The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 2 - Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie

After death, comes mourning. And after the assassination of Lucifer, comes a bright new morning. But not for everyone. Laura is still frustrated, anxious and melancholic. For her, instead of the devil, Lucifer was a friend and a source of inspiration, as we saw in The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 1. “Human Trash” (published in The Wicked + The Divine # 6, December 2014) begins a month after Lucifer’s demise. Laura finds out that Inanna, perhaps the most flamboyant divinity of the pantheon, is investigating the murder. 

Jamie McKelvie

As usual, Jamie McKelvie’s art is quite spectacular. And it is also a bit different from what we have seen in the previous volume. McKelvie recovers the playfulness and freedom that made his Young Avengers run so memorable. “I can’t think of any other creative team that uses everything the medium offers to tell the story better than [Gillen and McKelvie]” affirms Peter Swanson, and I agree with him. 

Jamie McKelvie

In “Awkward Conversation” Kieron Gillen turns the typical comic convention into a celebration of divinity. Instead of a pantheon we have a fantheon, instead of readers we have worshippers, and instead of variant covers we have merchandise from the gods, including fast food franchises with the name of each one of the deities (Baal-You-Can-Eat-Buffet, Inanna and Out Burgers, Bap-O-Meat, The Val-Cakery, etc.). It’s quite revealing to see that ceremonies have been replaced by mere consumerism, and religious items have been substituted by good offers. If spirituality can be used as currency, then it loses all its meaning. However, this situation doesn’t seem to worry the young gods.

Jamie McKelvie

As a side note, I would like to mention Alison Sampson’s ludic guide to London’s Fantheon; more than a simple map, this is quite a creative narrative device that allow us to see how things are arranged in the Excell Centre giving us, at the same time, a sneak peek into Laura’s state of mind. The 12th god of the pantheon arrives in “Fear and Loathing in Eternity”, a charming chapter that finally sheds some lights on the origin of the gods and most especially Ananke’s role. Surprisingly, Baphoment unleashes his homicidal tendencies in “Not Her Story”.

Fantheon (Alison Sampson)

Of course, visual experimentation continues in “Night of the Living Godheads”, which emphasizes McKelvie’s audacity and innovative approach to storytelling. “Welcome to the party at the end of the world”, exclaims Dionysus. Laura has been invited by the god of wine to a youthful celebration in a place in which everything is permitted. Limits, then, are the ticklish subject here. Not only in terms of breaking the laws or being as irresponsible as only young people can be, but also in terms of physical resistance. For Laura, several hours of partying with the gods is more than her body can take. And thus, at some point, she must stop. Dionysus, suffering from sleep deprivation, admits that the party has been going on during two uninterrupted months. That sums up quite nicely Jacques Lacan’s imperative of jouissance –Enjoy! – enjoy without respite, enjoy to the death if you must, but enjoy. 

a party with the gods / una fiesta con los dioses

The imperative of jouissance also defines Inanna’s behavior: “Inanna’s after-parties are legendary. People kill for an invite. Sex with the volume turned up”. In these wild orgies, joy is taken to the extreme, until it becomes the painful preamble of death. Finally, in “It Was Never Going to Be Okay”, Ananke turns Laura into the goddess Persephone, but instead of a blessing this will be a dangerous curse. In fact, I must say the ending was completely unexpected. And I’m sure that volume 3 of WicDiv will have even greater surprises.
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Después de la muerte, viene el luto. Y después del asesinato de Lucifer, llega un nuevo día. Pero no para todos. Laura sigue frustrada, ansiosa y melancólica. Para ella, en lugar del diablo, Lucifer era una amiga y una fuente de inspiración, como vimos en The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 1. “Basura humana” (publicado en “The Wicked + The Divine” # 6, diciembre de 2014) comienza un mes después del deceso de Lucifer. Laura descubre que Inanna, tal vez la divinidad más extravagante del panteón, está investigando el asesinato.

war of the gods / la guerra de los dioses

Como de costumbre, el arte de Jamie McKelvie es bastante espectacular. Y también es un poco distinto a lo que vimos en el volumen anterior. McKelvie recupera la ingeniosidad y la libertad que hicieron tan memorable su etapa en Young Avengers.  “No puedo pensar en ningún otro equipo creativo que utilice todo lo que ofrece el medio para contar una historia mejor que [Gillen y McKelvie]” afirma Peter Swanson, y estoy de acuerdo con él.

En “Conversación incómoda” Kieron Gillen convierte a la típica convención de cómics en una celebración de la divinidad. En lugar de un panteón tenemos un fanteón, en lugar de lectores tenemos adoradores, y en lugar de portadas variantes tenemos mercancía de los dioses, incluyendo franquicias de comida rápida con los nombres de cada una de las deidades (Buffet todo-lo-que-Baal-puede comer, Hamburguesas Inanna and Out, Bap-O-Meat, The Val-Cakery, etc.). Es muy revelador ver que las ceremonias han sido reemplazadas por mero consumismo y los artículos religiosos han sido sustituidos por las buenas ofertas. Si la espiritualidad se puede utilizar como una moneda, entonces pierde todo su significado. Sin embargo, esta situación no parece preocupar a los jóvenes dioses.

Como nota al margen, me gustaría mencionar la guía lúdica de Alison Sampson del Fanteón de Londres; más que un simple mapa, este es un creativo recurso narrativo que nos permite ver la ubicación y disposición del Centro Excell; y al mismo tiempo vemos de reojo el estado mental de Laura. El decimosegundo dios del panteón llega en “Miedo y asco en la eternidad”, un encantador capítulo que finalmente arroja algunas luces sobre el origen de los dioses y, muy especialmente, sobre el papel de Ananké. Sorprendentemente, Baphoment desata sus tendencias homicidas en “No es su historia”.

Ananke & Persephone

a perpetual orgy / una orgía perpetua

Por supuesto, la experimentación visual continúa en “La noche de los dioses vivientes”, la audacia de McKelvie aumenta y su enfoque visual es innovador. “Bienvenidos a la fiesta en el fin del mundo”, exclama Dionisio. Laura ha sido invitada por el dios del vino a una celebración juvenil en un lugar en el que todo está permitido. Los límites, entonces, son un tema espinoso. No sólo en términos de romper las leyes o ser tan irresponsable como sólo los jóvenes pueden llegar a ser, sino también en términos de la resistencia física. Para Laura, varias horas de fiesta con los dioses es más de lo que su cuerpo puede aguantar. Y así, en algún momento, ella debe tomar una pausa. Dionisio, que sufre de insomnio crónico, admite que la fiesta ha durado durante dos meses ininterrumpidos. Eso resume bastante bien el imperativo al goce de Jacques Lacan -¡Goza! Goza sin descanso, goza hasta la muerte si es necesario, pero goza.

El imperativo al goce también define el comportamiento de Inanna: “las juergas de Inanna son legendarias. La gente mata por una invitación. Es sexo con el volumen al máximo”. En estas orgías salvajes, el goce es llevado al extremo, hasta que se convierte en el preámbulo doloroso de la muerte. Por último, en “Las cosas nunca iban a salir bien”, Ananké convierte a Laura en la diosa Perséfone, pero en lugar de una bendición esta será una peligrosa maldición. De hecho, debo decir que el final fue completamente inesperado. Y seguramente en el volumen 3 de “WicDiv” habrá aún mayores sorpresas.

December Comic Books / cómics de diciembre

December was a pretty good month for comics. Sandman Overture had the best art I’ve seen in months. I can finally binge read Punk Rock Jesus. The next issue of The Unwritten will be the last one and I’m sure it’ll be amazing. Busiek’s The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw fulfills my expectations. And I really enjoyed the beginning of the new arc of The Wicked + The Divine. However, if I had to choose the best comic of the month I wouldn’t have to think twice: Alan Moore’s Crossed Plus One Hundred # 1. Extraordinary! And now, without further ado, here are December comics as per solicitations:

CROSSED PLUS 100 #1 (MR) 
(W) Alan Moore (A/CA) Gabriel Andrade Writer: Alan Moore Covers and Art: Gabriel Andrade Alan Moore returns to monthly comics in epic fashion with Crossed +100! Set 100 years in the future, Moore has created a whole new world and history with a stunning attention to detail. Examining how civilizations rebuild and how generations grow, Moore weaves a rich tapestry of humanity evolving under extreme hardship, all of which is lushly rendered by Gabriel (Ferals) Andrade. Archivist Future Taylor leads a salvage team working to rebuild the historical record of the original Crossed outbreak. She's seen them in videos, but never any live ones, the Crossed are part of the distant past. Until suddenly, a handful appear, and the blood begins to flow. All is not as it seems as a horrific mystery unfolds and once again Alan Moore redefines the medium. This masterwork is a self-contained whole new world, no prior knowledge of the Crossed series is needed. All the covers for the series have been planned out by Alan Moore, with the images enriching and expanding on the series. Clues and glimpses of what came before, and what might be, are found throughout the variant covers. American History X Wraparound - Each of these will depict a specific time in the past hundred years, showing how things have changed and offering a peek at some key events. Each cover will display the year in which it takes place to help build the full picture. Crossed Culture - These are all images of how the Crossed have changed the way they live. With few humans left to hunt, and the animal kingdom thriving with predators, even the thrill-driven Crossed have had to make adjustments to their lifestyle. Future Tense - Each cover is an homage to a famous work of science fiction, and each of those original works ties into themes of this issue. New World Order Wraparound - These are not for the faint of heart or delicate of constitution. We can't even picture them in this catalog, they are visions of what an ideal all-Crossed world would be. If the madmen have their dreams come true, what would the everyday life look like® These covers are brutally intense images of true horror and may have scenes of torture, depravity, and nudity. These are clearly for adults only. Each copy of this edition will ship in a sealed polybag with a protective slip cover over the actual image to assure it can be racked in stores. The graphic pictured here is the slip cover only. Due to all these special protective measures this edition is strictly limited to initial orders. Also available with a rare Black Leather cover, and Retailer Incentive covers of Red Crossed and Design Sketch, showing the original works of series artist Gabriel Andrade. Don't miss out on the ultra-rare CGC Numbered Edition as well! 

PUNK ROCK JESUS DELUXE EDITION HC (MR)
(W/A/CA) Sean Murphy. Sean Murphy's acclaimed 6-issue miniseries about reality TV show starring a clone of Jesus Christ is now collected in a Deluxe Edition hardcover, with over 100 pages of new, bonus material and new cover art!  J2 causes both outrage and adulation. Religious zealots either love or hate the show, angry politicians worry about its influence on the nation, and members of the scientific community fear the implications of cloning a human being at all, let alone the Son of God.  

SANDMAN OVERTURE #4 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR) 
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) J. H. Williams. In an asylum in the City of the Stars, Morpheus comes face to face with the creature at the center of the war that will destroy the universe. Time is running out... This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue. 

TOOTH & CLAW #2 CVR B ROSS (MR) 
(W) Kurt Busiek (A) Ben Dewey (CA) Alex Ross. After the shattering disaster last issue, the Great Champion of ancient legend is reawakened. And things get worse.       Plus! A special variant cover by ALEX ROSS, painting more animal-people at once than he ever has before!

UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #11 (MR) 
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. The end is near, and the final battle is about to be fought - and Tom is back where he never wanted to belong. But if he's going to die tomorrow, then tonight he's got some unfinished business - withthe most derivative boy wizard in all the worlds. 

WICKED & DIVINE #6 (MR) 
(W) Kieron Gillen (A) Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson (CA) Matthew Wilson, Jamie McKelvie. THE FAUST ACT is over. Welcome to FANDEMONIUM.  The second arc of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE begins in its traditional manner (i.e. a ludicrous pun.) We'd say something like 'nothing will ever be the same again' but if you think about it, you can say that about literally everything, ever. Er...also some comic story. Probably. 
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Diciembre fue un mes bastante buenos para los cómics. Sandman Overture tiene el mejor arte que he visto en meses. Finalmente puedo leer de una sola sentada Punk Rock Jesus. El próximo número de The Unwritten será el último, y estoy seguro que será asombroso. The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw de Busiek cumplió mis expectativas. Y realmente disfruté el comienzo del nuevo arco de The Wicked + The Divine. Sin embargo, si tuviese que elegir el mejor cómic del mes no tendría que pensarlo dos veces: Crossed Plus One Hundred # 1 de Alan Moore. ¡Extraordinario! Y ahora, sin más preámbulos, aquí están los cómics de diciembre: 

CROSSED PLUS 100 #1 (MR)
100 años en el futuro, Moore ha creado un nuevo mundo y una historia con una asombrosa atención hacia los detalles; examinando cómo las civilizaciones se reconstruyen y cómo las generaciones maduran, Moore teje un rico tapiz de una humanidad que evoluciona en las condiciones más adversas. Taylor, archivista, lidera un equipo de salvamiento que intenta reconstruir el brote de la infección. Ella ha visto a unos cuantos infectados en video, pero nunca a uno vivo. Hasta que repentinamente aparece un puñado de infectados, y la sangre empieza a fluir. 

PUNK ROCK JESUS DELUXE EDITION HC (MR)
Punk Rock Jesus #1-6. Por Sean Murphy.

SANDMAN OVERTURE #4 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR)
En un asilo en la Ciudad de las Estrellas, Morfeo ve a la criatura que está al centro de la guerra que destruirá al universo. El tiempo se acaba.

TOOTH & CLAW #2 CVR B ROSS (MR)
Después del impactante desastre del capítulo anterior, el Gran Campeón de la antigua leyenda es despertado. Y las cosas empeoran. 

UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #11 (MR)
El fin se acerca, y la batalla final está a punto de ocurrir – y Tom está de vuelta en un lugar al que nunca quiso pertenecer. Pero si va a morir mañana, entonces esta noche tiene negocios por concluir con el niño hechicero más derivativo de todos los mundos.

WICKED & DIVINE #6 (MR)
El acto de Fausto ha concluido. Bienvenidos a Fan-demonio, el segundo arco argumental que empieza de manera tradicional (es decir, con un chiste ridículo). Diríamos algo así como “nada volverá a ser igual”, pero si lo pensáis, se puede decir eso sobre cualquier cosa incluso una historia de cómic.