Rating: 
Summary: A near perfect masterpiece
Review: Writer Mark Waid (Flash, Impulse), and superb artist Alex Ross (Marvels, Earth X) joined forces for this DC Comics Elseworlds extravaganza. In a dark future (then again what else is there in the DC universe?), Superman is in self imposed exile, Wonder Woman is a disgrace to her people, and Batman sits in his cave wearing an exoskeleton just to be able to walk. Years before a new race of super heroes had risen; a more savage and destructive force who cared not much for truth and justice and were over the borderline that seperates right and wrong. Now, the heroes of old (Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkman, and many others) return to try to make a difference again, to try to be heroes. All this is seen from the perspective of a man named Norman McCay, a holy man who is on the verge of losing his faith. Waid's storytelling is compelling, and Ross' art is (naturally) superb, but now and then the action can get befuddled and the reader won't always be sure what is going on. Not to mention that Kingdom Come's underlying theme based on the existence of God is something we've all heard and seen before and really don't need to read about again, but all that aside, Kingdom Come is a fantastic graphic novel. I for one love the portrayal of Bruce Wayne, now a disenchanted and cynical (well, now more than before) shell of the man he used to be, and his dialogue is great as well. All in all, fans of any DC Comic or even Alex Ross' unique art should definitely pick up Kingdom Come.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Elseworlds EVER!!!!
Review: Similar to what was done in Frank Miller's stunning Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come depicts a dark future for the DC Universe characters. Batman is crippled, Superman has retired, Green Arrow is an amputee and Captain Marvel seems to have gone nuts, etc.
In addition to all their personal problems, the older generation of heroes now has to condend with a new, more violent breed of superhero which threatens the very people its supposed to protect.
What follows is a clash of ideologies between the Superman group and the Batman group who can't agree how to handle the situation. This results in some very interesting alliances and battles. Without giving anything away, the story ends in a climactic showdown and an outcome that truly took me by surprise.
Alex Ross's art is stunning and will have the hairs on your arms standing at some moments. Truly breathtaking artwork.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Book
Review: Kingdom Come can feel a bit opaque at times if you are not an avid comic book fan. I don't feel that it had the same accessability as The Watchmen. But it still stands on its own as an intersting, creative and most of all beautiful example of the graphic novel genre.The panels are beautifully realized, drawn and painted. It is unlike most comic books or graphic novels in its presentation. It's almost worth buying just to look through its art. If you're interested in graphic novels, but are only a dabbler in the drawn universes that they present, this is a pretty good starting place.
Rating: 
Summary: Superior craftsmanship
Review: Ross' handling of figures tends to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, his craftsmanship is superior and his compositions rival those of any great cinematographer's. On the other hand, the marriage of near-photorealistic technique and the superhero genre doesn't always mix well. Its hard to think of Batman, Superman and Co. as fully-realized three dimensional forms when the works of Frank Miller,. Tim Sale, and others have allowed for the reader's imagination to fill in blanks through their less-realistic styles. Thankfully, there's enough room within the comic medium to allow for this work to shine when its at its best. While the writing is imaginative and thought-provoking, it leaves some gaps in key areas particularly in Batman's involovment with Lex Luthor. The battle scene at the climax is where the writing and artwork truly come to form. Also interesting is the critique of contemporary culture and eenui which makes superheroes and the human population mutually disinterested in one another. That the conclusion of the novel takes place in a 'Planet Hollywood/Hard Rock' parody based on superheroes is fitting indeed. A nice sentimental trip for those wanting to revisit characters from their youth as well as an interesting take on classic characters and an often repetitive genre.
Rating:
Summary: Mark Waid is not a writer
Review: This guy is getting a free ride in my humble opinion. Alex Ross creates a wonderful world here, even if some of his character designs aren't great. There isn't much of a story being told, but it sure is reverent and pretentious...
Rating:
Summary: What if Superman retired?
Review: Following the success of WATCHMEN and DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, the comics of the 1990s saw a surge in "grim n' gritty" characters, were superheroes played by the villains' rules.
KINGDOM COME tells the tale of the future of the DC Universe, were Superman retired to his Artic haven after the citizens of his adopted planet saw his code of ethics outdated and chose the Joker-murdering metahuman, Magog and his ilk over the man of steel. All of Superman's generation have fallen from the pantheon in the decade since his departure from society; the reclusive Batman has turned Gotham into a policestate using robots to enforce his brand of law; Green Lantern has created a small nation that orbits the earth; the Flash has become a force of nature, patrolling Keystone City like a vigilante whirlwind.
Since the demise of the Justice League, the new breed of violent superheroes has wiped out the existence of supervillains, and instead they fight each other out of bordem, with no regard to human life seeing themselves as the supreme being.
Only a handful of villains have survived the onslaught, led by Lex Luthor, they possess the world's most mightiest mortal, a brainwashed Captain Marvel.
After a Sept. 11-size disaster (and this was written in 1996) caused by Magog's wrecklessness, Superman comes out of retirement to rebuild the Justice League and restore sanity to the world. But not everyone shares his dream, including Batman.
This current of events leads the omnipotent Spectre comes to a distraught pastor, Norman McCay, who must make the judgement of that will either wipe out mankind, or it's superhuman counterpart.
Where MARVELS told the tale of a man weaving through the history of Marvel Comics, KINGDOM COME chronicles the extinction for one of the earth's dominant species - a choice only a pastor who lost his faith can make.
Rating:
Summary: Armageddon has arrived.
Review: This is a tale of biblical proportions, as should be expected of a book that starts with the Revelation of Saint John. Here the DC universe, the DC mythos, reaches it's full maturity. Even the fully painted illustrations are worthy of a book of sacred myth. That is what this is, really, a retelling of eternal myth through the comic book universe of DC comics. Joseph Campbell would have had no trouble seeing a coherent narative here, even if some readers do not.
We start out with a world where the offspring of yesterday's heroes are running wild, destroying the earth and the human spirit, with total disregard for right and wrong, or the human race. At most they pay lip service to such things. This is an echo of the Nephilim, the offspring of angels and the daughters of men, who ran wild in the world with complete disregard for the same things. They were destroyed by flood, here, the judgement is with fire. Of course, there are also echoes of our own world- the powerful and beautiful running wild, enjoying and enriching themselves, with no concern for the common man. Strange how ancient "mythical" themes tend to resonate over and over in the "real" world....
Yet, this doesn't go unnoticed by God, or at least one earthly aspect of God, the Spectre. He makes it known to a simple pastor that judgement will come, and it will be through the guidance of such a common man that it will be decided.
You have the archetypical hero, Superman, rejected by a public who prefers the tin-plated idol Magog, and vengeance, over Truth and Justice. When he returns to the world, it is no longer as the inspiration for Truth and Justice, but instead as enforcer and jailkeeper in a world that no longer values such ideals.
You even have the "godman" savior here, Captain Marvel, who gives his life in supreme sacrifice....
There are some I am sure that will be offended by the use of such sacred themes in a "mere comic book." However, these themes are not cheapened or exploited here. If anything, they are handled with respect and taste- while brought alive to an audience that would have otherwise perhaps not have contemplated them.
Rating: 
Summary: don't expect a coherent story
Review: Because there isn't one. While I've liked Alex Ross' work in other books, I found it fairly mundane in this. It wasn't bad. It simply wasn't memorable. And there are several artistic choices along the way that I vehemently disagreed with (like Superman's gray hair). If the artwork had been fabulous then perhaps it could have made up for the complete lack of a compelling story. Instead the reader is treated to page after page of deus ex machina. Who is the narrator and why do we even need him? Why does the Avenging Angel say that the narrator must pass judgment when it is really Captain Marvel who holds the decision in his hands? Why are we supposed to think that even if all of the metahumans are obliterated in Kansas another generation won't rise in the future and cause the same problems? Why do all of the other "good" superheroes run away and hide just because Superman does? The dialogue and plotting is trite. If you worship Alex Ross then you'll probably get this despite my negative recommendation. Obviously other people have enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: Ross and Waid explore DC's future
Review: After depicting the Marvel Universe's past with 1994's four-part miniseries, Marvels, unrivaled comicbook painter, Alex Ross, sent his sights on the DC Universe's future with 1996's Kingdom Come. During the making of Marvels, Mr. Ross began drawing sketches and plotting an ambitious storyline, incorporating the lives of such heroes as Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonderwoman and The Green Lantern a few decades hence. Mark Waid, the author who was wowing readers with his tight, character-centered approach on series such as The Flash, Impulse and Captain America, was hired to add depth and structure to Mr. Ross' vision. The project is a personal best for both of these tremendously talented men. It is obvious that Mr. Waid underwent extensive contemplation of each character's defining traits (Wonderwoman's fierceness and arrogance, Batman's cynicism and shrewdness, Superman's uprightness and reflective nature) and how they should clash with one another. The plot starts as the tale of a group of old-fashioned and slightly washed-up heroes gathering together to discipline the current super powered population but it is evident that each strong character soon pulled the plot in its most seemingly natural directions. Once again, Mr. Waid proved his ability to completely open-up each character's heart and allow them to lead the way. With personalities as strong as these iconic heroes budging his pen, Kingdom Come is the most vibrant and powerful story he has ever written. Mr. Ross also rises to a new prime (as impossible as that would seem considering what a spectacular feat Marvels was). His facial expressions are more commanding than ever before. Words are hardly needed to feel the Superman's sadness and apprehension or Batman's craftiness and self-assurance. It is all in each character's eyes. His use of light and colors has also improved. The jade aura of The Green Lantern's spaceship and the fluid sunniness of the artificial farm within Superman's Fortress of Solitude are absolutely jaw dropping. And his realism and attention to detail have actually progressed a hair since Marvels. Mr. Waid and Mr. Ross created a stunning work with Kingdom Come. The plot is almost biblical, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous and the characters are so powerful that they seem to throb from behind the pages. Kingdom Come is an epic comicbook story crafted almost perfectly.
Rating:
Summary: what would happen if Superman abandoned Earth
Review: the title explains it all. Kingdom Come is a story about what would happen to Earth if Superman had abandoned it. the results were not pretty. Following through the story by the witness who recieved his visions from the dying Sandman he is taking The Spector to the time of Judgement. In the mean time we see the return of the JLA, Batmans unlikely alliance, and War amongst the Metahumans. this is a powerful tale. Very dark and brooding, with an allstar cast of DC characters. Each playing a key role in this tale. This is a tale worth owning. I first read this and vowed to buy it. It is truely worth owning one way or another.
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