Not everyone fears Darkseid.
DC definitely saved the best for last when it comes to their Jack Kirby 100 specials. Darkseid Special #1 has two major selling points - it features Kirby's most iconic DC creation and it's written by renowned Kirby historian Mark Evanier. The end result is a comic that effortlessly evokes the classic New Gods stories in tone and style.
Though Darkseid is ostensibly the star of "The Resistance," Evanier keeps the ruler of Apokolips at a distance for much of this story. This is probably the wisest course of action. Darkseid is not a character who's easily humanized, nor does he necessarily benefit from that treatment in the first place. Instead, Evanier's script focuses mainly on a small, ragtag resistance cell led by a woman named Makayla. As much as Fourth World tales tend to focus on the larger-than-life conflicts between the New Gods themselves, it's always interesting to catch a glimpse of how the average Joe fares on Apokolips.
Evanier is able to strike an effective balance between grandiose, old-school superhero storytelling and still providing nuanced characterization of Makayla and her allies. Whether intentional or not, the story feels very topical as it explores the need to resist fascism despite the seeming futility of one's actions. What can a few, humble, escaped slaves do against one of the most powerful tyrants in the universe? More than you might think. And though Darkseid is mainly a background figure, Evanier is able to shine a light on the fear and ambition driving this all-powerful villain.
Scott Kolins is a very natural fit for this story. His emphasis on powerful imagery and blocky, solid figures already makes him among the most Kirby-esque artists working today. Those qualities serve Kolins very well in this issue as he renders the full hellish scope of Apokolips and the utter misery of those being ground under Darkseid's boots. There's an added layer of grit and grime to Kolins' usually clean style that further enhances the story. Maybe Kolins should opt for this dirtier approach more often?
In addition to the classic Kirby reprints, this issue also features a short OMAC backup story by writer Paul Levitz and artist Phil Hester. The story is too truncated to truly stand out (reading more like a prologue to a longer series that may or may not ever take shape), but Hester's art is very impressive. Hester's recent work has been among the best of his career, and that trend continues here. His hard, chiseled figures (figures greatly enhanced by the precise inks of Ande Parks) are worthy of Kirby while still blazing their own trail. And isn't that really the goal with these specials?
The Verdict
DC's Jack Kirby anniversary celebration ends on a high note thanks to this Darkseid one-shot. This issue manages to capture the power and bombast of Kirby's classic Fourth World adventures while crafting a conflict that feels grounded in the here and now. Couple that with a visually impressive OMAC backup and some added Kirby reprints, and this issue offers a lot of bang for the buck.
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