The Wicked + The Divine Deluxe Edition: Year Four

The Wicked + The Divine #7-9

by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie (Contributor), Matt Wilson (Contributor)

The final volume of the commercial pop sensation is so momentous it can't be held in one volume. Join us for this two-book package that brings our cycle to an end. It's going to be okay.

Oversized hardcover edition in two joint volumes collecting issues 34 to 45, including the six Specials and supplementary material.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Mythology, Fiction, LGBT, Urban Fantasy

680 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2020

About the author

Kieron Gillen is a comic book writer and former media journalist.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 80% | Very Good
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included volumes can be found here:
- The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 7: Mothering Invention
- The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 8: Old Is the New New
- The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 9: "Okay"

[Darling Farthing · Rating 5 out of 5]

People I know won't understand why this series means so much to me, and that is okay.

This update is misleading -- I haven't exactly read this book as much as I have reread the entire series, specials and sex scenes and all. I first learnt about WicDiv (uwu) when I was about 12/13, through Percy Jackson of all things (god, the link is here, fuck: https://cookiesketches.tumblr.com/pos...). Clearly, the idea of a twelve-year-old reading something as explicit is very inappropriate, but I digress. Every month, when a new issue was released, I read it and found myself enraptured. It seemed a natural progression from webcomics like Paranatural (Have to get back to that) and Tripping Over You (Also have to get back to that even though I feel slightly cringe) and probably sped me along my manga-centred journey, which also kind of sucked. Regardless, I stayed with WicDiv until the end, throughout my teenage years -- the years of the recurrence, I could say. I suppose I'll review it from two points of view, as much as that is "enigmatic wankery" (thank you, Cassandra): the perspective of the person that I was, and the person that I am.

As a kid, I liked the amount of spectacle that went into the series, and the amount of intelligence that went into it as well. I'm reminded of the Young Avengers' Volume 1 Title, Style > Substance. Obviously, that doesn't really apply here, but I'd like to add that with visual mediums, style is substance. I was quickly impressed by the aesthetics of the comic, from the different effects every God's performances have to the stylistic ways in which fonts are used and the striking dressing of every God. The way in which every God is given their own specific, curated aesthetic is just incredibly satisfying.

I think the worldbuilding as a whole sucks you in so quickly, it's insane. The emblems each God is assigned are so fun, there's constant snark that might not really be your thing but ultimately works in its medium, and there's so many things that you just remember so well. "Once again, we return", "I love you, I'll miss you", "Fucking Tara" (well), '1-2-3-4", all are introduced to us at light speed and instantly become iconic. This is just a really fun series and an astonishingly fun world to play with.

There are other things too. The 12 God system keeps you inevitably hooked. While it definitely has a basis in mythology (See: the greeks), it's also like a game of constant surprises. Every time you read, you think: who's the next God going to be? What are they going to be like? And it only helps it along even more that the Gods aren't just Greek or Roman or whatever. WicDiv constantly pulls from different inspirations, from the Mestopotamians to the Celts to existing religions like Shinto and Christianity, which is clearly sacrilegous, but I shouldn't judge as someone who really likes this one song from Jesus Christ Superstar. Altogether, Wicdiv must pull from, if I'm counting correctly, 8 different mythologies with these 12 Gods alone. As someone who was/is a mythology nerd, this was really exciting? Since I didn't like American Gods, this was about the only thing I really had that really possessed the type of ambition I wanted in a mythological fiction extravaganza. I even learnt more about mythology through major characters like Baal and Inanna, which isn't something you typically expect when reading a novel about mythology. This diversity in mythologies is also reflected in a diverse cast -- at least with regards to race and sexuality. Genderbending and genderfuck is also very much my thing, so I kind of simped even harder for this series.

I also realised upon rereading that this was set in London and not America, which I'd always assumed was the case, a touch that I definitely appreciate. It's always fun when someone goes "Yes, this place where I live and work as an artist IS the artistic centre of the world."

Additionally, in the words of Heathers, WicDiv is one mythic bitch. The world that Gillen has crafted is so intricate and fascinating, it's so easy to get lost in it. Sth sth you are of the pantheon, you will be loved, you will be hated, you will be brilliant, within two years, you'll be dead." The incarnation sequence is so cool, all the dumb mysterious things they say are still really cool, and other mythological concepts like triple goddess Morrigan are very cool. This is a cool series y'all.

There's also a lot of excellent characterisation in the series. I like Cassandra because she says "Fuck" a lot and thinks she's more intelligent and mature than everyone else. I like the Morrigan because being a triple goddess is fun and it just fits the personality that she had before, as someone who lives in a fantasy world of her own, to some extent. Sakhmet makes sense to me because everyone has moments where they don't want to feel anything. Amaterasu is hilarious because she sucks. Baphomet is hot because he sucks, and the portrayal of masculinity through Baphomet is quite unconventional, to say the least.

WicDiv is one of those series that sometimes have licks of wisdom that come out of nowhere and have no link to the text, but these things just stick with you. Anger is the opposite of feeling is an example. Cassandra's conversation with Dio about how she's never allowed herself to let go and enjoy herself with a mainstream crowd because she assumes people will reject her for being trans is very powerful and very relatable in a way that I haven't seen reflected in fiction before. Dio talking about how letting your emotion consume and overwhelm a friendship is selfish is also something that I think I should remember more often. And Morrigan's words about lying? That one has really stuck to me. Like, once in a while, WicDiv drops fun philosophical parables that end up meaning... quite a lot. "By the way, here's something that will blow your mind! Anyway, back to our regular scheduled programming."

I guess it makes sense to talk about Morri and Baph while discussing characters. I think that Morri and Baph is an interesting and pretty good portrayal of an abusive relationship because it subverts gender expectations and plays with Gothic tropes while also highlighting the importance of breaking the cycle of abuse. The way their relationship escalates into the height of tragic edgy romance in a way that is eventually subverted makes this a highly entertaining blend of tropes. Morri being abusive was very jarring to me on my first read, but it definitely improves if you're binging it and re-reading it. If you look back at it, the signs are all there.

If I have to admit one thing, it's that the fashion in Wicdiv really let me down when I reread it? Something about gaining some vague interest in fashion as a teenager made the Gods' clothing rather underwhelming. But it's fine, I guess. No one on the creative team is an avant grade fashion designer and I shouldn't expect them to be. I will say that I love the fashion in the magazine issue, which allows me to praise Wicdiv! A magazine issue is stylistically adventurous and Wicdiv constantly takes such risks whether out of necessity (Heh, but also Commercial Suicide) or otherwise (Ananke's past selves).

Additionally, I'll be the first to admit that Wicdiv can sometimes feel kind of cringe. Like, none more goth is meant to be cool you guys T-T. The point is that you really have to allow yourself to let go of the possibility of cringe, really get into the mindset of an edgelord teenager and then read everything. Maybe, in a way, it's good if you think they're cringe too? Because these characters haven't found themselves yet and cringe cliche often happens due to forcing yourself to be dramatic and impressive, which feels quite in line with the ideas of the text. Maybe I'm trying to intellectualise a defence of Wicdiiv in all circumstances, but oh well. That being said, if you're not religious, I think we can agree that "Lucifer died for our sins" is kind of funny and cool. If that shirt really does exist as merch, I would probably get one if I lived alone ngl. Sorry to all Christian friends reading this :((

Now, I'll stop repeating the line "xxx is cool" and get to the more overall meaning-centred part.

The premise of Wicdiv reminds me of how Hamilton was inspired (at least according to Musicalsplaining podcast). Hamilton happened when Lin Manuel Miranda read a diary of Alexander Hamilton and thought that cabinet battles could be rap battles. Basically, I think Wicdiv might have sprung into existence when Gillen looked at pop stars and thought "Hey, those people are worshipped... almost like Gods?" Yes, there was more stuff with Byron, but let's pretend that isn't a thing. It's not a very deep allegory, but it works and is pretty true. What most works of fiction ask is "Who would the Gods be in the present?" What Wicdiv is asking is "Who are the most Godlike in the present?"

And because of that, the Gods differ based on what kind of artists they are. Morrigan and Baphomet/Nergal are chthonic Gods, so of course, they're underground artists. Minerva is a child star. Eventually, this is also used to discuss other issues. Amaterasu is used to discuss cultural appropriation (Shin-two is so inappropriate but also so hilarious), Sakhmet is used to discuss artists who lose themselves in sex and wine and other carnal pleasures, Woden is a portrayal of douchebag male chauvinist pig artists, Dionysus is an example of an artist who cares so much about his fans that he burns himself out, Tara exemplifies a female artist that can't escape her brand and is constantly objectified for her body, Urdr (I think this is less spoilery) exemplifies a critic-turned-artist that's frustrated at how her art fails to have any true impact on the masses. Granted, I don't think Wicdiv actually says very much about each type of artist and mostly just points them out and makes you go "Huh, those exist", but I think Tara is a particularly sympathetic portrait and definitely Makes You Go Hmm. I will confess that while I can see why what happens to Amaterasu is a necessary evil for the plot, I don't actually find that it ends her storyline as a culturally appropriative white girl in a satisfying way. Overall honestly I'm not completely sold on the idea that each member of the Pantheon has some sort of huge thematic arc, but I guess those are the limitations of having 45 issues plus a handful of specials. I suppose Lucifer could represent artists whose fans turn on them out of obsession, but that's very tenuous. Of course, I've left Baal out of this analysis, and that's because I don't understand what Baal represents as an artist. Anyways.

I read a post on Tumblr that said that Ananke is basically a manager, and... I accept that. I think it makes sense. If Ananke is a manager, the Pantheon is a brand, and as the artists that belong to this prestigious brand, you're automatically catapulted to success and fame. Why do they learn to do miracles afterwards? I don't know, but I suppose the strength of your miracle can also be part of the amount of success you have. And the success that the members of the Pantheon achieve is as part of that brand they belong to, the brand they have as Gods, to be loved, hated, brilliant, etc. This is why Tara makes sense, because, as I mentioned earlier, she didn't want to conform to that brand and couldn't create "miracles" as a result. The reason why they bought into the brand of the Pantheon is because they think they're deserving of the attention it gives them, when they're not. I suppose this reading doesn't really seem to apply to Mimir, but that's because he was forced to accept the myth of being a God so his father could continue exploiting him and he could continue upholding his father's wishes. Here, Mimir represents the child star that Minerva, in actuality, isn't. Wicdiv seems to highlight how the music industry we have today seems to gobble up youth artists and swallow them whole, elevating to high, impossible levels of fame that they are unequipped to handle. In the spotlight, they burn out due to the amount of fame they receive. Instead, Gillen advocates for the path of discovering who you are and truly mastering your ability with age, before entering as a person confident in who you are and what you want to do as an artist. You should resist branding and ideas that try to define you, instead choosing who you are as an artist and sticking to it. You aren't Urdr and Persephone, you're Cassandra and Laura. I considered adding a "just" to that statement, but Wicdiv suggests that who we are is, in fact, enough. How hippie. How hopeful. How punk rock.

I think that was a good ending for my review (which I haven't edited and don't plan to), but I feel like a Specials review bonus round:

1831: Clear tribute to these writers, important to the plot later. Woden wants something to outlive her, which draws attention to the idea of legacy, which the Gods have never left behind? I guess the central figure here is Inanna, who is apparently meant to be a 2014 Woden-esque figure. I think it's mostly a celebration of Shelley and a Wicdiv tribute to the artists of the time, which is all well and good, while also talking about Clair Clairmont who is a very interesting figure. I've tried comparing this Inanna with our Persephone and I think all I'm getting is that this Inanna is under Ananke's thumb while Persephone is Ananke's enemy. Maybe I just don't really get it? Perhaps.

455: Talks about how hubris and narcissism can end you. Vague things about homophobia during the age but I don't think that's very relevant. The difference between this and Laura is that this Lucifer never rejected his godhood, Laura did.

1923: Tribute to various writers for the most part, especially Agatha Christie. I really like Amaterasu's powers here. Low Art vs High Art is very much a key idea of the time, I love it when the specials pay tribute to literary figures, and this one is no exception.

Christmas: Eh.

1373: Really good, I adored this one. Clearly blasphemous, but that's also clearly the charm. I think it's just fun for the most part, and therein lies the appeal? But it also shows us what trying to reject Godhood does. Lucifer is still Lucifer because she still believes she is Lucifer. I still don't know what kind of artist she is, but eh.

The Funnies: Not very funny for the most part tbh except for when they dragged Gillen for all the Writer's Notes, which, to be fair, I did read religiously for the most part when these things were coming out.

Overall, the specials are mostly about 1831 Woden's Creature and what it means to resist the Godhood narrative. No one quite gets it like Laura does, but Laura is Laura.

I wouldn't say that Wicdiv is a perfect series, because it definitely isn't, and I've gripes that I'm leaving out because I don't have enough space. But I love it still

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books chonky.

They're also packed to the brim with brilliance. The final 12 issues of the main series, as well as all of the Specials, and more Gillen commentary, all wrapped up in a pretty slipcase.

The series itself ends as you always knew it would - by hurting everyone involved, including the reader. But there's something almost hopeful about it too, which is nice. The final issue and the epilogue issue will likely reduce you to tears, if you've been with these characters for as long as I have.

The specials are an interesting experiment, different incarnations of the Gods in different time periods that shed some new light on the whole cycle and even reveal some of the main series' secrets before it does, if you know where to look. There are some more experimental ones, like the one that's almost entirely prose, plus there's the Christmas Annual that's mostly about the Gods having sex, and The Funnies which is just goofy and I love it.

The Wicked + The Divine is an experience, and one that you deserve to have, especially through these awesome hardcovers. And at least you know that, if you want to read it all over again and savour every piece, spotting things you missed before and getting more and more 'Aha!' moments out of it, then you can - because Once Again, They Return.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the closing issue. As a whole, the series is bloated, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.

[The Artisan Geek]

20/4/20
Reading this comic was such a delight! There are definitely a lot of things I didn't understand, but that has only excited me to read it again from the start. I absolutely love the depth and diversity this book had and in my opinion it had a great ending.

You can find me on
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[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gillen and McKelvie, you bastards, you pulled it off. I've been loving this series (as evidenced by the fact that I read the entire thing in a little over a week), but was pretty sure I wasn't going to get answers to everything I had questions about. And I was fine with that this time, since the character stories were so solid. But then they went and not only answered pretty much everything, they made it all fit perfectly within the metaphorical themes they've been adhering to throughout the entire thing. It's genuinely so difficult to pull off an ending as satisfying and emotional as this when you've been using a mystery-box-esque method the entire time, and the fact that they did it in such a powerful, heartfelt way (with a solid message, at that) should've almost been impossible.

This is ultimately a series about our own potential, and how the world (well, at least the capitalist world) tries to pressure us into being more than we're ready for. On the surface, it's about teen angst and a desire we have when we're young to have everything without having to work for it, but it spoke to me possibly more at 36 than it probably would've if I'd been 23. I remember being younger and feeling like I had to be a success right now, without the realization that building and learning and honing whatever craft you ply is the only way to really feel satisfied with yourself (not that we ever fully are, but still, it's as close as you can get). This series genuinely made me just kind of sit and think "I'm doing OK." It's just great.

Now, is there a long prose story in the middle of this book that doesn't really tell you anything new and kind of brings the whole thing to a halt? Yes. You've been warned. But unlike the previous volume, I'm not taking a star off for this one because the story on either side of it is just so good. Also, I once again, as with the previous volume, think you can safely skip that story, though it's maybe a little less skippable than the one in Vol. 3.

Anyway, I hesitate to even say anything negative about this series because I just think it rules and people should read it!

[Raj · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final volume of the excellent The Wicked + The Divine brings the series to a close with a bang. This collects the final two volumes of the main story, as well as a set of historical specials that help contextualise it. We learn Baal's big secret, find out about the Great Darkness and have several fist-pumping moments of pure comic book joy, as well as reveals that break the heart and a surprisingly tender coda that left me in tears.

Jamie McKelvie continues to draw the main story, with guest artists for the specials, which fit just before the last chunk of main story and look back at previous Pantheons including the Roman era, the middle ages and the 1923 one we saw right at the start of the story. That one is a mixed comic/prose story that works really well.

Can I take a moment to talk about the edition itself? All the Deluxe Editions are absolutely gorgeous, but this final year of the story was so big that they needed an extra volume to fit it in. The core of the story fits into one volume (which is, itself, bigger than the previous Deluxe WicDivs), and the supplementary material that normally goes at the end -- the alt covers, the makings of and, of course, the writer's notes, as well as a couple of additional specials that aren't essential to the story -- is in a whole separate volume.

The two remaining specials are the "Christmas annual", which tells some side stories that were hinted at previously but are now made explicit (and include a lot of the cast getting it on with each other), and the "funnies", little stories written and drawn by people that the creators invite, often poking fun at Gillen and McKelvie themselves. My favourite of these was The Wicked + The Canine, which imagines all the gods as dogs, and my goodness are they adorable (the alt cover with dog-Amaterasu is the best thing ever).

We finally get Ananke's story here, as her history and that of the gods finally spills out. We see some of that history (in fact, we see something out of each recurrence), and because the internet is sometimes amazing, someone out there has written a set of blog posts that give you the real world history of the time and place of each recurrence (warning, there are spoilers here if you've not read the book yet).

Gillen also gets to heavily troll the readers in one issue with 90 panels, across 10 pages that are just black. This made me laugh out loud at his audacity, but it definitely fits with some of the playfulness of WicDiv, in amongst the grief and pain.

This has been an epic journey, which ended on a much more hopeful note that I expected, and it'll definitely be an experience to go back and read the whole story again at some point, with the full knowledge of the characters and events.

[Keti Chartolani · Rating 5 out of 5]

The campiest of all camps.

ზედდართული writer’s notes ყველამ უნდა წაიკითხოს, ვინც კომიქსების შექმნას აპირებს, რომ გაიგოს, რაში ყოფს თავს (ან არ უნდა წაიკითხოს, რომ ვერ გაიგოს, რაში ყოფს თავს).

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of the series as a whole:

I had a bit of a weird relationship with this series but it definitely ended up being something I really enjoyed. There were a few missteps (some of them quite large), but the ship always righted itself.

Not to focus on the negative, either. The story is interesting and the main artist does really beautiful work. Also, I'm a sucker for pantheons and mythology. The story doesn't hit you over the head with violence, or fighting, or sappy garbage. It rolls along and tells the story it wants, and mostly succeeds.

[Mercer Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this and, as I did, actually whispered “ah, fuck? That’s it? That’s the end? Gahhhhhh.” I am so sad that it is over, but delighted to have partaken. What an amazing ending to an amazing series.

[André Habet · Rating 5 out of 5]

you know, ultimately i think the concept of this book was better than what the comic delivered. That said, I wish the themes expressed in this final volume (how the stories we tell ourselves influence the decisions we're able to make) came through more clearly earlier on.

At the end of this book I was more excited to continue following these characters than I had been when reading any prior volume. Also, I skipped the modernist special. It felt like such a slog reading it the first time, I couldn't bring myself to return to it. McKlevie should be given knighthood for this book. He delivers on so many levels when other artists get by on just one. He does superb costume design, set design, panel layouts, acting, and facial expression. I hope that he some day is recognized for his talent and craft to the level he deserves.

Gillen, the man is brilliant. The world here is so rich and I hope like Gaiman did with the Endless, he reopens this world for further exploration. I could get into a collection of comics just jumping around the various pantheons, especially if Gillen worked with artists from each relevant region, and integrated the region's communication history and cultural mores in the comics form. I think he'd love that challenge as the greatest achievement of WicDiv has been the regular formal experimentation Gillen and McKlevie sneak into a pop comic.

This is pop comic work at its most daring. They took readers' buy-in and pushed readers by increments to dig deeper. Sometimes they failed, but they never stopped being daring.

Gillen's writing notes in this volume, like all the others, is a treasure, and a writing course on its own. We are fortunate that he's such an overthinker and over writer.

Wilson, Cowles, they kept doing their thing, bringing the art and storytelling to transcendent levels. I wasn't always able to appreciate their work but often that's a sign that colorists and letterers are working in tandem with the artist and writer.

[Des Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a big ol break from this series, and honestly it was a little rough coming back to after a couple years. Throughout I was trying to pin if I'd missed something, forgotten something from an old book, or if I was just still supposed to be in the dark about most things. I reviewed previous issues and did my best, but I think this book's biggest thorn is a sort of loose, messy, fantasy logic, which is fairly inconsistent and unclear on the shape and form of in-universe magic.

The characters, metaphors, themes, art, presentation and defiance of comic book convention are all top notch. Seriously a must consume and new classic in the comic book canon. It was a breeze to read (besides the big prose section in the middle) and easy to love. I did enjoy the flavor of things and thought many of the pantheon clever interpretations. I enjoyed the trip through previous lives and Ananke's story. Plus all the romance and gay stuff, I'm here for it and had a great time.

Just all that messy storytelling left me wanting in the end. I like firmer magic rules. The whole magic story thing was hard for me to fully understand. I also felt the perspective provided on death was so counterintuitive to all the other miraculous magic presented to the reader. There was a nihilism to this series which never really lifted. What's purposeful and what's right is forever up to interpretation, but those are my thoughts on the matter.

tl;dr Mixed bag, but ultimately very good comics.

[Natasha den Dekker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew! I can't believe it's finished. I think that this series did go on for longer than it needed to but the drawing is so consistently good that I was happy to come back to it. (Thinking of the short but sweet Paper Girls). I also love the diversity in this - seeing people of colour in a comic is wonderful.
The story of this one is quite hard to follow - we find out a lot more about the origins or Ananke which is helpful but I think was a bit more drawn out than it needed to be....

There are a few pages of panels where I did think they were unnecessary but I get why they did it...lol
So a mixed response - fun but not earth shattering.

[MrGlassWontBreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been putting this one off for a while now. At first I told myself it was because I liked it so much I didn't want the story to end, but I probably only stopped reading it for two reasons: 1, because I got bored of all the filler/extra side stories that add nothing to the main plot, and 2 because I came across a good section of the book that was of just words, no art, just lengthy words for about 60 pages!

Anyway, I finally built up to strength to finish it, and the finale is loosing a star for the filler content and the wall of text. Not to mention the lower quality art in the side stories. Really enjoyed the entire series though. Strongly Recommend!

[Reading_seas0n · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, it ended, and I feel like while it was thought out well, it also wasn't. I need consistency in art styles, too, or I lose the love and the flashbacks having none of that made em wanna skip so bad.
They ruined Morrigan and didn't love that!

[Jennifer Sigman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn't quite stick the landing, IMO. There's at least one point in the issues where if I had been buying these one at a time I would've stopped. Would have made a better series of short stories, a la Wild Cards, as proven by the 1923 section.

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was bloody brilliant. It was so well done, that when I inevitably read it again I think I will love the entire series even more.

5 out of 5 because it deserves nothing less.

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funnies at the end were surprisingly great! Loved this series 45 issues went too quick!

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying end to the series. There's one character I was really rooting for who didn't fare well in this edition, but such is the nature of reading a story written by someone else. Not everyone gets a happy ending, and that's okay and I feel the creators handled it well, just as they did with Laura's decision regarding her pregnancy. I took one star off because I didn't enjoy the pacing, particularly with the text-heavy parts.

[Kevin Harrington-Bain]

I binge read these books through the latter half of May, finally getting through the hardcovers I’d collected. I can’t bring myself to rate the series as a whole, let alone the individual collections, because I’m of such a conflicted mind about it.
I picked up the first arc in single issues when the series first released in the summer of 2014. I’d caught wind of the buzz, and when I saw the Bryan Lee O’Malley variant cover for issue 1, I knew I had to have it. That was while I was still in college, though, and had to budget my comics wisely, so after the first arc, I had to stop picking it up monthly.
I’m glad I did, because once the core story picks up, I can’t imagine waiting a month between each installment. Having to remember everything over that time? Especially when some key explanations literally don’t get confirmed/revealed until the last 3 issues? It woulda lost me anyway.

And that’s really the main problem I have with this series. I’ve enjoyed Gillen’s other stuff, and will continue to read what he puts out, but this series in particular seemed to mistake missing information for mystery. Obviously mystery demands some info to be withheld, but much of this series seemed to fall back on keeping core mechanics shrouded, which left the characters, plot, and world-building feeling unsatisfying, unknowable, and, frankly, at times unenjoyable. The story was absolutely strong enough to stand on its own two feet, but Gillen seemed to put a lot of eggs in the basket of “make things so unclear that the constant ‘huh?’ factor will keep people coming back.”
But that detracted from some of the more powerful character moments, as well as intriguing plot twists. In my humble opinion, a good twist should result in an “oh my god” reaction rather than a “wait, what?” one.

I believe the social commentary Gillen was exploring, especially in 2014/2015, was worthwhile, if a little on the nose in its depiction at times. However, reading it in 2020, I couldn’t help but feel that some of the primary points being made felt a bit dated already. Not invalid, but the tone, use, and perception of social media platforms have shifted in the last half decade, for better or for worse.

I ultimately appreciated the main theme communicated, although, similar to the “stories are important” monologue in the Game of Thrones finale, there was some sense of “we went through all of that to just get to this?” Again, a good theme, generally well presented, and yet I feel like it further reinforces that the deployment of “gotcha” moments and withholding of important, orienting information in place of more dramatic character twists and interactions made much of the book feel a bit flat.

Still, the art was consistently pleasant and made settings and characters distinctive. And I could read another whole hardcover’s worth of one-shots about previous pantheons. This may be a series I revisit in the future, but in the meantime, I’m happy to let them sit on my shelf, and I’m glad to have them. It certainly helps that the designs are gorgeous.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

An uneven conclusion to Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelive’s ongoing series The Wicked + The Divine. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship to this comic, mostly stemming from the plot and at times convoluted narrative. Much is revealed in this final volume including a surprising amount of one-shots that expand upon the mythos Gillen has developed. I found these to be relatively uninteresting given the limited number of issues remaining, but the diverse art keeps things interesting.

This series frequently reminded me of “prestige” television channels like HBO, in regards to delivering a high concept with quality production values but not always quality storytelling (and a degree of arrogance). One issue for example is a series of near identical panels which serve to reinforce the historic cycle of the Pantheon on Earth. The overall focus is beautifully depicted by McKelive and remains Laura and other members of the “Pantheon”. Significant weight is given to themes related to celebrity, religion and pop culture.

Given the stark lack of lengthy comic series from the premier create owned publisher Image, this series still stands out for consistency and narrative vision, despite it’s flaws I look forward to rereading the series to better understand the intricate plot and character dynamics. This Deluxe volume also includes a complimentary second hardcover which contains some standalone comics related to the series, covers and a breakdown of how it was developed.

[Dakota★Magic in Every Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, problematic protagonists, complicated back stories, fabulous aesthetic, moral quandaries, doomed romances, long standing romances, epic fights, mythology applications out the wazoo, and a satisfying conclusion

[Billy Jepma · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were times I thought I wouldn't finish this series. For all of the spectacular, unmatched artwork and delicious lore, Gillen's plotting and character work were so chaotic and obtuse (for little reason, arguably) that reading it felt almost like a chore. I had to read summaries online after specific issues and volumes to make sense of what the story was doing, and even then, I was usually left scratching my head. But I finished it, and yeah, I'm really glad I did.

As an ending, these three volumes are perfectly on-brand for the series and all its messy, muddled, brilliant quirks and nuances. I wish I cared about these characters more going into this final stretch, but the story contained in these pages does a lot of heavy-lifting that helped me rediscover why I latched onto the series in the first place. There's a lovely sense of tragedy and reconciliation in the ending Gillen has written, and while it still suffers some from the same problems the rest of the series, the good far outweighs the bad.

The final issue is honestly the weakest point of these volumes, though, and only because it feels out of place and a little too sentimental. Even the big climactic moment fell a little flat for me simply because the series hadn't done enough to make me believe that the actions certain characters took were genuine. I don't mind the happiness, and in some ways, it's earned. But in other ways, it's assuredly unearned. It's a fitting end, and I'm content with it, for sure, but outside of a few key moments, it's not going to be what sticks with me from the series. What will stick with me are the glorious labyrinth of character moralities, the simple genius of the premise, and its intoxicating, self-adulating lore. Oh, and the breathtaking artwork, which effortlessly breathes remarkable life into every frame of every page. McKelvie, Wilson, and Cowles are operating on god-tier levels, truly.

For better and worse, The Wicked + The Divine has fierce conviction, and it has no qualms about sticking to them. Parts of the series were incredibly frustrating to read, while others could easily rank among the best moments I've encountered in the comics medium. In a way, that contradiction seems appropriate.

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 easily rounded up. Would be a pure 5/5 but the side story issues were a bit too hit or miss to keep the collection of vols 7-9 as purely 5/5. What a strong and neat (if unexpected) ending! The Mothering Intervention was peak in paneling, art, and story. This was the sorta downfall I was expecting in Imperial Order. And the fleshing out of Ananke as more than a person hungry for power was done wonderfully!
The spin off stuff was ok. Each artist did well (some amazing) and Gillen used it as a reason to explore some more out there stuff from story telling ideas and presentation ideas to ideas about what different Gods would do or how to emulate the art of that time period. All did well enough (except for that one that was just half a book and that's coming from the guy who enjoyed the magazine issue) although many had one or two concepts a bit too much to explore or handle the best with a single issue.
The final arc was great too. With so many revelations you might think it feels too quick or like trying to fix plot holes. But things are explained well and its clear after a few volumes they knew they had the issue space to play the long game and create things that seemed like plot holes, were confusing, or felt like changes in a characters actions that they would be able to satisfyingly explain.
Although, the big godhood reveal is a little confusing especially with the Ananke backstory once its fully revealed. But its message makes sense considering how the Gods were always flawed humans. They wanted to be special and in doing so were able to believe they were able to be God's. Instead of the natural talent they all already had. With a dash of the powerful nature of human storytelling / art (sorta like the message of Ray Fawkes' Underwinter Trilogy) At least, I think that's it.
If you did like this and want something that'll scratch your WicDiv itch while I can't guarantee it'll be as strong there is Marco Bucci's 3 volume long Image series Nomen Omen.

[seren✨ starrybooker]

I’m not quite sure how to review this series seeing as I binged it all in a three-day blur. I’d read the first half of it when I was a teenager, but comics are an expensive habit that I gave up for nights out when I got to uni. So when I saw that my library had the whole collection on shelf, I thought there was no better time to finish it.

Everything about these comics, from the concept to the characters to the art, are masterfully done. Gods reborn as pop stars, but they’ve only got two years to live, and also everyone’s queer and stunningly beautiful? Ticks every single box I could possibly think of.

I can’t overstate how beautiful the art is. Jamie McKelvie’s clean line work with Matt Wilson’s colouring is just unmatched, and they always manage to do genuinely interesting things with the comic format. Also, shout out to the costuming, and particularly Laura’s hair styles - I had forgotten how much of an influence her various curly-hair styles were on me, to the point where I now really want my undercut back.

I just love these books so much. They’re action-packed mysteries with flawed characters, dense lore and snappy dialogue. I just want to re-read it again and don’t know what to do with myself now that it’s finished.

[Bardiya Ghasemzadeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don’t get why the last arc went the way it did.
As cute as the final issue is, the way it revives characters for basically shock value is just???
Overall I still really enjoyed it but that part cheapened the story in such a baffling way.
Baphomet being revived was one thing
Him giving three decapitated heads a body and giving his life to revive a braindead Dionysus is another.
On top of this the general pacing of the series is just off to me. It manages to rush an ending that it’s seemingly building up to then becomes fan service for no apparent benefit to the point of the story.
It’s the best comic I’ve read from Gillen so far, though I suspect DIE would overtake this whenever I do get it.
3.5/5

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion to this epic comic series. I’m not sure what I expected but this didn’t fully meet my expectations.
I am not a fan of pregnancy plots but they don’t usually turn me off to a book. This did. Felt like we shoe horned in an abortion just for shock value? I see the argument for it making Minerva more desperate and led to her making mistakes but overall it seemed an unnecessary plot point.
I loved the Mary Shelley Frankenstein past gods excerpt and the murder mystery nazi past excerpt enough though that I would still recommend this.
Art is gorgeous and used in a way that really added to the story. Like this couldn’t just have been a novel. This needed the comic formatting.
So this series overall? 4.5. This book itself, 4/5.

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these one after the other, so my review is based on the series as a whole, not this specific volume. 

Wicked/Divine was a blast for me to read. The characters were interesting, the deaths were tragic, and even the villains were well written.

The end was bittersweet in a way I didn't expect. Laura's growth through the series was amazing to see. Most of the end chapters left me scrambling to see what happened next. Even when the series somewhat dragged for me during the 1920s flashback, I still wanted to know what was going on. 

All in all, I love the story, love the characters, and the end made me tear up a bit.

[Zachary Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is what keeps this a four stars for me. I enjoyed the series but it does stumble a bit on year three and four. Everything is hit or miss. Some of the backstory presented here is needed and feels right and others just feel like filler. I hated the prose issue and it dragged overall. The ending of the series makes sense but feels kind of meh. This feels like a good HBO series that couldn't stick the ending.

[erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

hello i'm so sad this is done but i thought the conclusion was so good. baal/minerva were a tragedy-- but that's probably because i'm close to dio and think every can be saved.

i appreciated how the morrigan/ baph had the biggest redemption story and loved baph getting out of the morrigan's reach. idk i definitely want to read it again it's so good.

the agatha christie telling of the 1923 recurrence was so good-- can't believe all 12 survived to the end of the 2 years.