What's also back (and is now dominating my mind) is Greg Rucka and Michael Lark's Lazarus saga, which returns with it's fourth series (third ongoing) since it started nearly 12 years ago and first issues since mid-2022 with Lazarus Fallen #1 & 2.
Taking place three years after the events of Lazarus Risen, the world continues to change. Forever and her genetically identical little sister Infinity have been missing, on the run from the Carlyle family they used to serve and the machinations of their father, who has regained power from other daughter Johanna with plans to rebuild the Lazarus project. However, Forever has no plans to just run and hide as she approaches members of the Free (along with an old, familiar face) with plans to dismantle the families who control the world.
Ever since this series in it's entirety began, I've been absolutely engrossed by the world, characters and story we've been treated to. However, I have to admit, as the wait for a follow up to Lazarus, X+66 and Risen took longer to appear, I have become more and more concerned about whether we would see any resolution to this story and even if it would hold up to the quality of what came before.
Fortunately, upon realising that Fallen had been released (news of its return prior to release day had somehow skipped me by) and now having read the first two issues, I'm glad to see that Rucka and Lark have returned with all cylinders firing once again.
Rucka's story is a perfectly paced reintroduction to the world, with all of the players (who were alive, at least) returning for this final run, the status quo is revealed gradually through the first issue, with Carlyle in a sort of disarray and trying to find its footing as the free seemingly begins to push to accomplish their own plans (and look to be making a greater focus, story wise, through the series' endgame). However, it's with the reveal of an old friend that we begin to see Rucka's new plan take shape, with the rogue Lazari planning to undo all that her father built (albeit, with some resistance). Suffice to say, both the quiet exposition of the first issue and the greater action of the latter issue both perfectly compliment each other, never feeling jarring in its transition and always being captivating.
Then there is Michael Lark's artwork and, to be honest, what can I say about this work? I've loved Lark's work for a long time; from Gotham Central to Daredevil and then, ultimately to Lazarus, Michael Lark's style is a work of art that deserves praise equal to Sean Phillips on Criminal. But with these first two issues of Fallen, along with Santiago Arcas' colours, it looks like he's stepped it up a notch, with every panel looking like it imbues far more emotion than before. Now, maybe I just don't remember the prior instalments accurately or maybe the art has upped the quality but, either way, it all looks fantastic and I'm totally on board with it.
There is one gripe and it involves the French translation in issue 2 and how it is provided to us. Is there a story reason for it? A publishing reason? Either way, it's a little confusing but, I will admit, it doesn't affect how great these reads are. Also, Rucka's back page input feel a little more, dare I say, cynical. Now, this isn't a gripe, simply a concern although, to be fair, it shouldn't be an unexpected one given the world we now live in and how it's changed since the first issue back in 2013. However, it does make me wonder if what the world has become will affect this story, if (by some miracle) it hasn't already.
Suffice to say though, Lazarus is back!!! With (according to Rucka's own writings in the back) only 18 more issues left, I'm quietly hopeful that there will be no more breaks (well, not like the last one at least. There is a reference to three 'Trade breaks of 3 months apiece), although who knows. Still, Lazarus Fallen #1 and 2 have been read and I'm more than eager to get to #3 as quickly as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment