Lazarus #17 Review

Written by: Greg Rucka

Art by: Michael Lark

Publisher: Image

With Lazarus #17, we truly see the war beginning unfolding. We’re dropped into the action (presumably) a few weeks or months into the conflict, following a group of Carlyle soldiers. What starts as a personal story quickly pulls out, giving Lazarus a sense of scale it’s never had before. Which is pretty sweet, but it’s not really the focus of this issue. As per usual, there’s a lot going on in the world of Lazarus. Issue 17 is exciting, that’s for sure, but it does spend most of its time introducing plot threads and settling in for what will undoubtedly be a fairly long story.

Now, I feel like I say this at the beginning of every arc of Lazarus, but I’m going to say it again: it’s really hard to critique the fact that this issue is largely set up when everything about it is so amazing. This book has consistently been among, if not the, best books coming out of any publisher, and everything that has elevated it to that status is present in this issue. Dynamic characters, both new and old, some of the best world building in literature, and stellar artwork, are, as usual, praise that can be thrown upon this issue.

Unfortunately, there’s not much of the dynamic between the Lazari that elevated the Conclave arc to new heights for the series, though Sonja Bittner is around briefly. Fortunately, there seems to be a replacement for them in the form of the Anvils, a group of Carlyle soldiers. What brief team dynamic that was established between them in this issue is something that I fully expect Rucka to capitalize on in further issues. In terms of this issue, it’s very much used as a way to introduce these characters, and give this arc a more human tether, which is commendable.

This issue also introduces another new character, Michael Barrett, a student at Stanford University. Which, I guess, still exists, even in this dystopian world. Michael seems to be somehow connected to Corporal Solomon, the leader of the Anvils. Like her, and the rest of the team, Michael only gets a passing introduction, with a couple lines of exposition. Fortunately, this exposition feels natural, and the lines are more character development than throwaway lines to explain away certain elements of his characterization.

Michael Lark’s art is, as usual, a sight to behold. Every aspect of it looks great, from the characters to the weather to the environments. In addition to being a joy to look at, it also serves as a storytelling tool. Lark’s art informs how each of the characters are read, and is employed perfectly to set the tone for the book. It also is used to flesh out the world further, giving readers an insight into how certain aspects of the world work.

All of this comes together to create a stunning package. At this point, if you aren’t reading Lazarus, I don’t know what to tell you aside from screaming at you to go out and buy all of it. And, if you are reading Lazarus, issue #17 won’t break the streak of amazing comics you’ve been reading.