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‘The Wicked + The Divine #45:’ Comic Book Review

It’s happened before. It will never happen again. So goes the final issue of the years-long epic, The Wicked + The Divine. After several years of exploring this world of gods, secrets, lies, and a weaving story, this beloved series is coming to a close. As someone who has followed this series since its first issue, this is a bittersweet moment for me. I’ve loved this series since issue #1 and have followed it through every twist, turn, and big reveal. While the contents of this issue are important, I think the bigger picture to look at here is the celebration of this crowing achievement of media, storytelling, and creativity.

Five years ago, the stalwart creative team of Jamie McKelvie and Kieron Gillen released the first issue of this series, and it was instantly a hit. The gorgeous visuals and the intriguing story brought hope and excitement to an already beloved group of artists. As time has passed, we’ve learned about the gods and their two-year journey, the encroachment of the Great Darkness, and all that these consequences entailed.

As we reached the end, we got a glimpse into the future of those who’ve made it through the long, painful, and difficult journey as they reach the end of their road and a celebration of one of their own. It’s a beautiful moment for the characters we’ve seen for years – the same, but much different after their exploits and the years following. It is a fantastic end to a series, giving it a simplicity that is honestly quite a bit freeing, considering the complex and intricate story we’ve seen over the previous forty-four issues.

Gillen and McKelvie have been a preparing for a long time, and with each outing, they have proven to be a pair that work extremely well together. Gillen is an incredible storyteller, and McKelvie, along with colorist Matt Wilson, make a very, very pretty series. The art has always been gorgeous, and here, even in one of the series’ calmest moments, there is a beauty to the work that has always been its trademark.

For years, I’ve touted this series as one of the best in comics, and now that opinion has to shift. It’s gone from one of the best series currently running to one of the best modern-day, long-running series in recent memory. The culmination of this series will leave a hole in the comics world, but the omnibus will be breathtaking.

I could go on and on about this series, its highs and lows, the peril and beauty, and the twists and turns of this story. But the best way to prove the worth of this series is to just tell everyone to read it. It’s a completed arc now, with a full story from beginning to end. From Lucy to Laura, everything is there. The story of the gods is complete. Though it’s unlikely that you’re reading this without knowing this series, if for some reason you are, stop and go read it. Find the collected volumes and read the one-shots. Bathe in the joy that is this series and be as blown away as many of us have been, especially now that the series is complete.

Thank you, Kieron, Jamie, Matt, and Clayton. Thank you to Stephanie Hans, Jordie Bellaire, and everyone else who has contributed to this book. It’s been a good run. It’s happened before, but never again. But it’ll never be forgotten.

Creative Team: Kieron Gillen (Writer), Jamie McKelvie (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), Clayton Cowles (letter)
Publisher: Image Comics
Click here to purchase.

Russ Pirozek, Fanbase Press Contributor

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