Lazarus #2 Review

With Lazarus #2, writer Greg Rucka takes us further into the world of the Carlyle family, as we learn more about what makes each of them tick. As with any family, there are dark secrets lurking beneath the surface, though Rucka only gives us a few tantalizing glimpses at what they might be. What's certain is that Forever Carlyle, the family's Lazarus and protector, is at the heart of those secrets, even if she doesn't know it yet.

Rucka gives us a deeper sense of the world he's building in Lazarus, as we get a better look at the intense poverty the masses (also known as the Waste) live in. It's a dark, bleak world, and it only makes sense that the book has dark, bleak art to go along with it. Michael Lark's art brings the world of Lazarus to life in all its gritty despair, while Santi Arcas' colors flesh it out with muted earth tones and deep dark hues.

Nestled within this futuristic sci-fi action story is a family drama with a few familiar archetypes. There's the somber patriarch who has an inexplicable soft spot for Forever and seems to hold her in higher esteem than he does his own children. There are the two brothers, existing at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of temperament. There's also Beth, who appears to be the kinder counterpoint to Johanna, whose massive superiority complex paints her as an antagonistic force right off the bat. Outside of this tangled familial web is the Morray family, the Carlyle's rivals. As clashes between the two groups escalate, it seems that war is on the horizon, and Forever's about to get stuck in the middle of it.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com