Kingdom Come (Graphic Novel)

Rating:
Summary: I Loved It
Review: I thought Kindom Come was the best comic story that I have read to date. It is up there with the Dark Knight Returns and Marvels. I recommend it to all of my friends. It is a must read!!!

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST COMIC BOOKS OUT THERE!
Review: You're DEFINITELY not a comic fan if you don't read this. And you're really a stupid loser if you think comic books are still kid stuff after reading this. And you're an abomination of society if you want to try and censor this cool book. So start reading this now. Look, there's a whole bunch of hidden in-jokes (there's a panel with a hero modeled after the "Star Wars" character Boba Fett, There's small cameos of Spider-Man and Captain America, and for those who like 60's music, The Beatles and the Monkees make an appearance as super-heroes. Oh, and did you know Elvis read comic books too? He liked the character Captain Marvel Jr. and had that jumpsuit of his modeled after Marvel Jr. {As some people say}. So Alex Ross {He's the artist of tis book} made the older version of Captain Marvel Jr. look like Elvis, and I think called him "King Marvel" or something.) SO YOU BETTER GO READ THIS REALLY COOL BOOK NOW!!!!

Rating:
Summary: "Kingdom Come" is what comics aspire to be -- an art form.
Review: "Kingdom Come" is what comics aspire to be -- an art form. Not because Alex Ross paints pictures of a steel-eyed, almost 3-D Superman; not because Mark Waid writes a story that pulls fans into a possible future where almost every DC hero and villain appears; but because the story is a delicious multi-layered read that inspires readers with hope that somewhere, somewhen, people like these characters exist. The story starts with Norman McCay, a preacher without hope, who meets one of DC Comics oldest characters, the Spectre, God's agent on earth. The Spectre tells McCay he will judge the outcome of armageddon -- but can't interfere with its developments. With that, Norman invisibly looks from the outside in on the lives of three DC Megamarvels: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Each hero is trying to solve the same problem: What do you do when the world has too many heroes and villains to keep order in normal society? McCay and the Spectre watch as the three heroes develop their own strategy. Wonder Woman wants martial law; Batman wants to manipulate the heroes and villains into battling each other down; and Superman wavers between his two allies while trying to hold on the one thing that makes him a true hero: His integrity. But that virtue is challenged by increasing world violence, a group of formidable villains, and a former super ally who has his own dark destiny to follow. Many comic stories have characters as two-dimensional as the paper they're printed on. Waid and Ross work well together telling a biblical allusion that not only requires great storytelling, but also great artistry that provides the reader with powerful symbols and mystery that weaves together in a powerful tale. It will be a challenge for Elliot S! Maggins novelization of the comic series to capture everything that appeared in the four comics. That in itself makes the comics worth reading. --Rich Valentine-- --Pleasant Hill, CA--

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: The novelization that Maggin is doing is brilliant; it had to be this enormously thick hard cover prose text book, and I'm reading chapter after chapter and he's using 30% of Kingdom Come and 70% new stuff, and it's just amazing the stuff he's coming up with. So anyone that likes Kingdom Come, this is required reading

Rating:
Summary: Easily the most amazing comic book series ever made
Review: Kingdom Come is an extraordinary work of illustrated fiction, and I call it this because the term "comic book" doesn't do this masterpiece justice. The story, scripted by Mark Waid is a complete original (interpreting the Book of Revelations as a war between metahumans) and the artwork by Alex Ross is absolutely breathtaking. He paints (and redesigns for the future) nearly every DC character you can think of exactly as they would appear in the real world. The result is awesome. Probably his best work in a career that has produced nothing but greatness. The story is by no means a happy and pleasant tale, but it starts down a dark path and culminates in an incredible climax, yet despite the apocalyptic tone of the story, it ends on kind of a high note. Everyone picking up the pieces of a devestating battle and looking ahead towards a better tomorrow. Writing this powerful has seldom been equaled in a comic before (except maybe Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns) and there has never been a comic book artist with the talent of Alex Ross.

Rating:
Summary: Great Hero Book
Review: I am helping my son Billy (7) write this comment. I am torn between feeding him reading material that drives his desire to read and interesting stuff that is too old for him .... But here is his review -- "Kingdom Come is different than the other books. It is good because you get to see future versions of heroes. The star is Norman McCay and Superman at once."

Rating:
Summary: A "Comic" Story that Transcends Comics.
Review: What's wrong with "truth, justice, and the American way?" This graphic novel provides you with that answer: NOTHING! In a world where super-powered violence and self serving heroes are the order of the day, nothing is really sacred. Especially not human life. Real heroes seem long gone, and there is apparently no salvation in sight. It takes the bigger part of the Midwest being wiped out in a super-powered battle led by one of the new generation of "heroes", Magog, for Superman to decide he's seen enough.
This remarkable story by modern masters Mark Waid and Alex Ross is beyond compare.
Alex Ross illustrates heroes so real and life-like, you can almost reach out and touch them! Just like the old Christopher Reeves movies provided the definitive vision of Superman for the previous generation, Ross's Superman is the current standard. Like the cliche says, "accept no substitutes."
Waid proves here why REAL, true good triumphs over gloom-and-doom, grim-and-gritty fad heroes ANY day. If you're a Superman fan, or a fan of comics in general, then you OWE it to yourself to buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Return of the Original Supers.
Review: KINGDOM COME is a graphic novel set against the backdrop of a world in which the supers aren't all that super anymore. Superman when into self-exile years ago after the murder of his beloved Lois at the hands of the Joker. The Joker was later killed by the superhero, Magog, who leads a new band of superheroes. Magog and his crew act not only as both judge and jury, but in some cases as executioner as well; something in which Superman and his gang did everything they possibly could to stay away from. In a scene reminiscent of how WWI began, Magog and company continually become more and more aggressive in their campaign against evil doers until one day Magog wipes out almost the entire state of Kansas. After that, Wonder Woman comes knocking on Superman's door at the Fotress of Solitude and convinces him to return. He does and gathers together most of the members of the Justice League of America. The group declares an ultimatum to the new, younger superheroes (or metahumans as they are now called) that it's time the either shape up or be shipped out. A new prison is built to hold those who won't obey and soon order seems to be established upon the chaos.

Meanwhile, an elderly pastor, named Norman McCay, is having a crisis of faith when he is visited by Spectre. Spectre warns McCay of a coming crisis that will destroy not only the world, but the universe. Spectre guides McCay through the events to come, but a twist of action causes McCay to not only witness what is to occur, but actually become a crucial part of it as well.

Back with Superman. Previous to the all-out war that breaks loose after the metahuman prison is cracked open, Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor make an agreement and become partners in what appears to be the formation of a New World Order. Meanwhile, Superman is busy trying to keep things under control while struggling with the growing love and passion he feels towards Wonder Woman. You know something big has to happen.

KINGDOME COME is one of the most beautiful graphic comics I have seen. The story and illustrations truly go together and though one could exist without the other, neither is whole unless they are together. There are tons of allusions made to D.C. history, not too mention all the cultural, religious, and mythological references. Plus the book ends on a very promising proposition and one that deserves to be explored more thoroughly.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!!
Review: Where do I start?....This is the best thing I have read since Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis AND THAT WAS ALL A TRUE STORY!! This is the best thing that has happened to Comics since the Dark knight Returns just every page is incredible from the amazing art to the awesome story-line I have been a huge DC fan for awhile now but I never really thought much for superman untill I read this masterpiece. if you like comic books and you dont have this graphic novel you are a liar you dont like comics at all I would give this book a 5 if it didnt have any words just the art is soooo good but they added an awesome story to it so a 5 just isnt saying enough the only thing I was dissapointed in just a little bit was not enough Batman but Its not really his story so cant say much

Rating:
Summary: Buy it! A modern classic!
Review: Honestly, I bought it for the art initially but found the story
good (not great as Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns).

I read Maggin's novelization first and I'm glad I did because
it completed some "gaps" in the graphic novel.

But some of the other readers are right, you need to know a lot
about the other DC characters and their background stories to
fully appreciate this book. I can the same the same for DDKR
(i.e. what's the animosity between Green Arrow and Superman?).

I couldn't help the feeling that the so-called meta-humans are
euphemisms for Marvel's more violent mutant heroes :)