Customer Rating: 
Summary: Setup, part deux
Comment: Mike Carey, Lucifer: Children and Monsters (Vertigo, 2001)
Carey's second book delving into the story of Lucifer gives us a much better idea of where the story's going. How does this odd little girl who sees ghosts fit into everything, and what's going on with Michael? No answers yet, but Carey does give us enough of each thread to let us know we're supposed to be following them somewhere. It's still setup, but it's fine setup, as is to be expected from Carey. Series is getting stronger. ****
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Lightbringer's plans begin...
Comment: Having obtained a means of escaping Yahweh's creation, Lucifer begins to gather his resources for the greater task ahead. First he must regain his wings, which are being held by the children of Amaterasu (Japanese pantheon) as part of a clandestine plan of their own. Despite being physically helpless upon entering their realm, Lucifer still manages to outwit his "hosts"--thereby earning the ire of several enemies who will cause him a great deal of trouble later on. It goes to show that the devil's most dangerous weapon is his will.
Further stories in this volume have to do with a very old and dangerous baby in a bottle, the primeval shapeless things known as the Jin En Mok, and the true nature of Elaine Belloc. The latter will turn out to be essential to the arc of the series as a whole. And expect to meet Lucifer's brother before it's all over. Since Lucifer doesn't bother to share his plans with us, the relationship among these things might not make sense yet. But this will become clear in future volumes, as his plans come to fruition (though not without a fair share of setbacks).
The various mythic themes and settings are drawn together in a way reminiscent of Gaiman's work on The Sandman. And it stands to reason that fans of the latter series will be predisposed to like this one on general principle. But Lucifer is really a different animal, and with this volume Carey continues to gain momentum, finding his own voice along the way.
It's hard to rate the individual volumes' relative merits, but the series as a whole is recommended. Lucifer is a strangely compelling and charismatic protagonist, despite his utter self-absorption, and the plots involved are truly world-altering in every sense. In the end, even the omniscient are surprised.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent! Worthy of being in the "Sandman" universe.
Comment: "Children and Monsters" starts exactly where "Devil in the Gateway" ended: after Lucifer finished doing God's quest, he received a gate into the void - a place outside of creation. That is the main storyline of this novel. This graphic novel also contains three parts:
The first story tells how Lucifer journies into the Japanese dimension of death. As we found out in the previous novel, the Japanese goddess of Death obtained Lucifer's wings (which were torn off him). Thus, Lucifer embarks on a quest to get back his wings. I loved this part! If I didn't know, I could've sworn Neil Gaiman wrote this part.. it really felt as if it belonged in the "Sandman" universe.
The second story is above an immortal girl who was born thousands of years ago, yet can't die because she was cursed by her gods for not getting an abortion.
The third story unites the previous novel with the first two parts of this one.. Lucifer comes back with his wings and wants to enter the void, only to have an army of angels try and stop him. All the previous threads come together here.
I think this graphic novel was much better than the previous one. It definitely feels more and more like an extension of the original "Sandman" series. If this level continues - I am definitely going to stay till the end! Highly Recommended!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Stunning!
Comment: As an avid (trader paperback-only) reader of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, and the non-Gaiman spinoff "The Dreaming," Mike Carey's "Lucifer: Children and Monsters" wins top marks all around.The first Lucifer collection "Devil in the Gateway" re-introduced us to Lucifer from the Sandman stories. "Sandman" fans will recall that he gave up his wings, closed shop, retired to a nightclub in Los Angeles and watched the ensuing chaos resolve itself.
In "Devil in the Gateway," Lucifer named his price for a task requested of Heaven. Not much of a task... the mere disposal of a few ancient gods. In exchange for this errand, Lucifer's price is paid: a Letter of Passage.
Lucifer transforms the letter into a gateway leading Outside of Creation. The gateway is crafted with the divine name so that even the Creator himself cannot close it without destroying all of Creation.
In "Children and Monsters" Lucifer's must reclaim his wings from the Japanese pantheon of gods (on mortal terms, no less), deal with the assembled Armies of Heaven, and finally resolve a unfinished scenario with one of his fellow Fallen.
Since I'm not one for buying issues each month, I can only say that I eagerly await the third book.
