Really strong beginning to this new arc. I tend to get a little impatient when it comes to creator owned stuff, due to the occasional wait between issues that always seems so exceptionally long. But I am happy to say that the wait was totally worth it this time around. The quality of the series hasn’t suffered at all. You never really know when it comes to a series that has come off of a Hiatus. If you were debating jumping back on for the next go around, I’ll make the decision for you. Jump. They really don’t touch too much on the aftermath of the first arc, but you can tell that things have changed a little. Plus, one of my favorite things ever in comics… the flashback! If you didn’t feel for Forever Carlyle before, you definitely will after this issue. I only see drama in the future of this book. Greg, is it ok to say that this series is like a really good soap opera? Not that I have a lot of experience with them, but I’ve got the general idea. I mean it in the most positive way. I never know what to expect with this book. As long as Forever doesn’t turn out to be someone’s long lost sister with multiple personalities, and doesn’t end up marrying the love of her life who turns out to be a forgotten member of the Carlyle family, we should be good. Some of that stuff is ridiculous.

Greg Rucka has written three of my top ten favorite runs of all time. It’s only fair that he has created a series that is all his own, that will add to that list. He is a master of dialogue. The way that I can tell that, is because it feels like it takes almost no time to get through an issue of his. But if you go back through, you notice tons of dialogue bubbles that should be taking over your life as long as you’ve got the book open. Everything flows so smoothly. And when he isn’t writing strong dialogue for this book, he’s writing in strong pauses that are made even more powerful because of the other half of this creative team.

Michael Lark’s work is spellbinding. I was going to use stupefying, but I didn’t want to take the risk of there being any negative connotation. Everything is so seamless with his stuff. He brings a sense of reality no matter how farfetched the idea for the story is. His art specifically for Lazarus is violent, but welcoming at the same time. The work that he does on Forever specifically, is absolutely amazing. Regardless of how many different ways that she can kill you and how quickly, there is something about her that allows for that feeling of comfort.

I can tell that we’re going to be in for a great show. We have a phenomenal creative team combined with a publisher that brings its A­game every time it steps up. I can’t really think of anything that will be able to stop this freight train that is Lazarus.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Greg Rucka Artist: Michael Lark Publisher: Image Price: $2.99 Release Date: 12/11/13