DC's recently-released "new edition" of Kingdom Come carries very little new content, but you should go read it anyway. Essentially a reprint of the original Dynamic Forces incentive hardcover that came out shortly after the book's release, it features a decade-old introduction by Elliot S! Maggin (the legendary Superman scribe who penned the novelization of Kingdom Come) and a sketchbook and gallery in the back, featuring some of Alex Ross's conceptual artwork and some of the promotional materials used to sell the original, four-issue miniseries. A nice package? Quite. New? Hardly.
Still, this new edition provides an excuse to re-read Kingdom Come (as if you needed one) and the new cover by Alex Ross is a prize. While I've never been a fan of gatefold covers (I always think of the reproduction problems presented by Dan Jurgens' terrific gatefold finale to The Death of Superman), the new Ross cover is a beautiful piece of art, and well worth the silliness of a gatefold to see it presented in as close to its original size as possible. Even in an age where Ross does far too many covers, and his artwork has started to lose the originality and punch that made Marvels, Kingdom Come and Astro City stand out on the shelves, a new image of such quality, tied to a fairly ageless property like Kingdom Come, is a treat.
It's a little surprising, given DC's recent tendency to--ahem--self-edit, that Superman's long hair remains intact in the flashback sequences. Famously, Ross was unhappy with having to make that change and did so only at the insistence of DC Editorial, who reportedly didn't want the post-Reign of the Supermen hairstyle to seem like "something that will go away soon" when Kingdom Come was published. Clearly it's an element of DC's publishing history that has drawn a lot of fan derision and, in spite of being one of the best-selling storylines of all time, hasn't been given a lot of visual representations in flashbacks such as the History of the DC Universe/History of the Multiverse backups that Jurgens himself drew for 52 and Countdown to Final Crisis.
Reading Kingdom Come again (it's been years) was a nice trip down memory lane (I won the Empire State Student Press Association Gold Award for Entertainment Writing in 1998 for a high school newspaper interview I conducted with Elliot S! Maggin about the novelization). The story is chock full of some of the best representations of DC's heroes you'll ever see. Insightful, consistent and cleverly laced together, these are the truest and most enjoyable versions of many of the characters that readers had seen in years. Captain Marvel was engaging, interesting and he had a purpose! Martian Manhunter was truly tragic. And, of course, Superman and Batman were both a little perfect, a little flawed...and constantly disagreeing about methods. This was the DC Universe that appealed to me more than any other I had read back in 1996, and a quick return trip to what's apparently now called Earth-22 has reinforced in this critic that Kingdom Come is the single greatest achievement in in-universe superhero storytelling ever published. While there are plenty of graphic novels that might give it a run for its money in terms of sheer storytelling, they're usually things like Watchmen, or stories like Kraven's Last Hunt which feature individual characters and, whether or not they technically occur in the Marvel/DC/Image Universes, they don't really use the universe effectively. Kingdom Come did so masterfully and, indeed, could not have happened without many of DC's smaller players coming in to insinuate themselves into a story that seems far too large for them.
And--that startling and tragic conclusion notwithstanding--many of the underappreciated heroes of the DCU got their moment in the sun, without having to get killed for it. That hardly ever happens anymore, right, Ted?...Ted?

Kingdom Come is one of those graphic novels that are just amazing to read and at the same time look at. Alex Ross is a skillful artist that has captured the essence of the DC superheroes perfectly. From the aging Batman's neck brace to the minute details and expressions of the people. This is just truly well done. The story by Mark Waid is also another testament to the greatness of the series. His ability to draw the reader into the story makes the art leap from the page.

This story is A JLA story worth telling. Not like your saturday morning cartoons, no this is a masterpiece. With a mature storyline that doesn't dumb itself down or does it underestimate the reader. This is an intelligent tale that deserves to be read by all Comic book fans Marvel and DC alike...

and it makes Civil War look like a joke!!!

makes you wish Alex Ross and Mark Waid not go through their "falling out" before The Kingdom was complete

I came upon this book by accident in the comic books store while looking for new titles to read. As I write this I am 49 years old (only a few months to half-century) and it was just 2 years ago I got back into comics after 30+ years away from reading them. It was apparently the right time as since then I have bought and read 52, Countdown, Infinite Crisis, and am now in the midst of the excellent Final Crisis series.

As for Kingdom Come I have never been so impressed and stunned by comic book art than the work of Alex Ross. This man's work is on the level of the great masters. Each character in the story looks like he could step out of the story and exist as a real person and yet also is exaggerated to some extent (i.e. Superman and that size 50 chest) to give you that super-human feel. A perfect balance and in my mind the way I picture a super hero.

My favorite character rendering is the Spectre who until just recently was not a well known or well used character in the DC Universe. He acts as our narrator in the story and as he is the avenger of God it is quite an appropriate role. However (as I will discuss below) this also hurts the story.

The story many others have summarized in other reviews so I will not do so here. It is the reason I have to only give the book 4 stars. Not enough of the story is given to the new generation (the uncaring) of super heroes. I felt that too much of the story was centered around Superman and the older generation. It needs balance to be truly epic. The exploration of a the Gulag theme I found original and the crisis of conscience it caused brought welcome tension to the story's conflict. Also taking away from the story is the Spectre "telling" what happens instead of the story "showing" what happens. Yes showing would have made the story longer but this is a story that could easily be extended and still keep the reader engaged.

This Elseworlds story has recently been integrated into the main DC Universe storyline and even Superman in Kingdom Come is now a member of the current Justice Society via the events of 52 and Countdown. Give credit to the writers and editors at DC to take a good story and through careful planning integrate it years later into new story lines. I like that about today's comics. They are now planning the story and character arcs years in advance.

Overall Kingdom Come is a great book and should be a part of every serious comic readers library. I have read it twice now and still go back to it at least once a month to admire the art and re-read selected story panels.

If only I could get hold of (and afford) an original Alex Ross painting to hang in my house.

Okay, I got carried away. It's technically a trade paperback.
Still, it is one of the greatest superhero stories ever told. Superman hasn't simply retired; he gave up on the world when they found Magog not guilty for straight-up murdering the Joker. The new heroes aren't just a little amoral; they battle villains AND each other, with no regard for civilian lives. Wonder Woman convinces Superman to return and create a new Justice League, Lex Luthor and other villains (along with Captain Marvel) opperate under the guise of keeping the world safe for normal humans, and Batman recruits old and new heroes who really disagree with both sides.
Most everyone makes some poor choices that culminate in an allout superhuman battle. The entire story is a reflection of Revelation, with a spiritually faltering reverend being guided through the story by the Spectre.
Every single DC fan and every curious Marvel fan should read this book.

Want to know about what happens to Superman when he gets old? Find it in here... Nice cover, really shiny and in excellent conditions

This comic book is one of my favorites for all time, in this story, you can see the antinomy of superheroes, just like the harvey dent saying:You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. superman is like god . but batman is like buddha.

It's a great book, with and interesting story and wonderful artwork that really makes this one special to me.

Coming off of Marvels, everyone wondered how or even if Alex Ross could top himslef. Kingdom Come answered that with a resounding yes. The art is superb here, and the whole thing screams epic. Waid and Ross clearly take the subject mater seriously, and some of the characters, Captain Marvel in particular are treated with more respect than they have been in decades. This is a must read for any fan of DC Comics or the genre

Kingdom Come recalls the Marvels series with Kurt Busiek mainly because of Alex Ross's art, but also because of its alternate reality concept. To brand it an imitator however, would be unfair.

Mark Waid does a nice job helming this Elseworlds take on the future of DC heroes. Under Alex Ross though, the superhuman world truly takes on epic dimensions of Armageddon. Ross's work is so unique and dramatic that it's hard to imagine other artists bringing this to life. It's the way we would want to imagine our heroes to be - lifelike yet larger than life. Ross's style recalls Classic artists of the Renaissance, and by doing so, reminds us about the classic nature of our heroes; and the pathos and angst that they experience.

Combined with Waid's storytelling and we get a visionary, groundbreaking book that dropped an atom bomb on the DC universe. Reading it again now, I almost wished it could have been twice the length, such is the depth and potential of the story. Regardless, though it came out over 10 years ago, this book belongs on any comic book shelf, and being in paperback - there really isn't any reason why you shouldn't get a copy.

Every time I read Kingdom Come, the divide between the art and the script becomes more and more painfully apparent. There's just nothing good about the plot of Kingdom Come. It took the idea of 'superpowers go out of control' and set it back fifteen years. Every hero in it (and there's quite the list) is portrayed in a singularly unremarkable way.

If it weren't for the Biblical-looking Todd Klein lettering, I'd suggest ignoring the words entirely. No barriers are even gently pushed - much less broken.

Alex Ross, however, saves the story from someone's dumpster by painting every panel with the sort of reverence and luxurious detail that is normally reserved for chapel ceilings. Although Ross (deservedly) gets most of the credit for Kingdom Come, somehow Mark Waid has managed to parlay this into a career of doing REALLY EPIC THINGS.

If you love Elseworld plots, tons of characters new and old, end of the world stories, Justice League, and the Superman vs Captain Marvel battle, this novel is one of the finest ever written. Each page is a work of art, the story is geared towards older readers, set in a near future anti-utopian world. I was pretty much done with comics after college, so I shifted to graphic novels thanks to Miller's Dark Knight Returns, read tons of G-Novels, and then started to put them down for good. Picked up Kingdom Come and now I'm back in love with DC...this is one of my top G-Novels of all times! Thanks and keep dreaming. John Dae

First off, the art is wonderful. It is gorgeous consistently throughout, even if at times a bit confusing packed with as many superheroes as it is. However, the writing has some annoying conventions that I wish I would have known about prior to purchasing.

Namely, the heavy biblical narrative trying to convince the reader that no, really, this time it's the end of everything! Invoking the book of Revelations virtually non-stop by a preacher that does indeed preach throughout the book, was both gimmicky and entirely unnecessary. The conflict simply did not need the biblical overtones in order to give it more weight. It's the classic problem of telling instead of showing that writers often fall into. We don't need to be told how terrible mass destruction is. Simply showing it works just fine.

Worse, the book uses another tired convention of invoking the unseen messenger guiding a witness to the crisis, like a ghost from Dicken's Christmas Carol. Instead of giving us well-rounded antagonists from this new crop of careless superheroes, we get a constant exposition of doom.

The frustrating thing about this book is how good it is in parts. Its focus is almost entirely centered on Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, and thankfully a lot of good stuff arises from that. However, a bit of a bait and switch happens when we have Wonder Woman advocating essentially a "final solution" to the problem. So we get this morality play played out between Superman and Wonder Woman instead of between the next generation of heroes and the old generation, which to me would have been far more interesting.

That all said, parts of the book really are well done. Superman's story is interesting and poignant. Wonder Woman's is also affecting when Superman guesses at her deeper motives. And Batman is written wryly and with great humor. And the interactions between the three, which is essentially the book, are great.

But the flaws I mentioned above truly drag this work down. Don't believe the hype. It's a good book with good ideas, but it fails in the execution and long preachy expositions. I would have given the book two stars but the art truly raises this work up from mediocrity and worth a look for that alone. But I do recommend borrowing a copy and reading it first before buying.

This is a definitive comic in the industry. It is classic Alex Ross with superb art and a deep involving story with some political undertones. The story is amazing and sucks you in as you see it through the eyes of a ministers who is being shown the entire thing by The Spectre in the classic style of the ghosts in A Christmas Carol. I will not get into the story other than to say it is inspired. The art is top notch, the pacing is great and the ending is well thought out and powerful.

If you like alternative history, this is a great graphic novel for you. The artwork is wonderful and the story idea that superheroes' values have changed over time with those of society is very thought-provoking.

I'd highly recommend this one, especially for someone who maybe isn't normally into comix.

Great art from the artist Alex Ross and a wouderfull story. A must have for every DC comic book fan.

The story was prety cool, and the artwork was not bad. It was a little difficult to follow the action though when there's like 50 people in one scene at a time. I think people make Kingdom Come out to be better than it actually is. Personally, I liked it, but I wouldn't call it one of the best ever.

For one, it must be said upfront that Alex Ross is an incredible artist. Every single page in this book begs to be looked at in detail. The way this man plays with shadows and lighting coupled with the way that he transforms characters into mature versions of themselves and makes them into people that look like people you see pass you by in the street every day is just astounding.

The story is excellent, depicting a world that is near self destruction because of the balance between humans, superheroes and meta-humans. I don't want to talk too much about the story for fear of ruining it but it's definitely worth a read, as Mark Waid has managed to create a storyline that is entertaining not only to the comic book junkies and purists but to your everyday casual reader. Paired with Alex Ross's artwork, the story becomes a frightening tale of morality that bears an uncanny resemblance to our less fantastical times in more ways than one.

Strongly recommended!

If you say nothing else about Mark Waid, he wrote one of the best comic books of all time (and then dedicated it to the late Christopher Reeve). It takes place in the near future and you really see the depth DC can offer. Superman and Batman have so much to them, especially if written right (like Miller, Moore, Waid, and Loeb do). You have to read this, even if you aren't a comic book fan. If you even have a slight idea as to who Superman or Batman is, you want to read this book. It's one of the best I've read.

I enjoy comics and graphic novels, but I have so little time and so many other projects underway that I rarely have time to spend time catching up or just reading for fun (not that things that I HAVE to read aren't also often fun). But I'm on vacation and I have determined that for two weeks I am reading nothing that I have to read or ought to read, but instead am just reading what I want to read. And for a long, long time I've wanted to read Mark Waid and Alex Ross's KINGDOM COME. And I'm glad I did!

I knew something of the content of the story through my daughter, but not the details. There have been other alternative depictions of various DC characters, but I found this to be the most compelling, at least as compelling as those of Frank Miller. The visuals of a panoply of aging Justice League heroes -- some of our heroes are very aged indeed -- are sad and mildly disturbing. Somehow Wonder Woman's eternal youthfulness underscores the mortality of all the other heroes, even Superman with his graying temples and aging face. This artwork has been justly praised as some of the finest in the history of comics and the story telling is justly celebrated. I especially loved the narrative device of viewing the entire saga through the eyes of aging minister Norman McCay, whose humanity is used to ground the Spectre as he views the unfolding events. And this is one of those rare novels where the climactic struggle exceeds anything one can anticipate.

Several years ago I was arrested by a statement by Stanley Cavell in his classic book on film, THE WORLD VIEWED. He wrote that cinema as a popular art is distinguished by the fact that fans of the medium tend to like most movies rather than only a few. This is in contrast with highbrow criticism that tends to find fault in almost all works, reserving their praise for only a very few. I'm rather astonished by the number of reviewers here who give this comic less than five stars. I wonder if Amazon shouldn't require anyone finding fault with a work like this to add to the review the names of works that they feel do deserve five stars. For my part, I agree with Cavell on popular art -- and if comics don't fall into that category what does? If you love comics, then you should love most of it. And I am deeply suspicious of anyone who wants to give something this outstanding work only two or three stars. It makes me think that they are either partisan in some bizarre fashion or that they are merely being intentionally difficult to please. Or perhaps many of the naysayers are simply determined not to go along with the majority. Whatever. But in my opinion, this is comic art that is as good as it gets.

I love vacations.

"Kingdom Come" shows what a graphic novel/comic book can be. Incredible art, a gripping storyline and some very thought-provoking moments make this the standard by which all others should be measured

The story takes place in a future version of the DC Comics universe. In a world where Superman has retired, Batman has gone even further underground, Wonder Woman is getting in touch with her Amazon side and extremist "heroes", who don't care if they kill people or not, are the order of the day.

Into this mess, we see a horrible accident that results in most of Kansas being made radioactive. As things go from bad to worse, a preacher is approaced by the Spectre, who shows him the world and asks him to help judge the fate of humanity.

The storyline is good, and it's great to see older versions of heroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, etc. It's especially good to see Captain Marvel, who is one of the great underrated heroes out there. The only real quibble I had with the story is the idea that the presence of these "gods" slows the development of humanity to crawl, eventually stopping it altogether. I don't know that I buy that part of it, but it's a minor part.

Indeed, the storyline itself is almost a minor part, serving primarily as the vehicle for the incredible artwork of Alex Ross, who proves that his work in Marvels and Uncle Sam weren't mere flukes. The man's art is amazing, and the "behind the scenes" materiel at the end of the book is very illuminating, showing the processes he uses to turn out these wonderful paintings of our greatest heroes.

Even the most casual fan is likely to enjoy this book. Even if you're a die-hard Marvel fan who thinks the DC heroes are a bunch of wimps, you might want to give this book a try. Without intending any puns, it might be something of a Revelation.

If you're a fan of the DC universe, you've surely heard of this title. It is possibly the most famous DC Elseworlds title to date (a story that uses the characters of the DCU and puts a new spin on it out of the regular continuity). I was familiar with Mark Waid before, but had never read anything written by him until this. Same for Alex Ross, everyone knows his artwork, he does enough covers, but I had never read anything where he illustrated the entire book.

The story is interesting enough. It takes place several years into the future where Superman has exiled himself to his fortress of solitude. Wonder Woman shows up trying to convince him that the world still needs him. It has been overrun with so called "heroes" that have run rampant and are a danger to themselves and humanity. A battle took place that leaves Kansas a wasteland and now the country is on the brink of Armageddon.

In the meantime, the U.N. is deciding how to handle the situation, not to mention Lex Luthor has formed his own organization to rid the world of supreme beings, the Mankind Liberation Front. The situation gets out of control when Superman's reformed Justice League take matters into their own hands and secludes all super beings not willing to cooperate to a massive penal colony in the Kansas wastelands.

Waid does a pretty good job of keeping our attention with so much happening in a short amount of time. The overall plot isn't bad, but it just means with so many characters we don't really have much time to spend on the heroes themselves rather than the situations they get it. Ross creates a lot of new characters that fill in the backgrounds nicely during the fight scenes, but without actually knowing who any of them are, it barely matters. It's a justice league story, but Superman is the main focus here. Wonder Woman plays a significant role, but more as his love interest than anything else which is disappointing. One thing that really bothered me was that Waid writes for The Flash a lot. However in this story Flash never talks. Ever. I'm not saying he should have been featured as prominently as some of the others but the fact that he just never says a word was for me out of character and quite distracting.

I love the detail that went into the artwork. Our narrator approaches a window with books on display and you can see a copy of Under the Hood by Hollis Mason, for you Watchmen fans. In the background of the scene at the bar, you can see standing alongside The Question are, The Shadow, as well as Rorschach (also a Watchmen character). The ode to Detective #27 and Action Comics #1 illustrations were a nice touch as well. Not to mention when Clark, Bruce and Diana are exiting the superhero styled restaurant you can see The Sandman's costume on display in the window.

Yes, it is an interesting possible glimpse into the future, but is it the best story ever told? Not really. Read it, enjoy it for the artwork but don't expect it to be the ultimate epic to end all epics.

If you're a fan of the DC universe, you've surely heard of this title. It is possibly the most famous DC Elseworlds title to date (a story that uses the characters of the DCU and puts a new spin on it out of the regular continuity). I was familiar with Mark Waid before, but had never read anything written by him until this. Same for Alex Ross, everyone knows his artwork, he does enough covers, but I had never read anything where he illustrated the entire book.

The story is interesting enough. It takes place several years into the future where Superman has exiled himself to his fortress of solitude. Wonder Woman shows up trying to convince him that the world still needs him. It has been overrun with so called "heroes" that have run rampant and are a danger to themselves and humanity. A battle took place that leaves Kansas a wasteland and now the country is on the brink of Armageddon.

In the meantime, the U.N. is deciding how to handle the situation, not to mention Lex Luthor has formed his own organization to rid the world of supreme beings, the Mankind Liberation Front. The situation gets out of control when Superman's reformed Justice League take matters into their own hands and secludes all super beings not willing to cooperate to a massive penal colony in the Kansas wastelands.

Waid does a pretty good job of keeping our attention with so much happening in a short amount of time. The overall plot isn't bad, but it just means with so many characters we don't really have much time to spend on the heroes themselves rather than the situations they get it. Ross creates a lot of new characters that fill in the backgrounds nicely during the fight scenes, but without actually knowing who any of them are, it barely matters. It's a justice league story, but Superman is the main focus here. Wonder Woman plays a significant role, but more as his love interest than anything else which is disappointing.

I love the detail that went into the artwork. Our narrator approaches a window with books on display and you can see a copy of Under the Hood by Hollis Mason, for you Watchmen fans. In the background of the scene at the bar, you can see standing alongside The Question are, The Shadow, as well as Rorschach (also a Watchmen character). The ode to Detective #27 and Action Comics #1 illustrations were a nice touch as well. Not to mention when Clark, Bruce and Diana are exiting the superhero styled restaurant you can see The Sandman's costume on display in the window.

Yes, it is an interesting possible glimpse into the future, but is it the best story ever told? Not really. Read it, enjoy it for the artwork but don't expect it to be the ultimate epic to end all epics.

I didnt know what to expect when i ordered this product, but i was surprised. While the story lack luster, it is at least original and entertaining. The art work is what really shines, page after page of beauty, featuring the battle between superheroes. I recommend this if you enjoy well drawn comic book artwork or have a fondness for classic superheroes.

A look at politics and society through the lens of the DC universe, in a manner that is quite reminiscent of Mark Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme Series.

Unlike in the Dark Knight Returns, where Superman is basically operating as government cover special forces, here he has given up in disgust at how things are going.

An old friend spurs him into action, and he assembles a team to go about taking down irresponsible metahuman troublemakers. Then, with Wonder Woman, they get the idea of building a gulag and re-education camp to hold them all.

Not a good idea, and as ever, Batman and those who see things similarly are opposed to fascist actions.

The Spectre is willing to give a human preacher the power to intervene in this conflict that will provoke a devastating reaction from the rest of the world.

Mark Waid and Alex Ross's "Kingdom Come" is a visual treat for longtime comic book fans. It's steeped in DC Universe lore, and is self-referential to the point of possible incoherence to anyone who doesn't hold a degree in four-color spandex. Waid is just preaching to the fanboy choir. Not bad if you're a fanboy like me, but also nothing that's going to win over anyone outside of the comic book industry.

While this was originally an alternate reality version of the future, DC is now seeking to capitalize on its growing popularity with their base--Geoff Johns is resurrecting the "Kingdom Come" characters as part of DC's new "Multiverse" (see the new, ongoing "JSA" series for more details).

the art is so so so good and the story is good too. on of the best dc comics made. ever superhero fan or comic book reader needs to read this.

it had been about twenty years since i'd read a comic book before recently haven't my interest in the genre piqued with the release of buffy season #8. after some research, discussions in online forums, and the advice of some trusted friends, i came away with one clear-cut comic to persue: anything painted by alex ross. since it's nearly impossible to just jump in and start recollecting (it's tough to pick things up already in progress), i decided to go the graphic novel route. 1) they're a lot cheaper than buying individual issues; and 2)you don't have to wait months or years to get an entire story or arc.

'kingdom come' was the first such graphic novel i've read. and i have to say, i really enjoyed it. as so many others have commented, alex ross' art is really beyong appropriate description. it's just something you really need to see for yourself. he's a throwback, for sure, not all that different from say, norman rockwell. his panels are simply beautiful. the colors are bright and vibrant, but never look fresh out of the tube. his superheroes are traditional in the sense that they're exaggerated (what exactly IS in captain marvel's pants, anyway???), but not in a cartoonish way. in fact, if superman, capt marvel, and wonder woman were real people (and who's to say they aren't?), i imagine they would be a bit exaggerated. after all, the superheroes. i especially loved the way ross painted the spectre. the use of light to counter spectre's black robes was really terrific and gave the spectre an eerie, yet intriguing, appearance. my favorite panel was wonder woman and batman hoving above a cloud while beneath our heroes battle the second generation. beautiful stuff.

mark waid's script is often times very, very interesting. as a newbie to the DC universe i was clueless to some of the subplots, but waid does a nice job of letting his characters fill in some the blanks with their expository dialogue. it's an interesting story of how superheroes ended up at odds with the governing mortals and how the second generation of superheroes lacks the same 'moral compass' and direction their predecessors did. all of this, of course, is told through the eyes of one norman mckay, who the spectre takes on aa 'a christmas carol' type journey/adventure. it's neat to see wonder woman take superman to task about his lack of desire to get involved again; batman's exo-skeleton; to see the former aquaman refuse the superheroes desire to build a gulag underwater (and who can blame him?)

in the end it's a classic comic tale: the good guys come out on top, but sometimes the good guys don't really want to come out on top. and with the way the good guys sometimes get treated, how can we really blame them. sure, it's a little bit didactic, but can you really expect anything else?

if you've been collecting comics for awhile, chances are you've already read this. if you're new to them or just getting back into them, 'kingdom come' is a great adventure with lots of action, lots of heart, interesting moral dilemmas, and an ending that poses a HUGE 'what happens next?'

goes without saying that this is a work of art. A powerhouse in any comic collection this story is gripping and the artwork is breathtaking.

As a Christian, I just don't relish in the fact that they used the book of Revelation for a basis for this story. I mean it's a great story and all. But they did not need that to make it a good one. I guess it pressed a nerve or two, and for that it loses a star. That aside,absolutely everything else is top-star, two-thumbs up quality. Not to mention it is one HUGE graphic novel.Alex Ross is the man. I repeat THE MAN. His art is fantastic. Definately pick it up. Maybe not a must have, but just for the art alone I think it is worth it. Once again, they really didn't need Revelation for this novel, but everything else makes it definately worth it. Batman as always is great. Superman...well, is Superman as always. The love triangle with him and Wonder Woman Played real well and...e'hem...the baby. Nuff said. Pick it up.

Alex Ross artwork is alone worth the price. A great story makes it a treasure.

Alex Ross artwork is alone worth the price. A great story makes it a treasure.

Perhaps using The Book of Revelations as the basis for a superhero tale is a bit overreaching, but the idea of superheroes losing control and no longer caring about the human population makes for interesting reading. "What really motivates these super beings to do good?" and "When there are no more villains who do we fight?" are the questions presented here and when Superman becomes disgusted with the violence he withdraws from the world; leaving a void that is filled with chaos. With the human element being presented by a preacher who has lost his fate, and guided by DC Comics most overtly religious hero, The Spectre, the book's themes move forth heavy handedly but reach a conclusion that generally prove to be satisfying. As this remains a seminal event DC's history and current comics reflect many of the characters created for this series, this is an important book for fans of DC Comics.
The art is amazing. Alex Ross's paintings bring a layer of reality to comics that add another dimension to the reader's enjoyment visual perspective of what superheroes might look like in the "real world." There is always some new detail available; this art holds up under many viewings. The reader is often rewarded with one more detail that was missed and that is a rarity in comics. The art alone would be worth the price of this book, but when accompanied by a good story that has affected the DC line since its creation; this becomes a must buy for the DC fan.

set in the future, this dark comic explores the "what-if"'s and logical evolution of what would happen if comic book characters were real. The gritty drawing and emotions come through to make a coherent, realisitic scene. any fan of the what-if world of comics should check it out

set in the future, this dark comic explores the "what-if"'s and logical evolution of what would happen if comic book characters were real. The gritty drawing and emotions come through to make a coherent, realisitic scene. any fan of the what-if world of comics should check it out

Done in the best elseworlds tradition, Mark Waid and Alex Ross take us to a future that has become a bit too grim and a bitt too gritty. So much so that Superman, having lost Lois to the Joker and then having lost the Joker to a new type of hero, Magog, has decided that the world would be best served if he wasn't around. The rest of the heroes that followed the trail that Superman blazed followed him along this path as well, leaving the world without the other heroes that we usually associate with the DC Universe. Flash becomes a blur of good deeds, but isn't truly seen, Green Lantern becomes a sentinal who watches the skies beyond our own for possible threats, Wonder Woman is stripped of her title for her failure to bring peace to mans world and the Batman simply becomes too old to be the Batman, relying instead on his technological skills to protect Gotham.

All the while, the new breed of hero that has been spawned by the generation we know and love so well has all but destroyed crime and the criminals who committed it. Magogs killing of the Joker and eventual exoneration have given this new breed all the license they need to end threats with the most extreme prejudice. At the point we join the story, there are very few villains left in the classic sense of the word, but now the new breed, having grown bored instead fight each other, in most cases causing death and destruction where ever they are.

After a cataclysm of epic proportions Wonder Woman contacts Superman to show him what the world has become without him. Superman argues his point but in the end, being Superman, he does what he always does. Superman comes to the rescue. The road is long, hard and sometimes bloody, but together with the help of the old heroes, there is triumph, though not without tragedy, there is hope, but not without horror and we find love, though not without loss.

In the end you are left with a feeling of unease, but hope. As a comic book fan it amazes me that though this was to have been an elseworlds story and therefor something that couldn't happen, I see so many things happening in the new books that makes it seem as if this will become a reality, as far the DC comic world goes. :)

Read it, it's a great book with great writing and fantastic art. You'll spend as much time looking for the Beatles and Elvis as you will reading the story itself.

And by "it", I mean pork. 'Cause at the end...SPOILER ALERT!!!!








She's fat. And when women get regular sex, they gain weight. I think. Not sure. That's what my mom said.

I like comics!!!

This graphic novel is possibly the best I've read. The storyline is fantastic and brings up ideas about super heroes we never thought about as kids, or adults, for that matter. Best of all there is great interplay between characters, showing that not everyone, even superheroes, would see things the same way. There is plenty of humor and the dialogue seems realistic. There's plenty of little details for hardcore comics fans too. The illustration, which is as much painted as drawn, is amazing--Alex Ross created a masterpiece. I'd recommend this to anyone with any interest or experience with DC comics at any time in there life.

During the summer of 1997 I was walking through my comic shop looking at all the comics that came out that day, and my eyes caught a glimps of Kingdom Come #1. I couldn't believe how amazing the artwork was on this book and how it looked so real. I purchased it and instantly read it once I got home. Up to that point nothing had thrilled me as much as that story had (except for Knightfall, Reign of the Supermen).

As the years have gone by people still talk about this story and hold it on a pedistal all by itself. Kingdom Come will be remembered and enjoyed by many generations to come. If you haven't read it get a copy now. The absolute Edition came out last month and comes highly recommended.

The Ultimate DC story ever told! To date! The Artwork, the storytelling. Amazing! I was started to thinking comics, american comics, couldn't be this damn good. In fact, I think it deserves six stars. Yes, I said SIX!

Mark Waid is not by no means my favorite writer, but with this story he totally hit the mark. Set in a appalling future in which our heroes roam free and uncheck. Something of our own doing by the way, our will! The Heroes of yesteryear, retire! Or, so it seems. Mark Waid did an excellent job of showing just how important SuperMan is in the DCU. He's an example and leads by example. Unlike Batman who leads by taking charge. Superman does it through example. He's an inspiration to many of them and that is why when he quit the others quit as well. The other heroes who didn't know Superman, for one reason or another. They are inspired by a new, darker type of hero called Grog, I believe.

It is unclear wheter they killed all the villians or not but one thing is certain. They are out of control and they need an example of someone who has tried and succeded all his life to be an upstanding example of humanities best qualites. That's right, folks, Superman. However, remember what I wrote earlier about Superman leads through example, rather then by taking charge. Leading by example is a good thing, but a leader who takes charge is often times seen more as a true leader then the one who prefers to lead by example. This is where Superman falls short. Waid does an excellent job of showing that shortcoming in him because Superman fails to inspire that impedence in his comrades. Wonderwoman has that mixture that is required for a great leader but she acts as a subservant role to Superman. She like Superman has obviously no real interest in taking charge although, she will if she has to but, she knows that she doesn't inspire the same determination nor, I believe, does she have the chirsma to do it as well as Superman.

That is why Superman and Batman make such a great team up. The others have qualites that the other lacks. They complenent each other. Perfectly! However, this time Batman declines from joining Superman in his quest to straighten out the heroes of today/future. Batman's always playing it smart! Refering to work in shadow rather then in the light like Superman. Superman made the noise and while the noise was being made! Batman, like always, tried to find the ones who were trying to squash that noise, from the shadows!

Very well done. Everybody is in character, doing exactly as you think they would do. Nobody is miss represented for this story and the everybody important to the story gets a fair representation. Some people are left out, like Flash, Green Lantern, and Red Robin (Nightwing), but these are minor characters whose story would have just cluttered up this magnificent book. That is the hardest part about telling a story. Knowing which to leave out and which to keep; and Waid or the editior, or maybe both did an excellent job of that.

One for your collection! Buy it today! Yes, go out right now and get you a copy! It's that good!

A disillusioned pastor questions his faith when Kansas is destroyed in a nuclear explosion cauased by the "superhero" Magog. He is summoned by the Spectre (DC's Angel of God's Wrath) to witness the unfolding of the events involving Superman's return after Magog killed the Joker, which led Superman into an self imposed exile.

THe story involves the return of the Justice League and a scheming Lex Luthur. It's a very good book and shows pastors in a good light. The main character, Pastor Norman McCay is very down to Earth and real. Mark Waid doesn't make him "Holier than Thou" and it's really great.

As for the artwork, it's top notch. Alex Ross is one of the best illustrators out there, he does for painting what Jim Lee does for illustrating. The pictures are so life like that you feel like you're looking at photographs and not actual paintings. All the characters look realistic and are painted wonderfully.

The story isn't a fast-paced, rock 'em sock 'em slugfest like other comics that focus on the fight scenes. This story focuses on the characters, mainly Superman and Batman. The story is grounded in character development and the fighting mainly takes place near the end of the story.

Kingdom Come is an excellent book for fans of Batman and Superman. A well told story, combined with fantastic artwork makes for an entertaining read.

This Grafic Novel, is the final storie of the DC Universe, you can see how it will ends Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Alex Ross's Art are marvelous, realistic and powerful, you can't miss this excellent book.

I read Superman back in the 60's when I was a kid. Tried to keep up with him in the 70's but as always, life happened.

I picked this book up a year ago because I was intriqued with what was going on when I heard about the work being done on the new "Superman Returns" movie. I was so blown away with the writing, artwork and action in this book I have returned as a comic book reader. I am not sure why I gave up my childhood pursuit, since the genre has obviously grown up as well.

Forget the naysayers. If you are wondering how good the comic/graphics novel genre has become, read this book.

A change from traditional artwork make this book shine, you fall in love with the beauty of it in moments. The story is fantastic, and completely capable of actually happening. This story is a great "what if?" book, and a must have of any comic fan.

Alex's art is not good. His work is just hyped because it is painted. It just looks horrible , all the characthers look like wax models.
The story is woefully basic and there is no characther development of any kind, to me the story was exactly what would put people off superhero comics.

It is encouraging to see that as I've grown up, comic books have grown up with me. When I was reading comic books as a kid they were kids' stories - the campy 50's & 60's stories had continued past the time when they were relevant. Then when the Infinite Crisis brought things "up to date", I was very glad to see more mature reading available and that comics weren't just something for little kids anymore. We had things like the death of Superman, which for previous generations is (or would be, if they read it) easier to recognise as what heroes do: they lay down their lives to defeat the great evils.

Then as I passed out of high school and through college I've again been glad to see that the writing has matured with me and Kingdom Come is certainly a good measure of that. Things start off with what we'd all recognise as the world having gone to hell in a hand-basket: those in power (or in this case 'with power') seem to have lost sight of the fact that they're supposed to have a greater sense of responsibility.

The story is told from the point of view of a disillusioned priest who's all but lost hope for humanity. Superman and the other familiar icons of super-humanity have decided, after a blatant case of a 'super' literally getting away with murder, to retire and leave mankind to 'reap the whirlwind'. As with most complicated decisions, it has become obvious that the easy choice was not the right one and Superman and the other icons of the Old Order return to set things right again, but must do so in such a way as to not rob humanity of its new-found maturity: they cannot simply step in and punch out the bad guys and live happily ever after...

The fact that the art was done by Alex Ross was one of my main reasons for getting the book and it loses nothing of it impact with re-readings, but the maturity of the story also holds up well for mature readers.

I originally bought this title when it came out as a four-part mini series in 1997 and it is still one of the favorites in my collection.
Kingdome Come is an Elseworlds (what if) story set approximately ten years after the retirement of Superman and subsequently nearly every other super hero. As the story unfolds, the reason Superman quit is revealed. A rival hero named Magog killed the Joker and was put on trial for murder. When the public cried out for his aquittal and it was granted, Superman quit in disgust. The results of the public choosing a hero that would kill are very apparent in the future.
The children of the super heroes we know are everywhere. They hold society in a state of terror as they enforce justice and fight each other in the way they see fit, destroying property and causing chaos. Wonder Woman approaches Superman in his self-imposed exile in the nuclear wastleland that is Kansas and asks him to return and lead the former heroes in returning order.
When Superman returns to the public eye in issue #2, it sets into motion an Apocalypse as described in the Bible, but with Superheroes being the catalyst. The new Justice League rounds up every violent super human and puts them into a prison designed by Mister Miracle(The world's greatest escape artist) called the Gulag. All this is shown from the viewpoint of Norman McCray, a disillusioned pastor and friend of the Golden Age Sandman. He is led on his journey by the Spectre (DC's Angel of Death)
I absolutely love this story by Mark Waid, the way he wraps comic characters and events into a Biblical epic is brilliant. The painted art by Alex Ross is jaw-dropping in it's realism. The re-imagined characters are god-like in their depiction, especially the Flash- a red blur wrapped in lightning wearing a winged Greek helmet.
Issue #3 ends in a cliff-hanger with all the villains rioting and breaking out of the Gulag. As Superman races to the scene, he is thrown to the ground by the only person that could, Captain Marvel. I still remember waiting for issue #4 to come out.
The fight scene between Captain Marvel and Superman was voted #1 all-time by Wizard magazine and is worht the price of this trade alone. Even without this fight scene, I would rate this as one of the ten greatest mini-series ever, but with it Kingdom Come is #1.
The only possible negative to this series is that you have to already know something about comics to fully appreciate all the subtleties Waid and Ross weave into this story. Nearly every DC character is pictured at least once.(A geek's paradise I guess) After reading this I actually liked Captain Marvel, who I had always seen as an even cheesier version of Superman. The fear the other heroes have of him and his power level make him hard to laugh at, despite Jerry Ordway's Power of Shazam monthly series to the contrary.
I hope my description of the story has led any undecided mind to pick this up. Fabulous art and incredible writing.

The story sets in the future where Superman has been betrayed by the people he protected, Wonder Woman outcast by the Amazon, the Green Lantern looks like a tortise and have lost touch with Earth, Batman is old and in need machine support. Earth is filled with a new breed of super heros causing chaos to the world.It is an interesting protray of the future, which seems to shine on the negative aspect of the human behaviour.

The story is not the only thing that I enjoyed while reading. I am also impressed with the art work and wonderful use of colors. The figures look realistic and alive. The only flip side of this is the use of water colors, no matter how you try, it always give a softer feeling, therefore it is difficult to give a strong impact to the storyline.

Kingdom Come, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Alex Ross, asks one of the most interesting questions that can be asked regarding superheroes: Are these superhumans who protect us Gods, and should we treat them as such? Years in the future, the DC superheroes have, for the most part, retired and have been succeeded by a group of reckless metahumans with no concept for what it really means to be a hero.
After the death of one of his parishoners, Norman McCay is haunted by visions of an impending apocalypse, and these fears are legitimated when the Spectre, a spirit of vengeance, recruits him to help decide the fate of an upcoming war. The Spectre shows McCay visions of the world, which has all but forgotten the heroes that we know. Superman/Clark Kent now lives by himself in the Fortress of Solitude, insisting that he be called Kal (as in Kal-El). Batman/Bruce Wayne has become a recluse, commanding batbots from inside the batcave to keep Gotham City safe (although he has essentially turned it into a police state). He is forced to wear a biosuit in order to move, seeing as how all of his years as Batman really took a toll on his body. And Wonder Woman/Diana has lost her old views of peace in favor of intense battle tactics in order to enforce "peace". Meanwhile, restaurants like Planet Krypton unitentionally make mockeries of the old heroes while new metahumans, led by a man named Magog, attempt to keep humans safe. Unfortunately, the new "heroes" have little regard for the collateral damage they are causing, including human life. However, humans like them because they are more aggressive towards dangerous villains; Magog become the leader after he caused the death of one of DC's most feared villains. But when Magog's actions have catastrophic consequences, Wonder Woman claims that enough is enough and tries to get Superman to come out of retirement and put an end to the carnage.
Eventually, Superman agrees, and the two reform the Justice League, comprised of the original Green Lantern, Dick Grayson as Red Robin, Power Woman (formerly Power Girl), Hawkman, Wally West's Flash, the second Aquaman, and Living Doll. However, Batman refuses to join, claiming that he can no longer turst Superman and that his inability to truly lead will prevent the job from getting done. Batman forms his own group to keep things safe the way he feels must be done and combat the Justice League. His team includes Oliver Queene and Dinah Lance Queene, the former Green Arrow and Black Canary, and the Blue Beetle. Their group is also comprised of numerous children of the old heroes, including the new Kid Flash (daughter of Wally West) and Nightstar (daughter of Nightwing and Starfire). Meanwhile, a group calling themselves the Mankind Liberation Front (MLF) has assembled, and is comprised of old villains, including Lex Luthor, Selina Kyle (Catwoman), and the Riddler (Edward Nigma). Their intent is to take the world back from the new metahumans, but their ends hardly justify their means.
The story of Kingdom Come is phenominal. It looks at how bad thing can get when the people we look to in order for protection either forsake us or do their jobs improperly. It has a very "who watches the watchmen" feel to it (Ross has admitted that Alan Moore's timeless Watchmen was an inspiration). Kingdom Come also examines what it truly means to be a hero; not only do the new metahumans not qualify to be heroes, but even DC's big three (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) have all forgotten the things that made them heroes.
Not only is the story amazing, but the art is the best I've yet seen. For a long time, I never thought that I'd ever see art that surpassed John Cassaday's in Astonishing X-Men, but Kingdom Come has proved me wrong. Alex Ross did each and every panel using watercolors and each panel looks like a painting as opposed to a comic book. In fact, there are some pages that could be framed and sold (I now regret buying this version with the knowledge that an oversized hardcover is on its way).
This is a must-read for any comic book fan, especially one who prefers DC to Marvel (though, interestingly, Marvel comics is embodied through Captain Marvel, even though the character is older than Marvel Comics). And even non-comic fans, who may be more reluctant to read the story, should consider it. It asks some powerful questions that lead to interesting results.

Fun for all age groups.

Alex Ross' artwork is superb. His details make the whole thing fun - found quite a few interesting suprizes in the background images. I especially liked the way he protrays Bruce Wayne look like a mean Gregory Peck. His heros are larger than life yet somehow realistic.

this book was mindblowing. Not only because it gave me a chance to see what my favorite superhero(superman) would look like in the future, but it also told a very unpredictable and in my opinion unique story. I highly recommend this book to any fan of superman or batman.