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Lucifer (2000) (New Trades)
Lucifer, Book Five
Cast out of Heaven, thrown down to rule in Hell, Lucifer Morningstar has resigned his post and abandoned his kingdom for the mortal city of Los Angeles. In this final LUCIFER volume, the war in Heaven reaches its universe-shaking conclusion, as the forces of Heaven, Hell, and everyone in between wage a final battle to determine the fate of both Yahweh and Lucifer's Creations - a fate no one, not even the Lightbringer, could foresee. And in the aftermath of the battle, how will Lucifer and his cohorts pick up their lives and tie up loose ends?
Collects LUCIFER #62-75.
Collects LUCIFER #62-75.
352 pages, Paperback
First published December 30, 2014
76 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
Mike Carey
1,258 books2,952 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
April 22, 2018
Truly goddamn amazing.
This whole series has the epic awesomeness of the Sandman series with half the empty (albeit interesting) calories of all those side-stories. Indeed, the plot is pretty epic and all characters are important.
It's the end of creation. God abandoned his creation. The sparks of everyone's souls are dimming, dissoluting, and all sides go to war over the throne of God. Some want to reforge creation and others want to see it all become Silence.
This is no-one's simple tale of battle and rage and power-grab. Lucifer himself is a supremely reluctant hero because he knows the meaning behind his own decisions as no one else can.
Elaine has grown into something brilliant and beautiful.
The philosophical questions that arise throughout these comics are deep, complex, and unswervingly bold, courageous, and RIGHT. :) Everyone is criticized.
But more than that, I had a GREAT TIME with all of this! The plotting is tight, the characters delicious, and the art much better than most comics. :) I have nothing bad to say about any of it!
:)
This whole series has the epic awesomeness of the Sandman series with half the empty (albeit interesting) calories of all those side-stories. Indeed, the plot is pretty epic and all characters are important.
It's the end of creation. God abandoned his creation. The sparks of everyone's souls are dimming, dissoluting, and all sides go to war over the throne of God. Some want to reforge creation and others want to see it all become Silence.
This is no-one's simple tale of battle and rage and power-grab. Lucifer himself is a supremely reluctant hero because he knows the meaning behind his own decisions as no one else can.
Elaine has grown into something brilliant and beautiful.
The philosophical questions that arise throughout these comics are deep, complex, and unswervingly bold, courageous, and RIGHT. :) Everyone is criticized.
But more than that, I had a GREAT TIME with all of this! The plotting is tight, the characters delicious, and the art much better than most comics. :) I have nothing bad to say about any of it!
:)
October 28, 2017
The Fifth and final book to the outstanding Lucifer series. After the universe shaking events of Book Four, we come full circle to the end days. God has left his creation and it is starting to unravel. Now there are three creations- one is Lucifer's, the other is Ellaine Belloc's and finally there is God's creation.
As the conflict rages between the denizens of the three creations, other forces (Lillith; the forces of chaos, etc) meet on the plains of Armageddon for the final battle. Lucifer, once again, shows his brilliance by shaping events to fall within the outcomes he wishes. More than that I will not spoil. While the final volume ties together the various subplots and sub-characters, the best part by far (in terms of dialogue) is near the end when God and Lucifer meet at the end times. We also see a bird's eye view of the original rebellion led by Lucifer against what he assumed to be God's plan for the Angelic host. Lucifer's cry for freedom and choice truly do make him the first rebel.
The artwork and overall storytelling making this one of the best of an already great series. The cosmic level events and the deep subtle games of the Morningstar are a joy to behold. This entire series is truly a hallmark of the comic art form. A wonderful story, filled with wonderful dialogue and great concepts. Mike Carey deserves all the credit for this amazing series and it ranks amongst the best I have ever read. Highly recommended.
As the conflict rages between the denizens of the three creations, other forces (Lillith; the forces of chaos, etc) meet on the plains of Armageddon for the final battle. Lucifer, once again, shows his brilliance by shaping events to fall within the outcomes he wishes. More than that I will not spoil. While the final volume ties together the various subplots and sub-characters, the best part by far (in terms of dialogue) is near the end when God and Lucifer meet at the end times. We also see a bird's eye view of the original rebellion led by Lucifer against what he assumed to be God's plan for the Angelic host. Lucifer's cry for freedom and choice truly do make him the first rebel.
The artwork and overall storytelling making this one of the best of an already great series. The cosmic level events and the deep subtle games of the Morningstar are a joy to behold. This entire series is truly a hallmark of the comic art form. A wonderful story, filled with wonderful dialogue and great concepts. Mike Carey deserves all the credit for this amazing series and it ranks amongst the best I have ever read. Highly recommended.
July 12, 2021
I was a little afraid to read this final installment of the Lucifer comic strip/graphic novel. It’s been a terrific story, but also very dark and very ugly. How much blood would have to flow to finish this series?
As it turned out, much less than I expected! Yes, armies gather and war is fought. But overall, this was about the tamest of these collections. But it was also absolutely terrific, referencing back to everything that happened in the previous 4 volumes, and tying all of the stories, characters, and plot threads up wonderfully and satisfyingly.
My only quibble is that once again,
But otherwise, this was well worth working my way to over the past year of reading, and it made me want to start the whole series over again just so I could look it at from the perspective of what I know now, plus I could pay better attention to details instead of reading as fast as I could to find out what would happen next.
I might need to create a “Rewarding Payoff” shelf for these long, ambitious comics (or other series). But since I don’t have one at the moment, just picture this with a ribbon on it with those words.
As it turned out, much less than I expected! Yes, armies gather and war is fought. But overall, this was about the tamest of these collections. But it was also absolutely terrific, referencing back to everything that happened in the previous 4 volumes, and tying all of the stories, characters, and plot threads up wonderfully and satisfyingly.
My only quibble is that once again,
But otherwise, this was well worth working my way to over the past year of reading, and it made me want to start the whole series over again just so I could look it at from the perspective of what I know now, plus I could pay better attention to details instead of reading as fast as I could to find out what would happen next.
I might need to create a “Rewarding Payoff” shelf for these long, ambitious comics (or other series). But since I don’t have one at the moment, just picture this with a ribbon on it with those words.
March 23, 2020
The end of the Lucifer saga and now I don't know what to read and inspite of my numerous books lying around, I don't have any books to read. So yeah life sucks.
Coming to the book- the war continues with many twists and turns. It sort of ties many loose ends together. Lots of action. I took off a star because I found certain post war parts to be "meh". The ending is something I thought would eventually happen. Now let's see where the TV show is headed because there is simply no connection with the comics.
Coming to the book- the war continues with many twists and turns. It sort of ties many loose ends together. Lots of action. I took off a star because I found certain post war parts to be "meh". The ending is something I thought would eventually happen. Now let's see where the TV show is headed because there is simply no connection with the comics.
February 9, 2018
Now that was a great story.
Lucifer is so interesting and Carey wrote the shit out of this. There's so much myth and legend ploughed into this, it's great and I enjoyed it far more than Sandman.
A very satisfying ending.
Lucifer is so interesting and Carey wrote the shit out of this. There's so much myth and legend ploughed into this, it's great and I enjoyed it far more than Sandman.
A very satisfying ending.
July 22, 2019
This whole series was beautiful and confusing and mostly amazing.
January 31, 2019
Well you didn't think I was going to wait to finish the saga did you?
Okay I think at the point I need to point out (and I think I an justify this without breaking my own no spoilers rule) that although there are some serious name similarities and that there is a vague idea of how it all started - this is NOT the tv series.
For one thing there is most definitely a story line that arcs across all 5 volumes and there is no escaping it even if there are a number of side distractions along the way. Also the characters of the various namesakes are totally different (in fact there is a rather sly joke about that early in the tv series which highlights it).
However there is much to praise and enjoy in this series - yes it can take shorts at the Christian idea of heaven and hell but also there are ideas of responsibility and how people react to it. Also of what happiness is and loyalty where you would assume there wasnt any.
This series has garnered a lot of praise over the years and I easily see why. The question is after the final turn of the last page - what shall I read next
Okay I think at the point I need to point out (and I think I an justify this without breaking my own no spoilers rule) that although there are some serious name similarities and that there is a vague idea of how it all started - this is NOT the tv series.
For one thing there is most definitely a story line that arcs across all 5 volumes and there is no escaping it even if there are a number of side distractions along the way. Also the characters of the various namesakes are totally different (in fact there is a rather sly joke about that early in the tv series which highlights it).
However there is much to praise and enjoy in this series - yes it can take shorts at the Christian idea of heaven and hell but also there are ideas of responsibility and how people react to it. Also of what happiness is and loyalty where you would assume there wasnt any.
This series has garnered a lot of praise over the years and I easily see why. The question is after the final turn of the last page - what shall I read next
December 16, 2021
The War in Heaven reaches its conclusion as Hell, the Host of Heaven, and everyone inbetween battle on the Plains of Armageddon to decide the fate of God’s, Lucifer’s, and Elaine’s creations—some want to save them, others to see them crumble to nothing. This final volume collects The Wheels of God (single issue), the epic six-part finale Morningstar, which comes with an interlude, and the extended coda consisting of Fireside Chats (single issue), Evensong (two issues), The Gaudium Option (single issue), Eve (single issue), and All We Need of Hell (single issue).
Overall, this spin-off series about one of my favorite side-characters in Sandman unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations, as it felt like a different character; willful, yes, but less cheeky and sarcastic, while more uptight and dare I say... dull? Yet I’m glad that I stuck with it, as this volume was a rewarding payoff, and my favorite: Every little confusing and seemingly random crumb Carey laid out from the very beginning led here, and it was tied up beautifully. I never felt that I had any idea where he was going to take this, but now that it’s over, I don’t see how it could’ve ended any other way, which I’d say is the mark of a skilled storyteller. I definitely had the sense that Carey had a strong vision for what he wanted this series to be and where he wanted it to go: There were virtually no filler-issues in the whole run, the writing was great, the art and pencilling were consistently good with some flashes of magnificence especially at the beginning of the run, but Lucifer just never managed to grab me the same way Sandman did, which I however feel is mostly on me; your mileage may vary.
I’d suggest anyone with a Sandman-shaped hole in their hearts give this spin-off series a try—as well as anyone who likes stories that borrow heavily from christian and world mythology with some rather blasphemous artistic liberties, and an ambitious, over-arching, sometimes convoluted plot that tackles deep philosophical questions, features complex characters, and ends most satisfyingly.
—————
My other Lucifer reviews:
01: Book One · ★★
02: Book Two · ★★
03: Book Three · ★★
04: Book Four · ★★
05: Book Five · ★★★
Overall, this spin-off series about one of my favorite side-characters in Sandman unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations, as it felt like a different character; willful, yes, but less cheeky and sarcastic, while more uptight and dare I say... dull? Yet I’m glad that I stuck with it, as this volume was a rewarding payoff, and my favorite: Every little confusing and seemingly random crumb Carey laid out from the very beginning led here, and it was tied up beautifully. I never felt that I had any idea where he was going to take this, but now that it’s over, I don’t see how it could’ve ended any other way, which I’d say is the mark of a skilled storyteller. I definitely had the sense that Carey had a strong vision for what he wanted this series to be and where he wanted it to go: There were virtually no filler-issues in the whole run, the writing was great, the art and pencilling were consistently good with some flashes of magnificence especially at the beginning of the run, but Lucifer just never managed to grab me the same way Sandman did, which I however feel is mostly on me; your mileage may vary.
I’d suggest anyone with a Sandman-shaped hole in their hearts give this spin-off series a try—as well as anyone who likes stories that borrow heavily from christian and world mythology with some rather blasphemous artistic liberties, and an ambitious, over-arching, sometimes convoluted plot that tackles deep philosophical questions, features complex characters, and ends most satisfyingly.
—————
My other Lucifer reviews:
01: Book One · ★★
02: Book Two · ★★
03: Book Three · ★★
04: Book Four · ★★
05: Book Five · ★★★
November 23, 2022
Lucifer Book 5 collects issues 62-75 of the DC Vertigo series written by Mike Carey with art by Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, Colleen Doran, Michael Wm. Kaluta, Zander Cannon, Dean Ormston, and Aaron Alexovich.
Heaven is under siege by Lilith and Fenris the Wolf in order to destroy the Primum Mobile and bring upon Armageddon. Lucifer and Michael join forces in order to defend all of creation, but will their power be enough?
The final book on the Lucifer series comes to an epic and satisfying conclusion that ties the series’ long term storylines and themes over its 75 issue run. The series started off as a spin-off but quickly pivoted to its own unique tale of good vs evil. The book takes arguably the world most famous villain of all time- the Devil, Satan, Lucifer, The Lord of Lies, whatever you want to call him - and largely had you rooting for him against other mythological creatures, angels, and even God itself. There is a lot to unpack including ethical dilemmas and theological questions and the book does a fantastic job of making you think.
Heaven is under siege by Lilith and Fenris the Wolf in order to destroy the Primum Mobile and bring upon Armageddon. Lucifer and Michael join forces in order to defend all of creation, but will their power be enough?
The final book on the Lucifer series comes to an epic and satisfying conclusion that ties the series’ long term storylines and themes over its 75 issue run. The series started off as a spin-off but quickly pivoted to its own unique tale of good vs evil. The book takes arguably the world most famous villain of all time- the Devil, Satan, Lucifer, The Lord of Lies, whatever you want to call him - and largely had you rooting for him against other mythological creatures, angels, and even God itself. There is a lot to unpack including ethical dilemmas and theological questions and the book does a fantastic job of making you think.
April 4, 2017
If I could give this a 4.5 stars, I would. Everything finally pops into place--and just when you think it's over, it's time for a few more pieces that you didn't realize were in the center while the climactic battles were filling out the edges.
September 5, 2019
Goodbye to all the amazing characters. And many thanks to Carey and Gross.
September 12, 2019
A wonderful end to this graphic novel series. The author did a great job of tying up all the loose ends. Great illustrations. Well done!
July 12, 2016
"Creations rise and then they fall. Each as long as it exist, seeming to fill the immensity of the void with the teeming, proliferating certainties of direction and purpose. But since the void is infinite and eternal... the portion of it that can be saved amounts, in the end to zero. All things come back to nothing. That is the rule"
"Then promise me this. if Creation endures, rebuild it without a heaven or hell. Let sick souls be healed, not whipped like dogs, nor bartered like sweetmeats."
Wow, this series, with all its (initially) confusing and seemingly random stories, really came together rather well in the end.
4, 5 emotional - never stop questioning who you are - stars
"Then promise me this. if Creation endures, rebuild it without a heaven or hell. Let sick souls be healed, not whipped like dogs, nor bartered like sweetmeats."
Wow, this series, with all its (initially) confusing and seemingly random stories, really came together rather well in the end.
4, 5 emotional - never stop questioning who you are - stars
December 30, 2022
It seems that I'm going to be reading this on a yearly basis, as with Sandman (which makes Seasons of Mists slightly repetitive, but given how good it is, who cares). Definitely one of the greatest works in comics (Watchmen who?) and probably one of the greatest works of literature full stop. And perhaps its greatest achievement is that the protagonist is *extremely* annoying, at least from this human's perspective, and remains so solidly for five volumes. He remains unwavering, unrelenting, and as such, ultimately unknowable (except, perhaps, for that scar). But his function is to make us take a second look at everything we assume about life, the universe and everything, not to make us comfortable.
In all honesty, a work of genius. Here's to 2019.
In all honesty, a work of genius. Here's to 2019.
August 27, 2021
2.75/5 or so. Maybe lower. Strong start to the series, but by the time I reached this volume Lucifer, to me at least, became overly esoteric and verily boring. There is almost no tension, as Lucifer is supremely in charge and capable. It makes me think of One-Punch Man, in that the series namesake only shows up every now and then to trounce the competition and win forever. Lucifer, however, has none of the entertainment value of Saitama.
September 3, 2017
What a great series. Loved it from start to finish.
So I hate making comparisons but I'm gonna make comparisons. I hate it especially since Sandman and Lucifer are written by different people and have different art teams etc etc like the only real connection they have is that Lucifer was introduced in Sandman and really he was only in a couple of issues but Carey takes some cues from Gaiman so I think its valid to draw some comparisons if only to illustrate the finer points.
Lucifer is epic. A huge story, serious philosophical themes are explored, sacred characters written about and even killed off. If you consider this sacrilegious then don't pick up the book. It goes about it rather respectfully though, I feel. A Miltonian view of Christian religious figures, along with pretty much every other world religion (sans the other Abrahamic religions, thank god for that). Every god, angel, and demon has their power and they're quite well written, with motivations and agendas aplenty.
Judging the story, its massive in scale. Words can't describe the events that take place in Lucifer and it explores some heady themes too. I can't help but draw parallels to Hellboy who is a similar character to Lucifer, a main character that refuses to be what he was created to be (or do they?). Lucifer obviously tackles the themes of determinism and free will more directly what with capital G God being in the actual story and the original rebel himself Lucifer AKA Samael AKA the Morningstar AKA the devil being the main character. Still, something of note is that while I think the main overarching story is better than the main story in Sandman, the filler chapters are not. Its got that same style of some issues letting you take a breather in between the story, it doesn't feel as though the chokehold the overarching story has on you ever softens. Something I felt Sandman did very well. You can call that never ending tension a good thing, currently I'm of the opinion that its not. Otherwise an unforgettable story.
The art is nothing special. It's bland compared to something like Sandman and there are some guest drawn comics that are kind of awkward but mostly its just servicable.
Overall, I liked this series a lot and I think its because I like Lucifer and this style of character a lot. I drew a parallel with Hellboy and I guess I just like protagonists that try to buck the trend. Some do, some don't, what matters is the choice. Lucifer is also incredibly active in these stories. He's not like Hellboy who keeps getting swept into things or like Dream, just passing through. He shapes his own destiny, its not just that he's given a choice and makes it, he seeks out power no matter the cost, forces alternative choices consequences be damned, and that's something you don't expect from characters, but he's literally satan so I guess he can do whatever he likes. I mean Hellboy is the son of Satan but whatever.
Read this if you like stories of heaven and hell, complex characters and themes, Christian theology with some artistic liberties, and Satan.
So I hate making comparisons but I'm gonna make comparisons. I hate it especially since Sandman and Lucifer are written by different people and have different art teams etc etc like the only real connection they have is that Lucifer was introduced in Sandman and really he was only in a couple of issues but Carey takes some cues from Gaiman so I think its valid to draw some comparisons if only to illustrate the finer points.
Lucifer is epic. A huge story, serious philosophical themes are explored, sacred characters written about and even killed off. If you consider this sacrilegious then don't pick up the book. It goes about it rather respectfully though, I feel. A Miltonian view of Christian religious figures, along with pretty much every other world religion (sans the other Abrahamic religions, thank god for that). Every god, angel, and demon has their power and they're quite well written, with motivations and agendas aplenty.
Judging the story, its massive in scale. Words can't describe the events that take place in Lucifer and it explores some heady themes too. I can't help but draw parallels to Hellboy who is a similar character to Lucifer, a main character that refuses to be what he was created to be (or do they?). Lucifer obviously tackles the themes of determinism and free will more directly what with capital G God being in the actual story and the original rebel himself Lucifer AKA Samael AKA the Morningstar AKA the devil being the main character. Still, something of note is that while I think the main overarching story is better than the main story in Sandman, the filler chapters are not. Its got that same style of some issues letting you take a breather in between the story, it doesn't feel as though the chokehold the overarching story has on you ever softens. Something I felt Sandman did very well. You can call that never ending tension a good thing, currently I'm of the opinion that its not. Otherwise an unforgettable story.
The art is nothing special. It's bland compared to something like Sandman and there are some guest drawn comics that are kind of awkward but mostly its just servicable.
Overall, I liked this series a lot and I think its because I like Lucifer and this style of character a lot. I drew a parallel with Hellboy and I guess I just like protagonists that try to buck the trend. Some do, some don't, what matters is the choice. Lucifer is also incredibly active in these stories. He's not like Hellboy who keeps getting swept into things or like Dream, just passing through. He shapes his own destiny, its not just that he's given a choice and makes it, he seeks out power no matter the cost, forces alternative choices consequences be damned, and that's something you don't expect from characters, but he's literally satan so I guess he can do whatever he likes. I mean Hellboy is the son of Satan but whatever.
Read this if you like stories of heaven and hell, complex characters and themes, Christian theology with some artistic liberties, and Satan.
May 19, 2022
A worthy end to the story arc of five books.
All the story arcs that were carefully, deftly and meticulously set up in the previous four books come to a point in this one. That is not to say we don't have time for interesting little diversions like; The Beast Can't Take Your Call Right Now, which don't necessarily move the central narrative along, but do provide backdrop.
Centre stage, of course, is that War and destruction have come to the Silver City. Not the first time, of course, but this time God has absconded, so the defences are a little thin. And the angels are facing Lillith and her multitudes of children, the Lillim who incidentally built the Silver City and so know a bit about it.
All the different plots come together as the worlds race toward the destruction that the withdrawal of the word of god has doomed them to.... it is a fine, epic story.
At the end, we bid farewell to Lucifer; sad, but, it is his story, it says so on the title and really with a being that powerful you can't really end a story with him still around. Before he goes though, Elaine ties things up and the reader and the authors all get to say a final goodbye to characters they have enjoyed through the books. A really satisfying ending.
Now I want to go back to the first one and start all over again - I am sure I will get new things out of it on second reading.
All the story arcs that were carefully, deftly and meticulously set up in the previous four books come to a point in this one. That is not to say we don't have time for interesting little diversions like; The Beast Can't Take Your Call Right Now, which don't necessarily move the central narrative along, but do provide backdrop.
Centre stage, of course, is that War and destruction have come to the Silver City. Not the first time, of course, but this time God has absconded, so the defences are a little thin. And the angels are facing Lillith and her multitudes of children, the Lillim who incidentally built the Silver City and so know a bit about it.
All the different plots come together as the worlds race toward the destruction that the withdrawal of the word of god has doomed them to.... it is a fine, epic story.
At the end, we bid farewell to Lucifer; sad, but, it is his story, it says so on the title and really with a being that powerful you can't really end a story with him still around. Before he goes though, Elaine ties things up and the reader and the authors all get to say a final goodbye to characters they have enjoyed through the books. A really satisfying ending.
Now I want to go back to the first one and start all over again - I am sure I will get new things out of it on second reading.
August 1, 2018
Masterpiece. Like all the books in this series. This series is one of the best things I’ve ever read. It is a true wor of art. This is a must read. 5 stars.
November 3, 2019
really liked this series.
June 12, 2020
The Adversary, long may he reign. It's hard to say goodbye to so many great characters. Mike says Lucifer is a voice in his head now, and I think it will be the same for me.
August 27, 2020
This is the end. Fun ride.
March 22, 2019
I just finished the 12th one of these and this series is fantastic, complex and delightful. I love how dark and sinister it can be, and how the over all plot is on such an epic scale. Really appreciated this series so much
June 9, 2017
In its final volume, the stories revolving around Lucifer finally come to their climax. As the end gets nearer, the parallels to The Sandman become more and more obvious. Like in Sandman, many, many realms and beings are visited, and certain transfers happen. Also like in Sandman, Lucifer is not really so much of a protagonist, but more of a shaper – only rarely is he actually the focus of a storyline. He's a really odd character, very elusive, very cunning, but not really likeable at all. In my opinion, Lucifer is more worth reading for all the ideas that hide behind the stories...
February 14, 2015
Watching everything come together that started over 60 issues ago is a joy, as Lucifer's schemes all come to a head, and there are still a lot of surprises in store. I'm glad that everything didn't just end after the Morningstar arc the way Carey originally intended, because the final 6 issues or so add a very welcome coda to every major character in the series, tying up any loose ends, and ending the series on almost a happy note.
November 7, 2016
A splendid and satisfying conclusion, with all the majesty that the story of Lucifer Morningstar deserves in its grand climax, and a long but well-earned and well-deserved denouement to bring us back to Earth, circling back to where this story began in Gaiman's "Season of Mists" so many years earlier.
May 15, 2020
This was a good ending to a run. It was well thought out, and well told. A story that ended as it begun, with a nod to Gaiman's first introduction to Lucifer. I loved this story, and I was moved by the characters. I think this series has done the Devil a service in telling an aspect of his story, and by telling our story by proxy.
January 21, 2016
If this series was a movie or a tv show, I would have fast forwarded through half of it. The other half was pretty good.
April 28, 2016
The majority seems to label this as brilliant, sometimes I found this series to be a boring, confusing read. (I can hear people shouting 'Blasphemy !')
September 26, 2023
I don't enjoy most entertainment that focuses on the philosophy of religion. Comedies about heaven, action packed stories about fighting for control of the universe in the name of God, movies where a character gains some superpower or omniscience but God still exists so they have to grapple with that. It's all ehhh to me. Any story you write seems to make a grand statement, even if your intention is: This Is Entertainment Not meant To Be A Fable. That's...a little fabley.
Lucifer is just a solid story about someone whose whole life has been about power. Fighting against power they saw as unjust, giving up their own power when they felt bored by it, using newly gained power to test their own worthiness, training a new power to be better than you or your predecessors without telling them that they're going to be the new power.
There was not a wasted page in this seventy-five page narrative banger. There were very few side stories (especially compared to The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists, which this title spins out from) but every one of them in some way impacted the outcome of the main story. It's one of the greatest long-form narratives in comics, and it's a shame that it's not as revered as titles like Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile, Hellboy, Vol. 3: The Chained Coffin and Others, Strangers in Paradise: Pocket Book 1, or The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye, which started strong, lapsed or became repetetive but eventually figured themselves out and ended acceptably. While not as narratively innovative or artistically diverse as Gaiman's Sandman, this is a more satisfying story.
I recommend it to Sandman fans, fantasy buffs, and those who enjoy character driven redemption stories that aren't clear cut redemptions. It's one of my all-time favorite series, after three rereads spread across two decades.
Lucifer is just a solid story about someone whose whole life has been about power. Fighting against power they saw as unjust, giving up their own power when they felt bored by it, using newly gained power to test their own worthiness, training a new power to be better than you or your predecessors without telling them that they're going to be the new power.
There was not a wasted page in this seventy-five page narrative banger. There were very few side stories (especially compared to The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists, which this title spins out from) but every one of them in some way impacted the outcome of the main story. It's one of the greatest long-form narratives in comics, and it's a shame that it's not as revered as titles like Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile, Hellboy, Vol. 3: The Chained Coffin and Others, Strangers in Paradise: Pocket Book 1, or The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye, which started strong, lapsed or became repetetive but eventually figured themselves out and ended acceptably. While not as narratively innovative or artistically diverse as Gaiman's Sandman, this is a more satisfying story.
I recommend it to Sandman fans, fantasy buffs, and those who enjoy character driven redemption stories that aren't clear cut redemptions. It's one of my all-time favorite series, after three rereads spread across two decades.
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January 16, 2021And so ends Lucifer. What a ride. The ending is epic and altogether satisfying. The epilogue issues in particular are amazing, encapsulating the series so well and sending the characters off with grace. Everyone gets their due and I could not ask for more.
I was expecting to like this series but not as much as I did. While it may not quite reach the heights of Sandman (it’s impossible not to compare the two), the writing is on par with Gaiman’s and the story is just as sweeping and epic. It’s thematically rich and philosophically compelling. I’m not smart enough to unpack all the philosophy but I was fascinated by the questions posed in the series and am still thinking about them.
I love how Carey interweaves mythology in Lucifer. This is something Gaiman (and Mike Mignola) excel at, and it’s so cool what Carey does here. Even though I’m not intimately familiar with these mythologies I was able to follow along perfectly fine. Like any great story though, it’s about the characters. Lucifer, Elaine, Mazikeen, Gaudium, Jill… these guys come alive on the page. The cast is quite large – and grows as the story goes on – but I was able to keep track of them all, a testament to Carey’s skill as a writer.
My negatives are few. First, I think the series is a little too drawn out at times. There was no arc I didn’t enjoy, but I’m not sure they all needed to be there, especially some in the second half when we see the consequences of God’s departure. Also, it’s sometimes difficult to sympathize with the characters. Lucifer and many others are bastards. They are not always likable. Still, Carey makes their relationships fascinating and character development meaningful. I wanted to know what would happen to them next, which is the most important thing as a reader.
I was never bored reading Lucifer. Carey’s writing has a punch to it like Brian K. Vaughan or Garth Ennis, while also being thoughtful and nuanced like Gaiman. His ear for dialogue is superb and every issue is well-paced. I’m actually surprised Carey isn’t talked about more as one of the great modern comic writers, because he’s up there on Lucifer alone.
So yeah, I loved Lucifer. I will definitely read it again in the future. I think it will even improve on reread. If you haven’t yet taken the dive, it’s absolutely worth it.
I was expecting to like this series but not as much as I did. While it may not quite reach the heights of Sandman (it’s impossible not to compare the two), the writing is on par with Gaiman’s and the story is just as sweeping and epic. It’s thematically rich and philosophically compelling. I’m not smart enough to unpack all the philosophy but I was fascinated by the questions posed in the series and am still thinking about them.
I love how Carey interweaves mythology in Lucifer. This is something Gaiman (and Mike Mignola) excel at, and it’s so cool what Carey does here. Even though I’m not intimately familiar with these mythologies I was able to follow along perfectly fine. Like any great story though, it’s about the characters. Lucifer, Elaine, Mazikeen, Gaudium, Jill… these guys come alive on the page. The cast is quite large – and grows as the story goes on – but I was able to keep track of them all, a testament to Carey’s skill as a writer.
My negatives are few. First, I think the series is a little too drawn out at times. There was no arc I didn’t enjoy, but I’m not sure they all needed to be there, especially some in the second half when we see the consequences of God’s departure. Also, it’s sometimes difficult to sympathize with the characters. Lucifer and many others are bastards. They are not always likable. Still, Carey makes their relationships fascinating and character development meaningful. I wanted to know what would happen to them next, which is the most important thing as a reader.
I was never bored reading Lucifer. Carey’s writing has a punch to it like Brian K. Vaughan or Garth Ennis, while also being thoughtful and nuanced like Gaiman. His ear for dialogue is superb and every issue is well-paced. I’m actually surprised Carey isn’t talked about more as one of the great modern comic writers, because he’s up there on Lucifer alone.
So yeah, I loved Lucifer. I will definitely read it again in the future. I think it will even improve on reread. If you haven’t yet taken the dive, it’s absolutely worth it.
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