Review – Lazarus #6 (Image Comics)

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Michael Lark
Release Date: 5th February 2014

It’s always awkward jumping into a title mid-run, but Lazarus has such a definite message, you quickly get what’s going on in the world of the book, even if the subtleties of the plot might take longer to become clear.

In the not so far future, the US is a land divided only by wealth, with Families owning pretty much everything and anyone who serves them (Serfs) gets what they need and everyone else (called Waste). So far, so much by the numbers dystopia, but Lazarus hammers home the very current real world theme of corporations and inherited wealth ruling the world for their own gain.

Our main protagonist is Forever Carlyle, a genetically engineered scion of the Carlyle family, programmed to be an effective killing machine and fanatically loyal to the Family. We see a little of the inter-personal dynamics within the Family and hints that Forever isn’t quite the by-the-book enforcer she’s meant to be but the main heart of this issue deals with the Barrett family, virtually penniless Waste forced to appeal to the Carlyles following a flood.

Lazarus is not a cute and fluffy comic book. It’s dealing with hard, real world themes and hard choices. Art wise, the title seems… overexposed as if all the light in this future is a little too harsh and it’s fitting for the story that is unfolding.

Definitely not for everyone, but if you like your dystopian morality plays, you’ll like this…