By Alex Batts — We’re back! We’ve reached the final issue in the first arc (Faust Act) of the series and it’s a monumental one. No need to drag this intro out, on to the issue!

The Wicked + The Divine #5

Here’s the official solicitation text for the fifth issue from October 22nd, 2014:

Showtime.

Seriously, that’s it. As I already mentioned, this is the finale to the first act and the solicit cuts right to the chase. There’s a lot that happens in this issue and the solicit is basically daring you to dive in, so let’s do just that.

The Cover: The portrait for this issue is ironically someone who doesn’t even make an appearance in the pages. Well, we do see Lucifer defacing a poster of her, but I’ll get more to that in the first-page section. We finally get our first look at Tara, and to put it bluntly, she’s drop-dead gorgeous. Her expression is warm and inviting, as is the color palette Matt Wilson uses for the cover. Her eyes have the detail of stars, you can get a sense of her overt fashion, and the blue make-up across her face presents a brilliant contrast to her complexion.

The First Page: This issue continues the trend of having the first page reflect the image we saw on the cover, sort of. We get basically the same image of Tara in the top panel, but it’s in the form of a poster that Lucifer seems to be having a grand time vandalizing. Lucifer’s dialogue gives us a bit of insight into Tara’s personality but more than that reinforces what we’ve already been told about how everyone thinks of her. The exasperation and disdain everyone gives off when they mention Tara sets her up to be someone we should expect to dislike.

On-Page Action: It’s Lucifer vs the Pantheon in a battle to the death. I’m not exaggerating even a little bit. When we last left her Lucifer was strolling out of her confinement and smoking a cigarette, now she’s still strolling but has managed to pick up a coffee to sip on in the meantime. It’s chaos in the streets as the police know they can’t do anything to stop her, so they do her best to contain the situation and people around her instead.

Laura is there, of course, trying to talk to her and then Amaterasu shows up to also attempt to deescalate the situation. Lucifer is having none of it, though, and would rather die than go back to her prison. Enter: Baal and all hell breaking loose. Thus begins the aforementioned fight to the death. We get a few pages of their conflict and Sakhmet even joins the fray. It doesn’t take Laura long to realize they’re going to kill Lucifer, so she does the only thing she can think to. Laura runs to the underground to get help from The Morrigan.

This sequence is one of my favorites in the issue as you feel the race against time and the absolute insanity Laura feels at her actions as she’s doing them. Just before Laura is hit by a train Morrigan appears and asks what she needs. We’re cut back to the fight among gods and a murder of crows interrupts the battle, giving Laura the chance to save Lucifer. Lucifer, Laura, Cassandra, and Cassandra’s two crew members (Cassandra always has them around to film the events unfolding) make their way into an apartment where Laura presents the plan to hide Lucifer in the Underground with Morrigan.

The scene here is a quiet one amidst the chaos of this issue and has some great character moments for Lucifer. All seems like it’s going to be okay, and then Lucifer walks out the door. On the other side is a waiting Ananke, finger ready to click, as realization dawns on Lucifer and Ananke pulls the metaphorical trigger. The page turn greets us with an agonizing sight as Lucifer’s head is blown up (Off? Does it matter?) and we see her lifeless body fall, Laura’s shock register, and Ananke’s grief.

The following page is just as powerful, full black with only white text in the middle for Laura’s narration, “I don’t remember anything about the next few minutes. I guess I’m grateful for that.” And then we’re brought back to the moment as Laura is screaming for Morrigan to bring Lucifer back. Laura is covered in blood, distressed, and Morrigan, unfortunately, confirms that Lucifer is gone and there is no bringing her back. Ananke then proceeds to address Cassandra’s film crew and by proxy the world (and us readers). She introduces herself and explains that there is nothing mortals can do to control the gods and that they police their own.

The next few pages show Laura alone at home, watching the news which is covering Lucifer’s death. Her narration talks about how she was interviewed over and over, even doing her first interview with Lucifer’s blood still soaking her clothes. “My face was on the news. It was what I always wanted.” Followed by a page turn’s worth of pause, “It really wasn’t.” Laura recounts all of this with a sense of disconnect, her shock and depression palpable. Then we come to the final pages of this arc, Laura grabs the box of cigarettes Lucifer had given her right before death, takes one out, asks what Lucifer would do, and clicks her fingers.

Miraculously the cigarette ignites. ”Oh god. It’s not over.” Laura thinks, and oh boy she doesn’t even know the half of it.

Deeper Meaning: This issue touches on some of the same themes as last including what to do in a situation regarding the needs of the one vs the needs of the many. Lucifer refuses to accept her situation to be damned for the sake of others and the chaos it causes is incredible. Did she make the right decision? Would you make the same decision in her shoes?

This issue also touches again on celebrity worship, and more acutely getting that celebrity status you may think you want. Laura is as famous as she’s ever been, but the way it happened and what it cost weren’t worth it.

The Art: McKelvie and Wilson have done it again. One of my favorite things about this series is that this duo can make two (or a group) of characters talking in a mundane place as visually interesting and exquisite as gods fighting in all their godly powered glory. This issue is a perfect example of that. The battle of the gods is full of brilliant action, immaculate and vibrant colors and genuine quirks on the expressions of each character.

Then we also get scenes chalked full of emotion as our characters laugh, cry, yell, contemplate, and grieve. Every emotion is displayed perfectly, and you can feel what each character is feeling. The page layouts remain dynamic and intuitive and every visual cue helps progress the narrative flow. The entire series is a masterclass in visual storytelling but this issue itself is a standout.

The Wicked + The Divine #5
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics

Click here to read past installments of the Wic + Div Re-Read.

Alex Batts is from Texas. A lifelong comic book enthusiast and movie lover, if he’s not talking about comics, he’s probably not talking. You can find him on Twitter by following @BatmanFiles