Hey, do you remember Jonah Carlyle? You know, the guy who attempted to take control of the Carlyle family and tried to kill Forever? It’s been a while since we last saw him almost year ago in Lazarus #4, but we finally get to find out what happened to him in this standalone issue. Is it good?
Lazarus #10 (Image Comics)
Jonah Carlyle has escaped from his family and reached the Mississippi River border. There, he crosses the river and enters Hock Family territory, a family who used to be allies with the Carlyle’s a long time ago. He is planning to offer up secrets about the family to the clan leader, Jacob Hock, in return for asylum, but his time there will be anything but pleasant.
I don’t know why I even suggested it in the first place.
This issue does three very important things: 1) It sets the stage for the next arc, Conclave; 2) it finally follows up on whatever happened to Jonah; and 3) it does get into some important world building, looking into another family’s territory and how its citizens live. The comic covers all of these points and it does so fairly well, keeping you interested and curious for the next arc.
Besides those points, there really isn’t much here to talk about since most of the issue is pretty decompressed and most of the story progression takes place in the last third of the book. Most of the decompression is used to show what the government under the Hock family’s control is like (reminds me a bit of 1984 and a few other stories of that ilk), which does help keep things interesting and prevents the decompression from feeling like padding. The book really flies by during these parts, however, making it a fairy quick read. The final third is pretty engaging once the story really kicks in and we see Jonah’s fate and how things are being set up for next time. Like I said, it does grab your attention and build excitement for next time.
Sorry sir, we don’t believe in boats.
Rucka’s writing is of course very strong. The the new villains’ characterizations and establishing how their world works is done rather well. Jonah himself, our focus for the issue, is not particularly interesting and is really just a means to an end, mostly being used as a plot point to get the story started for next time. He’s definitely got his own character to him, but it’s not enough that it’ll make you care about the guy. The dialogue is pretty good, helping flesh out these characters more and making them feel more alive. The pacing is fast, helping make the book go by quicker. The ending is pretty solid and well done also.
The artwork, like with the writing, is just as good. While the usual praises stand (great coloring, good characters, and decent layouts), the best part of the book has to ne the settings in this particular arc. You really get a good sense of the surroundings and what the Hock family’s world is really like, especially with the shot of Manhattan and inside of the holding facilities they own. It really does make you want to see more of this part of the world.
Is It Good?
Lazarus #10 is a stepping stone and necessary setup issue to get the ball rolling for the next arc. It goes by quickly, but it leaves a big impression and gets you hyped for the next arc to see the fallout from this issue happen. It’s not as exciting as other issues are in the series, but it’s still one you shouldn’t miss.
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