Mylique Sutton
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Superman in Kingdom Come a world where they would no longer be the victims of elaborate schemes orchestrated by supervillians who need the pain of others to bring a crooked smile to their disfigured faces.
They envision a world where such men would be killed in cold blood for death can hold a man like no prison or asylum ever could.
They should have been careful what they wished for.
Such is the premise of Kingdom Come, a graphic novel by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, where the heroes of yesteryear have stepped down at the request of the people who claim that if the likes of Superman and Batman won't set aside their moral codes to get the results they want, then they'll find someone who will.
The people find that savior in Magog, a metahuman who takes over the job of Superman and the rest of the Justice League, and he promises the people that death will come to all evil-doers which is music to the ears of those who endorse the belief that locking the villains away is no longer enough.
However; for Magog and the other metahumans like him, the ends definitely justify the means and
after a battle inadvertently causes the death of millions of innocents, the citizens of earth quickly realize that they ' re in as much danger as the people committing the crimes.
After a decade long absence, Superman is then called upon to rid the world of, or at least reform the metahumans, but the Man of Steel is hesitant to step into the role of world leader and Kingdom Come takes us on his journey of accepting his new position and taking on the new generation of 'heroes.'
First released in 1996 as a four-comic mini-series, Kingdom Come, tells the tale of an alternate world where the heroes that you've come to know and love are portrayed in a manner you've never seen before to tell an engrossing ‘what if?’ tale.
In this story, Superman comes across as vulnerable and the pain of being shunned by the people he dedicated his life to protect is evident as he struggles to don the life and tights he thought he was done with for good.
Wonder Woman is no longer a princess, and her verbal clashes with Superman makes for some great reading as their opposing views on how to handle to metahuman situation creates conflict and tension between them.
Batman has become dependent on an exoskeleton to get around after age catches up with him and his bitterness shows when he refuses to assist Superman and his allegiances soon become blurred.
Kingdom Come provides those who claim to be 'too old for comics' a mature story that's still worth a read even 16 years after it first hit stands.
The artwork draws you in with its incredible detail that allows you to see and feel the emotions of the characters and the stunning battle scenes are fi lied with action as the heroes of the past fight for a better tomorrow.
The engaging dialogue and the well-crafted plot is what keeps you turning the pages until you reach the resolution of the tale where lines are crossed, beliefs are questioned and sacrifices are made.
The graphic novel has definitely aged well over the years and when you're finished reading don't be surprised if you find yourself turning back to the front of the book so you can relive the experience one more time.