Lucifer: Volume 2

Lucifer Volume 2
(Children and Monsters)
Written by: Mike Carey
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Vertigo
Language: English
January 2002, $19.99
Genre: Graphic Novel


For Lucifer Morningstar, the former ruler of Hell, retirement has proved a little problematic. Recruited by Heaven to save all of Creation from the threat of the Voiceless Gods, he has been rewarded with an object of inconceivable power — a gate that leads to the uncreated void. But the gateway itself is only a tool that Lucifer must use to achieve his true goals. Now his quest will take him to the Japanese afterworld of Izanami, and to the terrible House of Windowless Rooms, in search of his lost wings. Leaving his immortality and power at the door, Lucifer walks into a labyrinth of traps and treachery where the only thing more dangerous than failure is success. And behind him, in the Los Angeles piano bar that has become his home, the powers begin to gather — drawn by the door that Lucifer has cut into the fabric of existence, and willing to destroy the whole of reality in order to possess it. When the storm breaks, there may be nothing left for Lucifer to return to.


+++++++++++++

Yeah, more Lucifer. You don’t hear that from me every day. I have to say I am quite enjoying this little series and my love for Mike Carey continues to grow (I have his latest Felix Castor novel in my TBR pile).

Children and Monsters begins where the last volume left off. The Morningstar has completed God’s quest and now has a very special gateway in his possession. But now Lucifer needs his wings again and so he heads to regain them from Izanami, the Japanese Goddess of Death who collects all sorts of little trinkets of power. In this story, Lucifer continues to be the manipulative and clever bastard we know him to be, but you cannot help but love him for it. Without his powers, he still manages to win and that is what makes him and these stories so interesting.

As I said this volume was just as entertaining as the first. However, the art didn’t delight me as much though it is still fantastic. I do have a minor complaint with the angels as a whole who seemed too arrogant, too illogical, and very one dimensional for my tastes. I just expected a bit more from them. I think the story as a whole, especially some nice plot tension, would have benefited from some changes with the angels. Having said that, I really liked Michael’s story though. For me, his character was what I expected out of more of the angels.

Mazikeen’s story was also very interesting and it was nice to see her get some more screen time. I am curious to see how Elaine Belloc’s story figures into the whole, which I am guessing it does, and see how that all turns out. Another winner for me and I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

3.25 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks