Lazarus (2013) #13

It’s a decent issue, but not one with much content. Most of the politicking takes place off page and Rucka even turns the cliffhanger resolution into an expository recap. He does it to show Forever’s burgeoning romance with one of the other Lazari, which is good from the character development standpoint… Only it’s all Rucka really does this issue.

He ends on a setup for what’s next–and I really hope this issue’s developments for Forever (friends, family, romantic interests) aren’t just fodder for later conflicts–but nothing really happens. Lark doesn’t get much to draw; three pages of Forever and her romantic interest’s flirtations and petting seems like a combination waste of pages and of Lark’s talents. Talking heads with one or two lines a panel….

Still, Rucka has a good amount of steam on Lazarus and it gets through. Forever’s a fantastic protagonist, even in a dull entry.

Lazarus 13 (November 2014)

Still, Rucka has a good amount of steam on Lazarus and it gets through. Forever’s a fantastic protagonist, even in a dull entry.

CREDITS

Conclave, Part Three; writer, Greg Rucka; artists, Michael Lark and Tyler Boss; colorist, Santiago Arcas; letterer, Jodi Wynne; editor, David Brothers; publisher, Image Comics.

Lazarus (2013) #12

If you had told me twelve issues in, Lazarus would be a comic I just had to read first the week it came out, I never would have believed it. You can go back and read the rather negative posts about the first five issues.

But Rucka has found the series. Especially with this arc about the political intrigue with the families; it’s a little soapier and a little showier, but it works out beautifully. He gives Lark the most basic action–the Lazari sparring with each other in the gym–but then gives him some great talking heads and a grand ball to render. Lark does a fantastic job.

The change in the comic seems to be from Rucka’s concentration on the intrigue–and Forever’s character development–instead of him having to guide the reader’s judgment with the families. Or something. Who knows. Who cares. It’s an excellent comic.

Lazarus (2013) #11

Not a torture issue, thank goodness; instead it's a Lazarus issue with a lot of well-done political intrigue. There's not a lot of fighting, but there are some stylized stand-offs. Lark can do talking heads, he can do stand-offs. The issue's the perfect medium grade Lark–he's not stretching, but he's surpassing all goals.

Rucka gets to do political plotting related to the previous issue–the torture one–but also back to the first story arc. All of those awkward opening issues with too much melodrama have laid the groundwork for Rucka to get creative with his storytelling. His requirements are a lot different now.

There's some good character stuff with Forever, which has been a long time coming. She's slowly becoming a worthwhile protagonist instead of just an interesting character.

Lazarus has been on slow burn but it's starting to get downright reliable issue after issue. It's very solid work from Rucka.

Lazarus (2013) #10

It's a torture issue. Sure, it's a torture issue where the guy getting tortured is an odious previous villain in Lazarus, but it's still a torture issue.

What's most surprising about it is Lark sticking on the art for what's essentially a done-in-one fill-in type issue. The rogue son of the main family goes off to another family–who are based in New York City, which gives Lark a chance to do something like Escape from New York for a bit and it's awesome–and it's his bad time trying to defect.

Rucka uses the issue to establish how the world works outside the family he's used to dealing with and to setup either the next story arc or the next few story arcs.

The issue moves a little too fast, but the Lark New York scenes make up for it in art, and the resolution is a decent surprise.

It's fine.

Lazarus (2013) #9

You know, I can’t remember the last time I’ve liked a comic plot–along with how things turn out for the characters–but not liked the comic itself. Until today.

Rucka has been making leaps and bounds improvements with Lazarus and they sort of culminate here… at least in terms of character development. The lousy narrative structure of this issue? It’s a regression. It’s practically an all action issue, but not really. Rucka opens with a sword duel flashback and it’s pretty art from Lark but it’s not worth the pages. Those pages would have been better spent towards the end in the present action, making the action scenes there resonate better.

There’s also the missed opportunity to better bring together the arc’s various characters.

Again, it’s a fulfilling issue for a reader in terms of narrative progression, it’s just a mess of a comic. Very awkward to talk about.

Lazarus (2013) #8

Rucka shows all the subplots coming together at the end of the issue for the soft cliffhanger. It’s not particularly dramatic stuff; the connection is contrived, which is okay because Lazarus is kind of a big soap opera. The kids hating their rich father is enough to make it a soap opera. Through in an “adopted” genetically engineered sibling and it’s even bigger.

There are some problems with how long this arc is going. Hopefully it’s only another issue. A lot has happened but most of the events just rearranged things. Rucka’s still coasting on some of the more effective events, kind of zooming downhill on that momentum to get him to the finale.

Nothing much happens. It’s filler, except the linking of the story lines. But it’s still good enough. Even with Lark’s art falling off a bit, especially on faces. They look way too hurried.

But steady on.

Lazarus 8 (April 2014)

Nothing much happens. It’s filler, except the linking of the story lines. But it’s still good enough. Even with Lark’s art falling off a bit, especially on faces. They look way too hurried.

But steady on.

CREDITS

Lift, Part Four; writer, Greg Rucka; artists and letterers, Michael Lark and Brian Level; colorist, Santiago Arcas; editor, David Brothers; publisher, Image Comics

Lazarus (2013) #7

Even though there’s a rather emotional turn of events this issue–Rucka and Lark pace the sequence perfectly–there’s almost a genial quality to this issue of Lazarus. As genial as a comic where the opening scene is a flashback to Forever getting caned as a child.

But that genial quality, along with an odd sense of wonderment in the soft cliffhanger, are worrisome for the arc. Not terribly worrisome, just a bit. Rucka can either reward the reader or be honest to the story. While reading the issue, these concerns don’t come up. Only afterwards.

The stuff with the peasant family trying to make it to the opportunity to better themselves is good. Maybe a little too much tugging on the heartstrings but no worse than any number of Westerns.

Forever, in the modern day, is investigating a terror cell. It’s practically the B plot, but engaging.

Lazarus’s stride is continuing.

Lazarus 7 (March 2014)

The stuff with the peasant family trying to make it to the opportunity to better themselves is good. Maybe a little too much tugging on the heartstrings but no worse than any number of Westerns.

Forever, in the modern day, is investigating a terror cell. It’s practically the B plot, but engaging.

Lazarus’s stride is continuing.

CREDITS

Lift, Part Three; writer, Greg Rucka; artists and letterers, Michael Lark and Brian Level; colorist, Santiago Arcas; editor, David Brothers; publisher, Image Comics.