Kingdom Come (comics)
Kingdom Come is a comic book miniseries published by DC Comics, written by Mark Waid and painted by Alex Ross. It concerns the efforts of Superman and the Justice League in the near future to control the growing population of new superheroes. Alex Ross painted each page of the comic using watercolors.
Story
The narrator of the story is a minister named Norman McCay, suffering from a crisis of faith, who is approached by the Spectre to observe and pass judgement on the approaching superhero apocalypse. In the near future, Superman has abandoned his never-ending battle for truth and justice, causing many other heroes of his generation to withdraw from the world at large, leaving a power vacuum that is soon filled by a new generation of heroes. These new heroes battle openly, using lethal force against each other without concern for collateral damage.
This comes to a head when the Justice Battalion, led by a golden-helmed cyborg named Magog, attacks the Parasite, who manages to tear Captain Atom open and release the nuclear force within him, obliterating Kansas and parts of the surrounding states.
With coaxing from Wonder Woman, Superman decides to return to Metropolis and reform the Justice League. He manages to collect former heroes (including Green Lantern, The Flash, and Hawkman, among others) and reformed "new heroes," such as Nightstar (Dick Grayson and Starfire's daughter), but one of the most prominent of the old guard of heroes refuses to join Superman's crusade: the Batman.
Lex Luthor and his Mankind Liberation Front (a group of Silver Age villains) work to wrest control of the world away from the new heroes, and he claims to have an ace in the hole, a man the Spectre calls "the captain of the lightning and the thunder."
With the Justice League gaining more captives than converts, they have to hold them somewhere, and end up building a penal colony called the Gulag in the Kansas wastelands, filling it to capacity faster than they built it. With hostile villains like 666, Kabuki Kommando, and Von Bach locked up together, the pressure builds.
The MLF ally with Batman and his cadre of heroes (Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and a group of second- and third-generation superheroes), and Norman McCay's apocalyptic visions continue to increase in intensity. When the Gulag's inmates start rioting, Batman and Luthor's forces clash, and Luthor's ace, a severely brain-scrambled Captain Marvel, speaks his word of power to carry out the mission Luthor had for him: bust open the Gulag and unleash the prisoners.
When the Gulag breaks open, the Justice League clash with the bloodthirsty inmates, while Superman and Captain Marvel battle (Marvel wounding him by saying his magic word--"Shazam!"--and dodging the magic lightning bolt), and the Spectre and Norman watch, helpless (or unwilling) to do anything.
As the conditions worsen, the United Nations Secretary General Wyrmwood authorizes the deployment of three tactical nuclear warheads, hardened against metahuman powers, to save the world from their uncontrollable powers.
Batman and Wonder Woman clash in the middle of the warzone, taking to the skies, where they see the incoming nukes. They manage to stop two of them, but the third slips past and drops from its carrier. Captain Marvel is continuing to beat Superman by avoiding his magic lightning bolt. However, as Marvel says the name again, Superman grabs him and the lightning finds its mark; Marvel turns back into Billy Batson. Superman tells Batson that he is going to stop the nuke, and Batson must make an important choice: either stop Superman and allow the nuke to kill all the metahumans, or let Superman stop the bomb and allow the metahumans' war to engulf the world. Superman releases him and flies off to stop the incoming bomb. Batson, his mind now clear, says the name, turns into Marvel, flies past Superman, and takes hold of the bomb. Marvel says "Shazam!" three more times, and the lightning sets the nuke off.
Most of the metahumans are obliterated in the explosion, but because Captain Marvel detonated it far above the ground, a few survive beneath Green Lantern's force field, and Superman is virtually untouched. Enraged, he flies to the UN Building and starts bringing it down. The surviving metahumans arrive, but Norman McCay is the one who talks him down. Superman produces Captain Marvel's cape and tells the UN representatives that they will use his wisdom to guide, rather than lead, humankind.
Later, Waid and Ross developed an epilogue for the trade paperback collection of the series. The epilogue features Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman (in their secret identities) eating at Planet Krypton, a theme restaurant based on superheroes. It is revealed that Superman and Wonder Woman are expecting a child, with Batman accepting the role of godfather and mentor of the child.
Characters
Superman's Justice League
Many of the new Justice Leaguers are either old characters in new forms or brand new adaptions of old names. Partial list:
- Wonder Woman: Superman's lieutenant is being quickly consumed by an inner rage directed at the state of the world and her exile from Paradise Island.
- Red Robin: The former Nightwing and the first Robin has replaced Batman on the Justice League
- The Flash: After melding with the Speed Force, the Flash's molecules have become unstable and as a result he is constantly in motion. The Flash is presumed to be either Barry Allen or Wally West but his identity is never established.
- Green Lantern: Ending his vigil among the stars, Green Lantern returns to Earth and joins Superman's crusade. As with the Flash, Green Lantern's identity is never made clear though it is assumed he is Hal Jordan judging by the emphasis placed on Silver Age heroes.
- Power Woman (formerly Power Girl): Though she has grown older, Power Woman still retains her trademark cleavage.
- Hawkman: Now a literal 'hawk-man', Carter has become a guardian of nature.
- Donna Troy: Now an Amazonian warrior much like her mentor, Wonder Woman, Donna Troy has aged the most of her former Teen Titans members.
- Red Arrow: The former Speedy and Arsenal is now following in the footsteps of his mentor, the Green Arrow. He may or may not have overcome his addiction to heroin.
- Aquaman II: The former Aqualad, now the inheritor of his mentor Aquaman's mantle.
- King Marvel: The former Captain Marvel, Jr. has married his love, the former Mary Marvel, and changed his name.
- Lady Marvel: King Marvel's wife and mother of The Whiz.
- The Whiz: The natural inheritor of the Power of Shazam.
- Captain Comet: The epitome of human perfection.
- The Ray II: The son of the original "Lord of Light".
- Avia: The daughter of Mr. Miracle and Big Barda.
- Midnight: A spirit manifesting itself as a living cloud of black smoke.
- Hourman III: The current inheritor of the name with none of the time limits implied by the name.
- Robotman III: Formerly Cyborg of the Teen Titans.
- Atom Smasher: The godson of the original Atom.
- Alloy: A metahuman who might be the merging of the original six Metal Men.
Batman's group
Batman has formed a group of metahumans, many of which are second-generation heroes, to combat the Justice League and the Mankind Liberation Front. Partial list:
- Oliver Queen: One of Batman's partners, he has married his long-time love Dinah Lance, Black Canary II.
- Dinah Queen: One of Batman's partners, she watches over her daughter. She died in action during the Gulag battle, as we saw Oliver and Black Canary III grieving over her.
- Black Canary III: Daughter of Dinah and Oliver Queen, she is part cyborg and the only one of the Canaries to be a natural blonde.
- Blue Beetle: Ted Kord, one of Batman's partners, who now wears a Blue Beetle battle suit.
- John Jones: Once the Martian Manhunter, he has become a shell of his former self and can no longer control his powers.
- Fate V: After four hosts, the Helmet of Nabu no longer requires a human host to enact its magic.
- Nightstar: The daughter of Dick Grayson and the late Starfire. She has her mother's powers, except her starbolts are purple instead of red-orange.
- Kid Flash II is the daughter of Wally West.
- Green Lantern VI/Jade: The sister of Obsidian, she is a living battery of the power.
- Obsidian: A generic superhero of little relevance. His look is based on the pulp-fiction hero The Shadow.
- Steel: After Superman went into seclusion, Steel switched his devotion to Batman. He now wields an iron bat-shaped battle axe.
- Wildcat III: A man-panther with the spirit of the first.
- Menagerie: Formerly Beast Boy, he can now only take the forms of imaginary creatures. His look is based on the Flying Monkeys from OZ and the Grinch. In Kingdom Come #4 we see him take the form of the Jabberwocky.
- Huntress III: The warrior queen of the African jungle. Her appearance is more based off of the first Huntress.
- Cossack, Samurai, and Dragon: Three of the Batmen of many nations. Cossack is the champion of Russia, based off of the czarist military units. Samurai is Japan's champion and is based off of the ancient Japanese warriors. Dragon is China's champion, and, like Batman, he is named after a creature that strikes fear into the hearts of men. (It should be noted that the dragon of Asian myth was a revered creature, rather than a feared one as in Western myth.)
- Batwoman II: Batwoman II is a Batman admirer from the Fourth World and Ace II is her steed. Ace II can fly and has the diamond shaped mark on his head the original did. Batwoman II wears a yellow and red costume like the original, but it is more based off the animal bat.
- Zatara II: The son of the late Zatanna and John Constantine. In The Kingdom, he was revealed to be dating Avia. He may have inherited his father's ability to see otherworldy beings as he noticed the Spectre and Norman McCay in Kingdom Come #3.
- Creeper: Jack Ryder has aged and is still the screwball hero he's always been.
- Lightning: The metahuman daughter of Black Lightning.
- Ralph Dibny: Formerly the Elongated Man, he is now permanently stretched out. The only shots we see of him are his head and neck.
Luthor's Mankind Liberation Front
Since Superman's depature ten years ago, Luthor and the MLF have been conducting events behind the scenes in an attempt to destroy metahumans and rule the world at last.
- Lex Luthor: The MLF's leader.
- Captain Marvel: Luthor's houseboy and the last step in his plan for destroying the League.
- Ibn al Xu'ffasch: The son of Batman and Talia al Ghul, the heir to Ra's al Ghul's criminal organization.
- Vandal Savage: The only willing member of the MLF with any powers to speak of; immortality.
- Catwoman: The only female member of the MLF.
- Riddler: There only as a courtesy to Catwoman (they seem to be in a relationship) and tends to get under Luthor's skin.
- Kobra: A cult leader.
- King of the Royal Flush Gang: The MLF's newest member.
Rogue metahumans
The superheroes of the future have virtually no regard for human life. Many of them were killed in the Gulag battle but most have already made their mark in the world as monsters. Listed below are the major, supporting, or otherwise notable characters.
- Magog: The new Man of Tomorrow. His first act as a hero (shown in a flashback sequence) was killing the Joker for the murder of 92 men and one woman (Lois Lane among them) at the Daily Planet. When the Joker was arrested, Magog blew a hole right through him. He was put on trial and was acquitted. He and Alloy were the only survivors of the Kansas blast for which he seeks forgiveness. He is no relation to Gog from The Kingdom.
- Von Bach: A Yugoslavian would-be dictator who speaks in German. He was imprisoned in the Gulag for killing opponents who had already surrendered. He was killed by Wonder Woman during the Gulag battle to stop him from killing Zatara II.
- Joker's Daughter II/Harlequin: One of the many followers of the Joker's style. This one has no relation to Harlequin I/Molly Mayne Scott, Joker's Daughter I/Harlequin II/Duela Dent, Harlequin III/Marcy Copper, or Harley Quinn. She was one of the survivors of the Gulag Battle.
- Thunder: A new Johnny Thunder with the mischievous spirit of Thunderbolt, he was one of the survivors of the Gulag battle.
- Catwoman II: The armored metahuman successor to Selina Kyle, this one might be more feline than the other.
- Plastic Man: A bouncer at Titans Tower, which is now a bar and dance hot-spot.
- Solomon Grundy: Fellow bouncer at the Titans Tower.
- Lobo: He has aged badly, becoming similar in appearance to Homer Simpson.
- The Americommando and his Minute Men: They are terrorists seen at the Statue of Liberty trying to slaughter immigrants seeking shelter when they were stopped by Superman. The Minute Men were at the command of the mysterious Brain Trust.
- Red, White, and Blue: Superhumans trying to kill the Americommando, Red uses fire, White uses rockets, and Blue uses lasers. White and Blue were taken to the Gulag while it appears Red escaped and has been reporting the events of the Gulag to Lex Luthor.
- Vigilante IV: Based on the cowboy version, he is a mesh of metal and flesh with a pin-wheel, machine gun arm.
Behind the story
Kingdom Come is interpreted by many as a clash between the Silver Age of comics and the "modern age," (1994), highlighted by the Image Comics revolution in two-dimensional stereotypical anti-heroes, laden with excess muscle and guns, committing graphic violence for its own sake. The League's replacements, the Justice Battalion, is comprised mostly of superheroes from Charlton Comics, several of which -- Captain Atom, Peacemaker and Nightshade -- were the basis for Alan Moore's Watchmen, the story many find to be a major influence for the "modern age" style of storytelling. On a side note, one panel from the first issue of Kingdom Come shows a bookstore window that shows the book Under the Hood by Hollis Mason, a fictional book in Watchmen. Another panel on the same page shows graffiti that clearly reads, "Who Watches the Watchmen?", although part of it is cut off. Also, Watchmen character Rorshach appears next to The Question at the bar/nightclub.
The iconic leader of KC's "new heroes," Magog, is an amalgamation of the Biblical Golden Calf and Marvel Comics's Cable, considered to be the prototype of the Image style. Ross and Waid originally planned to have Magog lead the final Gulag riot, and die, but admitted they had grown too fond of him. Superman is a Christ-like figure, depicted as a carpenter, walking on water (in Batman's flooded Batcave), and when he returns, a reporter refers to it as "the Second Coming of Superman". The Book of Revelation and Apocalyptic imagery heavily influence the story.
Captain Marvel is often, fittingly enough, interpreted as a stand-in for Marvel Comics itself. Like the company, which introduced human frailties to superheroes, the Captain is simultaneously "man and god."
The artist, Alex Ross, took the opportunity to insert many visual references in the story: Norman McCay is based on his own father, and the bar/nightclub features many "washed-up" Silver Age figures and a stage performance by the Beatles, among countless other features. Ross also threw in a couple of references to the cartoon series Super Friends: the United Nations' new headquarters resembles the Justice League's Hall of Justice, while the superhuman gulag is styled as the Legion of Doom's Darth Vader-helmet shaped dome. Marvin, a supporting character created for the early seasons of that series, also appears in a couple of panels -- one in his familiar appearance, and another in his current, older appearance, apparently emulating Lobo's clothing and drinking habits. A gang of urban criminals stalked by Batman robots in Gotham City are based on Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. Other visual references included depictions of the Monkees, John Steed and Emma Peel, as well as Captain America and Thor from Marvel Comics.
Many of the heroes who were members of the Justice Society of America became the living embodiments of their namesakes. Hawkman is a hawk/man hybrid. Wildcat is an anthropomorphic panther. Dr. Mid-Nite is a walking cloud of the dark smoke he uses to disorient his enemies.
Several visual references to Star Wars can also be found: Batman's exo-skeleton bears strong resemblance to Darth Vader's armor; the Batcave's light panels and multi-level interior structure recall the carbon-freezing chamber on Bespin; and Peacemaker's helmet is clearly modeled after the one made famous by Boba Fett.
A novelization of the comic book was written by Elliot S! Maggin and published in 1999.
See Also
- The Kingdom - a sequel set in the Kingdom Come continuity.