it's message and metaphors, as these sorts of stories are wont to be (I mean, have you seen The Dark Knight or any of the Spiderman franchise? They may be great movies (excluding Spiderman 3, of course) but subtlety is not exactly their strongest virtue. For God's sake, The Dark Knight literally spells out the metaphor in the title of the film, then spends 2 and a half hours driving the point home, then, in the closing voiceover, literally spells out the film's obvious central metaphor in case you weren't paying attention...but I digress), but it is very cinematic and entertaining. However, things are a little clunky, and they never really smooth themselves out.

The biggest problem is the sheer plethora of characters. While no doubt a major treat for diehard comic book fans, it was a little overwhelming for someone like me, who merely dabbles in the trade. I knew the main superheroes and their powers, and I even knew a few of the less famous heroes (read: guys who haven't had their own movies...yet), such as Nightwing. However, there were a lot of heroes I just hadn't a clue about, and in the climax, when Captain Marvel becomes a major plot point, I literally had to go to Wikipedia to refresh myself on exactly why this guy was of any interest, much less able to put a hurt on Superman.

And that leads to my biggest gripe and also my greatest praise--it is, in the end, a Superman story, and Superman is, without a doubt, the most boring of all superheroes. It's what makes the idea for this graphic novel so great, and keeps it feeling fresh throughout, but in the end, there is simply nothing Superman can't do. Whatever power he needs, he's got it, and by this point they've even eliminated Kryptonite as a weakness. I admire the writers for coming up with a story that actually made the Man of Steel compelling, but in the end, he can still do almost whatever it is that needs doing--almost. That's what gives the dramatic ending a shot in the arm, that even Superman can't always save the day. Not exactly, anyway.

Some of it was still too corny for my tastes though. The religious symbolism was a bit much, and it's hard to take a character like Captain 'SHAZAM!' Marvel seriously, though they do put up a valiant effort. It's a good graphic novel, but I just don't think I'm quite the audience for it.(less)

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Aug 05, 2009 Andrew rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: yes-i-m-a-geek, book-club

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 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 away from it. It is certainly a sight to behold.

As for the story, it grew on me. Both in the time between my first read and my second read, and also during my second reading. My little experience with Mark Waid has been good, though I don't think he is the one chiefly responsible for the story. I think it was Ross' dream that they brought in Waid to refine and then script. But I do not know that for certain.

If you don't know DC characters much, you are going to get overwhelmed. You may still get overwhelmed, as there are new looks and offspring, etc. Whether or not this detracts from the book will depend on your personal inclinations.

This read through, I had a slightly better grasp on DC Golden Age characters, so it was interesting to see a better definition to the schism between characters that appears in the book. I also feel I need to trace the characters that were the original Watchmen characters, because I realized that the character Doctor Manhattan was based on is the initial cause of the event that puts everything into motion. I am thinking this was likely intentional...

Okay, yeah, (to indicate a quick bit of research) the Charlton comic Action Heroes, who Moore based most of his Watchmen characters off of, were all part of the "new" group of heroes who create the initial conflict, minus Blue Beetle (Nite Owl in Watchmen).

So the new "heroes" that we decided we wanted are put in contrast with the old ideal of a hero. It is an interesting response to the movement of comics.

Additional note: I just read something about the ushering in of the Modern Age of comics potentially starting with Alan Moore re-envisioning the character Marvelman/Miracleman who was originally a blatant rip-off of Captain Marvel. I am not sure if Captain Marvel's usage in Kingdom Come was a purposeful connection with Marvelman, a perfectly fitting and realized coincidence, or me just looking to make connections where they don't belong. I found it interesting.(less)

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Jan 15, 2008 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: comics fans, particulary alex ross and mark waid fans

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 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 cheaper than buying individual issues; and 2)you don't have to wait months or years to get an entire story or arc.

'kingdom come' was the first such graphic novel i've read. and i have to say, i really enjoyed it. as so many others have commented, alex ross' art is really beyong appropriate description. it's just something you really need to see for yourself. he's a throwback, for sure, not all that different from say, norman rockwell. his panels are simply beautiful. the colors are bright and vibrant, but never look fresh out of the tube. his superheroes are traditional in the sense that they're exaggerated (what exactly IS in captain marvel's pants, anyway???), but not in a cartoonish way. in fact, if superman, capt marvel, and wonder woman were real people (and who's to say they aren't?), i imagine they would be a bit exaggerated. after all, the superheroes. i especially loved the way ross painted the spectre. the use of light to counter spectre's black robes was really terrific and gave the spectre an eerie, yet intriguing, appearance. my favorite panel was wonder woman and batman hoving above a cloud while beneath our heroes battle the second generation. beautiful stuff.

mark waid's script is often times very, very interesting. as a newbie to the DC universe i was clueless to some of the subplots, but waid does a nice job of letting his characters fill in some the blanks with their expository dialogue. it's an interesting story of how superheroes ended up at odds with the governing mortals and how the second generation of superheroes lacks the same 'moral compass' and direction their predecessors did. all of this, of course, is told through the eyes of one norman mckay, who the spectre takes on aa 'a christmas carol' type journey/adventure. it's neat to see wonder woman take superman to task about his lack of desire to get involved again; batman's exo-skeleton; to see the former aquaman refuse the superheroes desire to build a gulag underwater (and who can blame him?)

in the end it's a classic comic tale: the good guys come out on top, but sometimes the good guys don't really want to come out on top. and with the way the good guys sometimes get treated, how can we really blame them. sure, it's a little bit didactic, but can you really expect anything else?

if you've been collecting comics for awhile, chances are you've already read this. if you're new to them or just getting back into them, 'kingdom come' is a great adventure with lots of action, lots of heart, interesting moral dilemmas, and an ending that poses a HUGE 'what happens next?' (less)

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Dec 05, 2007 Nick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 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 permanently. It all comes to a head when a meta named Agog kills the Joker, who gassed the Daily Planet and thusly killed Lois Lane and the rest of the Planet staff. The people of Metropolis see Agog as the new and necessary hero for modern times. As such, these wreckless new metas wreak havoc upon the land. By some standards, they're just kids with guns running amok and causing more harm than good. And then the unthinkable happens. Agog and a few other metas chase after The Parasite, an old enemy of Superman's. They chase him to Kansas and one of the heroes, Captain Atom, gets his containment suit damaged which essentially nukes Kansas and a good portion of America's heartland. 6 million people die and the agricultural lands are in ruin, bringing the question of how the nation, as well as the rest of the world, will battle hunger. At this point, Superman and the rest had been out of sight for fifteen years.

Upon hearing the news, Wonder Woman seeks out Superman at his Fotress of Solitude and begs him to return and make the world right again. Sure, other heroes exist, but none carry the sway that Superman does. And so, like angels do the old heroes descend from the heavens to right wrongs and bring the new breed of heroes to heel. The Justice League reforms and Superman's crew goes out trying to turn the new breed into joining the league or being detained. A jail of sorts is built in the ruins of Kansas to house those metas who will not change. Unfortunately, Lex Luthor and co. are still around and seek the destruction of all metas. It is apparent that humans no longer control their own destiny as metas do what they wish. He forms an unlikely alliance with Bruce Wayne (Batman) and they seek to stop the Justice League. But even with all their weapons and trickery, how can they defeat Superman? It turns out that Luthor's personal assistant is none other than Billy Batson, the young man who can turn in to Captain Marvel, who is the only metahuman/demigod that could rival Superman's own abilities. It all comes down to a huge battle in Kansas as the fate of mankind is decided in bloody combat. (less)

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Dec 22, 2008 Partha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: plane-reading-and-provoking

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.

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Apr 15, 2013 Mely rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-read-seq-art, comics, superheroes

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

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Apr 14, 2013 Adam Matthews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 14, 2013 Bagus Hendy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

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

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Mar 07, 2013 Helmut Barro rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics, superheroes

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

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Mar 03, 2013 29alabs rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Jan 22, 2013 Callum Shephard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 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 a savage denouncement and deconstruction of the characters of this Dark Age. One which was surprisingly even handed despite everything.

The story is of a dark near future in which things have gone horribly wrong. Superman and many of the classic heroes have disappeared, fading away into seclusion allowing for a newer much more violent generation to rise without the guidance of their elders. Turning on one another after they have seemingly exterminated all supervillains, without any care for who gets caught in the crossfire. After an engagement in Kansas wipes out everything living there, Superman is forced out of retirement determined to safeguarding the world once more.

The first thing to really credit here is that absolutely everything driven by characterisation clicks into place. Usually with Elseworlds or big events there’s the problem in which you need to have someone act out of character or like an idiot to get the ball rolling (Civil War anyone?) but in this everything works. Events like having Superman leave due to the public embracing the ideals he has decried for decades is something which feels entirely in character and why the public would support them is understandable. After all if you had a killer clown repeatedly breaking out of a mental asylum each week, killing hundreds only to be put back inside again, wouldn’t you support the person who permentatly took him down? Even when the story goes so far to have the president order a nuclear strike dropped on a battle, it’s clearly a hard choice he does not want to make and never manages to demonise the government itself for this act. Something remarkable considering just how many big names die in that blast.

Those which are seen not to take a side such as Aquaman are given fitting reasons for refusing to help and even the new generation of heroes is presented in a balanced light. They’re shown to take down all the old threats which the heroes never did (to the point where Batman is noted to have “the nights off” since his entire rogue’s gallery was dealt with) and some willingly take the sides of the heroes trying to fix things without much prompting. The comic even nothing in brief points they had to deal with threats the original generation never did. Many are still presented as being in the wrong and completely out of control, but the comic never goes so far as to make this a black-and-white situation.

Better yet the individual character arcs are consistently presented as well as the bigger stories. Each is brilliantly presented and feels completely natural, especially in terms of the world they have had to adapt to. Most telling of this is that Kingdom Come is the only story ever to make the pairing of Superman and Wonder Woman feel right. It’s focused on only developing a core cast and ignoring the side-characters who make up each army (even those who join Superman at the very start) but that focus makes the few they have all the better.

If there is something of a shortcoming to be found it’s in two things: The first is continuity. The few questionable elements like Hal Jordan’s disappearance have to be put down to the stories at the time of publication. The other is that that there are no proper fights within the series. Oh there’s everything from huge battles to one settled with single punches but they are not emphasised upon. A bit of a disappointment but it’s not what the comic is about and the presentation will likely distract you from this fact until long after you’ve finished. Plus as with many subtle things in the book, avoiding the fights make its opposition to the action obsessed 90s comics all the more clear.

Well, that and the art.

Alex Ross paints every panel in a hyper-realistic style about as far from the Liefeldian slabs of muscle and guns as you could hope to find. Resembling the classic Dan Dare comics with shades of Frank Hampson and Frank Bellamy more than they do any other era and it’s as beautiful a comic as you can hope to find. Words really do not do it justice, ranking amongst the best examples of comicbook art which have ever been produced. To top off a great story the last third of this collection consists of an Apocrypha detailing interviews, character commentaries, detailed art sketches and the thoughts behind the characters. It’s effectively the director’s cut section of the comic and makes a great story even more fascinating.

This a very rare example of a story in which there is genuinely nothing it does wrong. Even the elements I personally disagreed with had such thought and quality behind them that there really was no ground on which to truly criticise them. If you have knowledge of the dark age of comics which this deconstructs, this is highly recommended and even without that I would still suggest buying it on its other qualities of characters and art. There really are few to no comics better than this and Kingdom Come’s reputation, putting it alongside Alan Moore’s Watchmen, is entirely deserved. Definitely buy this one if you can find it.(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-books, comics-manga

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

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Sep 02, 2012 Cole added it · review of another edition

Shelves: adventures-in-dystopia, fiction, graphic-in-the-comic-way, myths-n-heroes-n-gods-r-us, own-and-have-read, check-out-my-delightful-review

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

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Aug 19, 2012 Saurabh Sharma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Aug 12, 2012 Crystal Carroll rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A preacher has lost his hope, and a hero has lost his way. Set in a future Marvel-verse, Superman has “retired” to his fortress of solitude. What happens when the man of tomorrow can’t adjust to today? What happens to a hero who can’t compete with societies craving for violence?
This is one of those graphic novels that believes in its audience. BTW I’m about to spoil you all to heck so, skip this if you haven’t read it and don’t want to know. Trust me it’s great. You probably don’t need to know a...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Patrick rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Jun 12, 2012 Algernon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, comics

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.
Alex Ross artwork

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

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May 31, 2012 Logan Young rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Apr 20, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Jan 09, 2012 Paul Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

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

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Aug 28, 2011 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Christian Theology

Recommended to Jason by: Randall Scott Frederick

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

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Jul 19, 2011 Seamus Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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May 04, 2011 Orren Merton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Dec 31, 2010 Kristopher rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics, fiction, re-read

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

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Sep 03, 2010 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

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

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Kingdom Come (Kingdom Come #1-4)

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