Rating: 
Summary: "an anger that would make the devil himself cower"
Review: This book is one of the coolest graphic novels I have ever seen.I just saw this in a bookstore and flipped through it,read a little and I was hooked, it is that good of a story.At the end, when Captain Marvel detonated that bomb,and Superman unleashed that anger that would "make the devil himself cower,"oh man, that was awesome.I reccomend this book for anyone, if not for the story, then for the art.READ THIS BOOK!!!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Graphic novel
Review: As a new fan to this story line I was engrossed in this book. The art was 2nd to none and the paper/color quality insures this book will stick around for a while in it's original beauty. I want MORE!
Rating:
Summary: Artistic and Narrative Masterpiece
Review: The artistic efforts of Alex Ross, and the storytelling of Mark Waid, have taken the comic book, or graphic novel if you will, to new heights. Yes characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Batman seem to be superhuman, if not God like, as they do in most other comics, but the prose and artistry of "Kingdom Come" truly impart to these figures of Americana a humanity seldom seen in comics. It is this humanity that allows the mature mind to be drawn into this world of fiction and still be as enchanted by it as they were when they read comics as a younger person. Much of this allure of "Kingdom Come" has to be credited to Alex Ross whose artwork has to be far and above the best in the comic book industry. To be honest the only reason why I was attracted to "Kingdom Come" was because of the breathtaking illustrations provided by Ross's deft hands. The first adjective that anyone would use to describe his method of illustration is realistic. Yet this comment alone does not do it justice. His work is much akin to the photo-realism of American painters such as Norman Rockwell and yet it mirrors the heroic, almost deifying aura, one would see in the religious paintings of the Baroque and Classical periods. His depiction of superheroes walks the thin line between portraying them graphically as human and yet at the same time as almost Godlike. His characters are anatomically proportional, with perfect symmetry, which is to be expected since Ross insists on using real life models as aids to help him illustrate - a testament to his meticulous attention to detail. The heroes' skin is supple, their hair is soft, and every sinew and striation can be seen with crystal clarity without need for the embellishment that is so commonplace in comic books today. Ross's paintings show that heroes can look larger than life without looking grotesquely muscular and hideously defined. He demonstrates that heroines can be sensual and retain the look of supernatural strength without having the silicon infested plastic out of proportion endowments of Barbie or Pamela Anderson. One is flabbergasted when one views "Kingdom Come" because one comes to the realization that this attention to detail and realism is contained within every cell of this 200 plus page graphic novel! "Kingdom Come" is worth purchasing just as a piece of artwork. Ross does more than merely illustrate realistic, seemingly touchable renderings of our favorite DC icons, he provides great emotional depth to them as well, a depth that cannot be fully realized with the stylized approach of most comic book illustration. His liberal use of tonal colors, from luscious hues to foreboding shadows, and his ability to situate characters and pose them perfectly exudes the temperament of the character and overall mood of the story at that time. His illustrations thereby become the primary vehicle that propels the story along, both driving the plot and providing character development. One can almost get the gist of the story without having words on the page. Mark Waid's excellent dialogue merely reinforces the point being made by Ross's illustration. This is the way comic books should be drawn and written. Most comic books have it the other way around where the words drive the story and the images merely becoming the icing on the cake. If the distinguishing factor between comics and other works of fiction is that it is pictorial story telling, shouldn't the images bear the brunt of the responsibility to convey the story to the audience?
Waid's story is one concerning the status of old time heroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Captain Marvel and how the virtues they embody are being slowly relegated to obsolescence by a world, driven by desperation at the perceived failure of traditional superheroes, that has put its faith in a new breed of superheroes who are Machiavellian and ruthless in their approach to seeking justice. Ultimately, this misguided faith in the new line of superheroes could be humanity's undoing, unless the older generation of superheroes, headed by a guilt ridden, emotionally broken Superman, endeavor to save humanity from their treachery. Yet as Superman and his team of heroes start to bring order, the extent to which things have gone awry due to the exploits of the new generation of superheroes, will drive Superman and his ilk to institute tactics that are just as extreme as those they seek to thwart. Hence, a nuclear apocalyptic scenario ensues pitting superheroes against a people they swore to protect. The entire narrative is structured to be seen through the eyes of a preacher who himself embodies many of the shortcomings of humanity. He, just as much as the human race, vests too much faith in things outside of himself, and seeks to find answers to life's ills in everything external to him. The eventual result of this mentality will be a life of misery and servitude to either fear or others who seek to impose moral order on you. The only reasonable approach to finding resolutions to conflicts is to look within yourself. In that sense "Kingdom Come" is very humanistic. Yet "Kingdom Come" does not seek to purely subvert the efficacy of faith in higher powers, whether they be in the form of superheroes or God, where in this story superheroes are clearly analogous to God. No, "Kingdom Come" does not aim to marginalize faith but strives to convey the idea that faith rooted appropriately in higher beings will result in bringing out the best in you so that you can solve problems on your own. Pray to God for strength to be a better person, look to superheroes as moral beacons, but don't ever think that merely beseeching either is the solution to life's problems. "Kingdom Come" is the ideal amalgamation of outstanding artistic craftsmanship, wonderful character driven storytelling, and morality tale that has probably ever graced the stands of comic book stores.
Rating: 
Summary: What if Superman gave up?
Review: What if Superman quit? What if people got tired of him because he didn't kill super villains? "Kingdom Come" answers these questions in a excellent way. We see a glimpse of a dark future where cruel nearly Psychotic new super heroes take Superman's place with tragic results. We see a future where Batman is a little more corrupt and we see a future where Super heroes are feared as much as super villains. Kingdom Come is really about the difference that just one can make. It is also about the corruption that power can give you. It is a beautiful story about a man (Superman) who loses contact with everything that has made him identify with the humans that he helps. It really makes you think about the kind of man Superman is and it really gives you a good understanding of what it takes to truly be a hero and make a difference. The art is beautiful and the story is amazing. I don't really like DC comics but I love this book. Buy it if you like Superman or buy it if you just love comics in general. It is also good for people that don't like comics. They will enjoy it as well.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Superhero Civil War
Review: If all graphic novels were this good, "comic book character" wouldn't be a putdown. The characters have internal conflicts and motivations which are recognizably human (or metahuman). Because the artwork is painted, you can actually look at it over and over again just to appreciate Alex Ross' brushwork. Yes, the story is rather dark and not for everyone. But at least it shows violence with consequences, not just Biff! Bam! and my personal favorite, Oooooof! Call it the "Unforgiven" of the comic book genre.
Rating:
Summary: The Iliad of DC Comics
Review: In 1996, DC Comics created comic book history by publishing a four-issue mini-series called "Kingdom Come". Written by Mark Waid, Alex Ross and Todd Klein and lavishly painted by Alex Ross, "Kingdom Come" is based loosely on Ragnarok, the Nordic prophecy concerning the twilight of the gods. It is DC Comics' magnum opus of such grand proportions that one can almost imagine it being sung by Homer to an enthralled audience of ancient Greeks. This edition is a reprint of the mini-series, with the addition of an epilogue not found in the original series. "Kingdom Come" poses the question of what happens to ageing superheroes when a new generation of younger superheroes eschew their old brand of heroism with one that is much more aggressively "proactive". This certainly strikes a chord with current events - how far will the coalition of the willing go in the war against terrorism before the very rights and freedoms that we are supposed to be defending get trampled in our headlong rush into war? "Kingdom Come" is set a couple of decades in the future of the DC Universe. Superman has retired into a life of seclusion in the South Pole after the death of his beloved Lois Lane. The other superheroes of his era soon follow as the public becomes increasingly disillusioned with their unwillingness to take justice into their own hands in the face of increasingly homicidal villains. A new generation of superheroes with no such qualms has arisen, winning accolades from the public for their willingness to wage outright war on the villains. Without the guiding hands of the older superheroes, things soon degenerate into anarchy as the line between heroism and villainy becomes blurred with innocent lives increasingly caught in between. The entire state of Kansas is destroyed in one such cataclysmic battle, prompting Wonder Woman to persuade Superman to come out of retirement in order to rein in the younger generation and to set things right. They convince other older superheroes to come out of retirement, and together, the former Justice Leaguers start to round up the recalcitrant younger superheroes and villains who refuse to join their cause to rebuild world order. Wonder Woman, who has been expelled from Paradise Island for her failure to spread the peaceful ideals of the Amazons, has lost much of her faith in humanity. Against Superman's wishes, she proposes the building of a huge gulag to hold any superpowered person who refuses to surrender to the new world order. However, some of the other older superheroes, like Batman, have learned over the years to deal with the chaos in their own ways and are suspicious of the police-state that will result from Wonder Woman's plans. Older supervillains like Lex Luthor too have their own agendas for undermining the new world order. When the superpowered prisoners finally break out of the gulag, an increasingly terrified United Nations hatches a horrific plan to exterminate all superpowered persons - heroes and villains alike. A battle of epic proportions erupts as friends become foes in a four-sided war that may well have no winners. Can Superman end the madness before justice and freedom are irredeemably lost? Apart from the complex but moving plot, Alex Ross' visually stunning art is what makes this DC epic shine. His superheroes are modelled on real people, which is why they look so alive and believable. The panels are almost like video captures of some spectacular special effects extravaganza. Grab a copy and keep this history-making epic in your library. Five stars and two thumbs up.
Rating:
Summary: "But God never accounted for the mighty."
Review: Kingdom Come is, as noted in other reviews, one of those seminal superhero books that both longtime readers and newer fans recommend unreservedly, like Moore's Swamp Thing, The Dark Knight Returns, and Watchmen. What separates this book from the others is the nature of the story's appeal; while the other books are forward-looking, trying to come up with new ways to tell comic book stories, Kingdom Come is primarily a nostalgic work, the most fun for people who yearn for the old DC Universe, a gentler place, without the starkness and horror found in the above-mentioned works. Ross's art is not new; it is an almost worshipful homage to Dave Fleischer, Neal Adams, and a host of other talents whose virtues Ross glamorizes with his marvelous, photo-real watercolors. The story is good, solid dystopian sci-fi stuff, and is ultimately about Superman, and the choices he has to make as someone who is forever an outsider. It's very good, and it's well worth the reading. Groundbreaking? Nah. But who says that's the only mark of a classic? Rather than attempt to do something new and unusual, Waid and Ross do something old and classic in a uniquely appealing way, and their story is fun, dramatic, and pulpy in the best sense of the word, proving that some things in the superhero genre ain't broke after all.
Rating: 
Summary: VERY OVERRATED
Review: KINGDOM COME IS ALWAYS UP THERE WITH ALL THE GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS LISTS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU ALWAYS READ OR HEAR ABOUT WATCHMEN, DARK KNIGHT RETURN, SANDMAN,PREACHER ETC.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL AT ALL.
THE WRITING IS ALRIGHT MOST OF THE TIME, BUT THEN THERE ARE PLACES WHERE IT'S REALLY TRYING TO BE TOO DRAMATIC, AND THE RESULT IS USUALLY A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.
SO, IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND YOU WANT EVERY CLASSIC OF THE COMIC BOOK MEDIUM ON YOUR BOOKSHELF, I SUPPOSE YOU'LL BUY IT ANYWAY, AND I DONT BLAME YOU. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU ONLY LOOK FOR TOP QUALITY AND THE BEST OF THE BEST OF COMIC BOOKS, I SUGGEST YOU SKIP IT AND STICK TO MAUS, JIMMY CORRIGAN, AND OF COURSE WATCHMEN.
Rating:
Summary: incredible artwork showcases mature superheroes
Review: I used to read a lot of comic books and have only just recently started reading them again. Right away, I heard about Kingdom Come as a great graphic novel, so of course I picked it up -- and was definitely blown away. The basic story revolves around the retirement of the older generation of superheroes and the rise of a new generation that doesn't have the same moral compass. Superman has retired to a farm after he becomes disillusioned with humans' supporting the flashier but less ethical metahumans, and now Wonder Woman has come to ask him to get involved again and help tame the ne'er-do-wells. At the same time, Batman and Superman renew an old animosity, and many many superheroes make appearances, especially in the climactic battle between the good guys and the bad. The story is very good, but it's Alex Ross's artwork that is the star here. His rendering of the older superheroes is brilliant (Superman looks awesome), and the color is bright and bold. (Personally, I don't like comics that are so dark that you can barely see what's going on -- I like the mood but I want to see the details too.) The font is clean and the panel configurations are creative. I liked the introduction by Elliot Maggin, who was writing the novelization of Kingdom Come at the time, and I especially enjoyed the follow-up material: sketches of major characters; id's of 105 (!) superheroes depicted in the novel; 2 pages about the development of a sequence, with facsimiles of the script, a photo reference, rough thumbnail sketches, pencil artwork and the finished art; and original artwork created for a t-shirt, comic covers, collection cards, books and posters. Alex Ross even identified a number of his friends and relatives who inspired various character depictions. This is a gorgeous graphic novel with a very interesting premise and fun extras. I think this would appeal to young and old comic book fans, or anyone wanting to see a classic in the graphic novel format. Sweet.
Rating: 
Summary: Looks good, reads poorly
Review: Kingdom come is a story of Heroes coming out of retirement and cleaning up the new heroes of today. I imagine that on some level this book is refering to the "grim and gritty" period that took place after Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns, there is even a picture of "Under the Mask" in a shop window to prove it. Fine, I can see why someone would want to make that point, it is reasonably valid. However, the majority of the book seemed pointless to me. For one, I am sick of comics quoting revelations, it is the most over-quoted book in the bible, and most theologians don't even take the book seriously. Two, and this is important to me, the ending stinks like no other I have ever seen in a comic. Batman and Superman, as is established early on, hate each other, or at least refuse to work together. All of a sudden they not only get along, and are willing to help each other, but they hug. This was unbelievable and incredibly sappy. Batman is presented in the worst possible light. I don't know why this book is taken so seriously, sure it is layered. But anybody with half a brain can add referecnes to a story to make it look intelligent. The art, although very realistic, is dull to me. There is nothing left to imagine, all the work is done for me. I feel like I'm watching a bad T.V. show as a result. I know that it will continue to be famous amongst comic fans but I do not recomend this book at all unless you just want to see pretty panels, which this book has in abundance. If you like the story here then read Astro City, Confession instead, it has much more to offer.
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