The Wolf Beneath the Tree

Mike Carey, Lucifer: The Wolf Beneath the Tree (Vertigo, 2005) And so the Lucifer endgame begins. We veer back around to the Norse mythology which both Gaiman and Carey touched on at various times throughout Sandman and Lucifer, but it seems that Fenris, the great Norse wolf, will play a much larger role in the end of the world than we might have previously guessed. Up to the standards of the rest of the series, which is to say, it ain't Sandman, but it's the best of the spinoffs. ****

This issue is the start of the final story arc that brings the complete end of the universe as we know it and very fittingly Mike Carey shows both the dark side of the female (Lilith and later as a little vignette Bet Jogie) and the ultimate force of destruction that is in stark contrast to Neil Gaimans Destruction. Also very fittingly, Lucifer himself has to change in a profound way and give up his completely narcissistic attitude i.e.: he starts to care about the rest of the universe and not only about himself. Because of the thorougly dark view on all things (the only comparable point in the story so far was when Carey showed Lucifer's true nature in the fate of the two teenagers that managed to get inside Lux at the end of the third volume) this volume will surely disappoint some readers. But those who keep an open mind will be rewarded in the later volumes (Crux, Morningstar, Evensong). The overall mood of this volume also explains the stand-alone story about a punk-rocker that fits much better in the this volume that it would have fit in the previous one, i.e.: in the order the stories were published originally. A work of art. Five stars.

This installment of the Lucifer graphic novels has a little bit of everyhting. A flashback including the origins of Mazikeen, a dinner with Destiny, Ragnarok, a resolution of sorts between Michael and Lucifer and a cliffhanger. There is one nonessential side story that is still very well done. The writing is excellent although some of the art is inconsistent in quality. This series continues to amaze as it builds towards a conclusion.