Before we really get started on this review, I need to mention something, and this goes for series creators Keiron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. You two are really making it tough to do my job here, because what is there to say about a book that has been consistently excellent for over two years? With the fourth part of the “Imperial Phase” arc underway, the team of Gillen and McKelvie have brought things to a new level as the myth of The Great Darkness, a long-thought lie of Ananke, proves to not be so untrue, doing the very little thing of attacking members of the Pantheon.

With the Great Darkness now totally a real thing, it’s up to the group to try to figure out what to do about it, a task that doesn’t seem to have much in the way of group consensus. While the group is trying to decide what to do – kill it, study it, or do whatever they feel like – splinters seem to be forming. This is going to be interesting for later on, as with each new passing threat, the lines between these characters seem to get redrawn. Certain Gods that were once aligned may not be in the very near future, and former adversaries already look as though they’ll be getting to know each other a bit better. Except for Woden. Everybody hates him.

This seems to be further pressured by the problems coming between Persephone and Baal, as their relationship seems to be hitting a bit of a strain. That relationship has always been a bit of an odd one, but it was mostly working, until, of course, something major and murder-y attempts to come at the Pantheon.

I think this book is something really special. It’s been unique and entertaining from the first issue, and with a consistent ramp up in both events and character building, it seems as though it’s not going to be slowing down any time soon. For a team that’s doing some amazing work elsewhere with Phonogram, among other things, having this be such a long-standing piece of comic genius is a rare and beautiful thing.