Lazarus, Vol. 7

Lazarus #27-28 + Lazarus: Risen 5-7

by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark (Artist)

"I need you to do something. Something only you can do." Forever Carlyle disobeyed her father's orders to kill her own brother, during the Conclave that plunged the Families into a global war. Now, unknown to anyone but Forever, Jonah Carlyle is on the run...and after years of battlefield combat, Forever brings the attack into the homes of Carlyle's enemies.

Collects LAZARUS #27-28 & LAZARUS: RISEN #5-7

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Adventure, Action

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2022

About the author

Greg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was way better than the last volume, IMHO.
Even so, it's been a long time since I read the last volume. Did I remember what had happened?
Not so much.
But that's never stopped me before.



Remember Forever's brother? The one she was supposed to kill but didn't?
Me either!
I'd completely forgotten about him. But he plays a big role in this story.



The mini-Forever is another one that you really spend time with during this volume. I don't know if this is right, but it feels like all the plot threads are starting to come together and we may have an ending to this series before I have grandchildren.
Then again, maybe not.
Honestly, I just hope the next volume comes out before I forget what happened in this one.
Recommended for fans.

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.3544789 stars.

I started reading this series in 2016 and enjoyed the fish out of every volume up until this slightly catastrophic one happened. Things aren't as disastrous in this volume here (Forever's haircut issues notwithstanding) but I just can't bring myself to care about the series anymore. It used to be fun and exciting and deliciously gory but now it's mostly all blah blah blah and 💤💤💤. Deliciously gory it still is though and thank fish for that.



🤗🤗

Will there ever be an ending in sight, I wonder? I'm beginning to seriously doubt it. Yeah yeah yeah, I know, spoiler spoiler spoiler stuff does happen towards the end of this volume and it looks like parts of the plot are FINALLY coming together (only 10 bloody shrimping years after the first volume was published 🙄) but it's way too little way too late if you ask me. That plus the fact that I'll probably be 150+ years old by the time the conclusion to the series comes = I'm out and stuff.



Reading Order:
· Volume 1: Family ★★★★
· Volume 2: Lift ★★★
· Volume 3: Conclave ★★★★
· Volume 4: Poison ★★★★
· Volume 5: Cull ★★★★★
· Lazarus X+66 (side stories about supporting characters) ★★★★
· Fracture: Prelude 1 (issue #27, previously published in digital format only and now included in vol. 7) ★★★★
· Fracture: Prelude 2 (issue #28, previously published in digital format only and now included in vol. 7) ★★★★
· Volume 6: Fracture I ★★

· Sourcebook Collection Vol One ★★★★

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually thought this series was discontinued, and didn’t really miss it. Let me explain: I think I began reading this in early 2016 (because I liked Greg Rucka’s Stumptown series), though the first volume was actually published in 2013. So this is volume 7 in 2022. (Ugh, snore).

Without looking back at any of my previous reviews, let’s see if I can recall what this comics series is about: An apocalyptic factions/mob/crime families story, where the rich rule the world, duh. Wealth is power, okay. With lots of slick tech. Serfs are allowed to exist if they serve the families. i kept hoping for some deeper class analysis and maybe a class war, an uprising, but no.

Each family gets to create an indestructible AI/robot to be central in the defense of each family, though the said AIs don’t know they are not human. Forever Carlyle, our main kick-ass AI character, for instance, sees herself just as a dutiful daughter in the Carlyle family, who was told she had to kill her brother Jonah. Oh, and recently we began a gang/family world war, though I can't recall exactly why. So: multiple mob families, huge scope.

Our main family here is Carlyle, and the main antagonist (in this volume, at least) is the Hock family. Very little went on for many volumes, until now, where we see (sorry, spoiler) Jonah survive, picked up by Danish sailors who found him floating on the sea.and return. Forever meets her mother. And Forever (who is Number Seven AI/robot) meets her intended replacement, number Eight, and they plot some kind of escape (and maybe some kind of uprising of the Forevers? One can only hope.)

The story has always seemed to me too ambitious, which is to say (for me, at least) convoluted, though some explanations about Hock and Carlyle begin to be revealed,. The artwork by Michael Lark has for me always been the most interesting dimension of this one. That and because there are more answers than in previous volumes is why I rate this more than 2 stars. Since I’m a masochist I will probably read the next volume in a year or two or whenever it comes out.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this sci fi series about war, assassination, political intrigue, and family drama, but it can take a little while to get back into the complex story with its large cast of characters.

The start here is even a little slower than usual as we take a long side excursion with a secondary character to see what he's been up to since dropping out of the main story. It's an engaging but sad tale of civilians trying to get by with their daily lives as the distant winds of war blow ever closer.

The final two-thirds of the book jump us back into the main storyline as Forever Carlyle tries to slice through all the family entanglements that are keeping her and her little sister stuck in a system where they are seen only as weapons of destruction. Big developments occur as the current storyline reaches it finale, marking a major turning point in the series. I look forward to seeing what comes next.


FOR REFERENCE

Contents:
• Prelude: Part One [Lazarus #27] / Greg Rucka, writer; Michael Lark with Tyler Boss, artists; David Brothers, editor
• Prelude: Part Two [Lazarus #28] / Greg Rucka, writer; Michael Lark with Tyler Boss, artists; David Brothers, editor
• Fracture II, Chapter One [Lazarus: Risen #5] / Greg Rucka, writer; Michael Lark, artist; Alejandro Arbona, editor
• Fracture II, Chapter Two [Lazarus: Risen #6] / Greg Rucka, writer; Michael Lark, artist; Alejandro Arbona, editor
• Fracture II, Chapter Three [Lazarus: Risen #7] / Greg Rucka, writer; Michael Lark, artist; Alejandro Arbona, editor

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa, so much happens here in such a short page count! While this volume might have the least amount of actual action in the whole series, the intrigue that it does have is potent, game-changing, and just as exciting! And Michael Lark's art is in TOP form here, proving again why he's one of my favorites in the business.



We dig much deeper into Eight's character and her relationship with Forever, we get more backstory and secrets about the Carlyle family, the Hock family, and the root of their rivalry, and most surprising of all, we get the previously uncollected issues #27 and 28 that revealed exactly what happened to Jonah Carlyle after he was spared by Forever and they faked his death way back when. It really deepens his character arc and I can't wait to see where Rucka takes him and how he affects the story in the future. And the ending has a huge cliffhanger, turning the tables on the whole story and setting the stage for the endgame, which will come in a final 12-14 issues, bringing what is one of my favorite comic book series to a conclusion.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was effin' amazing.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best volume of the whole series.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointed at the end. Excellent all the way up to this last volume. I did get the feeling before reading Vol 7 that there was too much to wrap up in a single volume. I was right. The whole series goes from a believable reflection of dystopia to the banal. Hard to believe the entirety of civilization goes the way it does based on the past events described herein. It was just a bit daft. I did have a couple of sharp intake moments of "wow" at a couple of the reveals. But overall, with Vol 7 I feel a little cheated. The only way I'd feel different would be looking forward to Volume 8. There are various open ends that make that a possibility (clever, Greg; hats off to you :) but I don't think that's on the cards, is it? (I'm thinking Drowntown and Über, two of my absolute favourite re-reads, but series endings never published to-date.) Before Vol 7 I felt like this is a series I'd re-read. But now I doubt that will happen, given this ending. Shame. P.s. Now off to read Batwoman: Elegy, so I still love you Greg. X

[Shaunesay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd really been looking forward to continuing this story after what seemed like forever, and I was not let down! So many things revealed! I love it when an author is able to take a formerly despicable character and make you feel sympathetic towards them, and we got that big time in the beginning of this volume. The ending was also wild, and now I need to know what happens next! I love Forever, she is just a complete badass and taking charge of her own life, I love it!

[Trike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb ending to this sci-fi story about the warring houses of billionaires who rule the world. Lean and confident all the way through.

The info about this book is incorrect, for some reason. It’s just titled “Lazarus, Vol. 7”, as even the Amazon link shows. The internal headings say “Fracture II”. This cover is wrong. Also, it’s 209 pages, not 144.

Publisher page: https://imagecomics.com/comics/releas...

I’d ask for a correction in the Librarians group, but they’ve completely ignored my other missives about inaccurate or missing books, so there’s no point.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a bit of a break since I last read this series, but this volume gets things started strong, with a two issue side story and then a game-changing main volume of the story where the war moves toward a conclusion, culminating in a reckoning that finally brings to light the real reason the war began. Around that plot, we also have the attempt to get eight free before her Telemetry is installed, and several action-packed sequences covering pivotal moments in the war (although the scale of all of them is relatively small). This is a highly important volume and it definitely leaves on some... not quite cliffhangers, but major redirections to the story. The art is as good as ever, capturing the brutality of the combat and also the emotions of the family members, which are equally if not more important. It's been a long wait for this series to resume its main storyline, but it was more than worth it.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end of an arc, but no conclusion.

Nevertheless, this arc was satisfying. After a first part of black ops that takes most of the actors in the conflict off the stage, we move on to a big "family" reunion that goes back in time and exposes certain characters, while others meet a tragic fate.

Very good pacing with good tension builds and storytelling that is never boring, even though there are ultimately more dialogue scenes than action scenes. With a good scriptwriter and a good visual artist, you get good books. Simple as that.

A final arc is still needed for a truly solid conclusion though.

Coming soon...

[Nate]

The first two issues detail what happened to Jonah after Forever let him go during the conclave. Maybe a little cliched, but well written and heartbreaking by the end.

The meat of the book picks right up where the last one left off. The two Forevers meet, and a secret plan is hatched to remove the younger from the Lazarus system. Meanwhile, war is still on, but a meeting between Carlyle and Hock might change that. We get a lot of useful backstory here. Rucka digs into the complexity of Jakob and Malcolm's relationship, and everything begins to make more sense. Then shocking events happen at the end of the last issue. And there's no word on when the series will continue...

Needless to say I really enjoyed this continuation. But I'll probably have to reread the whole series by the time the next book comes out.

One question though: why was issue four of the Risen series never collected?

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Całkiem przypadkiem pożyczyłem serię od znajomego, który właśnie skończył ją czytać.
Nie wiedząc co to, o czym i czy będzie dobre (poza słownymi zapewnieniami, że jest ;) ).

No i kurcze - nie zawiodłem się. Uwielbiam klimat "postapo" i wizje tworzenia nowego świata. Ta jest jedną z ciekawszych, gdzie światem rządzą zamożne rodziny.

Polecam!

[Benji Glaab · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The series is back to form, especially the opening mini side story of Jonah Carlyle, which is a stranger in a strange land type of love story. I feel like things are about to wrap up, and a happy ending is in store for these characters that have been backed into a corner by Rucka the last decade or so. It's definitely a quality series front to back. I'm waiting patiently to see how this story finishes off.

[Andrew Sorrentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great up until the end. I find myself wondering about Forever's motivations and her wild behavior after the historic revelations during the last chapters.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some good strategy. Life goes one. The girls make their move. Open ending with still a few loose ends to tie up.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

When readers last encountered the denizens of the Carlyle Domain, reality had finally encroached upon a legacy of lies, and chaos had not yet burst the finite rectitude of filial piety. Following the events of LAZARUS v7, readers will have witnessed the beginning of the end of the beginning of a would-be empire.

One can never be too sure whether each volume of this comic book serves as an introduction, a culmination, or a pivot. And as of late, Johanna Carlyle's character arc has exhibited valid intuition and growth. Her accession to young Eve's desire to break away from the family's institutionalized suffering, and her acknowledgment of Forever's desire to be free of her slave status, proves Jo may be the book's biggest heroine. The current volume shifts everything into high gear: It's time to end the war with Hock; it's time to resolve internal ethical disputes over the lazarus program; it's time to dig up the truth over how and why the egos of petty men have so glibly destroyed the world.

LAZARUS v7 is highly entertaining, but the volume suffers readers a modicum of disappointment given how much its cast conveniently forgets the seemingly dire nature of the previous volume's events. Must a comic book about globe-spanning territorial rule pick and pry its way through these conflicts, one by one, by necessity? Perhaps. LAZARUS v7 certainly brings the military intrigue: Jo and Forever trust one another to settle old scores and position the family above all. On the one hand, that means taking down the D'Souza and Morray families for their betrayal/duplicity; on the other hand, that means opening up the Iberian Peninsula, Mexico, all of Central America, and parts of the Caribbean to any and all takers.

But this volume focuses largely on the emotional toll of that ridiculous credo — "family above all." Readers hear of but don't see much of Forever and her team of Daggers doing what they do best in the shadows. Instead, readers are soaked to the bone in the guilt-free tears of Forever and Eve's first meeting, readers are introduced to the wayward and luckless compassion roaming Beth's empty heart, and readers are offered a curious, almost romantic requiem for the Carlyle family's lost son: Jonah.

Jonah's story is a clever and remarkable, representative exposition of the beauty and danger inherent in the Carlyle bloodline. When the man washes ashore, in Denmark (Bittner Domain), he's fed, housed, and cared for by a family of well-meaning fishermen. Jonah is understandably repulsed by his old family's politics, but finds comfort in the simple pragmatism of his new family. Could a reprobate and outcast, like Jonah, redeem himself through hard work and empathy? Nothing is for certain. But, raising a beer to the icy winds of Scandinavia and earning a wink from the lovely Pernille, a fisherman's brawny daughter, Jonah knows it's worth a shot.

LAZARUS v7 uses Jonah's story as a kind of allegory: Losing, gaining, and then losing everything (again), in the span of three years, will change a person.

This narrative doctrine holds true for much of the cast.

What happened in the competitive youth of Malcolm Carlyle and Jakob Hock? What goes on in the mind of the soft-spoken Abigail Carlyle, the invisible-until-now, not quite matriarch? How sincere is Jo's effort to crush her dying father's errant ambitions with her own? What of the petulant curiosity churning in the heart of Eve (or "Eight" as she likes to be called), who sits but a week away from having her telemetry package installed, thus making her another indestructible slave of the Carlyle Domain?

And what about Forever? Forever is the protagonist. But the wildly expanding breath of truth that fills her lungs threatens to expunge all other possibilities for all other allies.

All good storytelling. LAZARUS v7 picks and chooses its dynamics, and for the most part, sells them all incredibly well. The creative team's foreshadowing isn't too bad, either. Forever's quest for knowledge and her burgeoning resilience in the face of her family's lies precludes one from believing she'll survive the narrative to its natural conclusion.

Regardless, some narrative choices fare better than others. For example, the decision to narrate two whole issues in Danish with English subtitles resulted in a novel but laborious read (and notably inconsistent with a subsequent chapter featuring prominently Spanish-speaking characters).

Further, the urgent and cataclysmic nature of the current volume's events leave readers completely in the dark about how the other ruling families view the Carlyle Domain's internal strife. The highly accessible lives of the Carlyle family obliges only vague presumptions of the others. House Carlyle is burning. Does anyone care?

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Wow! Wow, wow, wow! Finally, we get some much-delayed (and much-needed) background on the story of the conflict between Hock and Carlyle. Maybe Jakob Hock isn't really the monster we've been led to believe he is? Some excellent storytelling here in one of my favorite ongoing comics of the moment. Nice background on Jonah Carlyle and his survival after the enclave. The Morray and D'Souza families are dealt with. Forever meets her mother! And Forever and Eight plot their escape. I'm interested to see where things might go next. The artwork by Michael Lark continues to be an integral, essential, and beautiful part of the overall story here. Highly, highly recommended...

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a feast for Crows! Damn! Glad I got a hold of this and finally got to continue the story. Can't wait to see what happens next.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back after a long hiatus, "Lazarus, Vol. 7: Fracture II" continues writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark's vision of a dark future ruled by a cohort of ultrawealthy families. Imagine Davos with serfs--or "waste," as the plebes are referred to in this universe--only each family has their own supersoldier to kick ass, guard their turf and occasionally fight cool duels with swords.

The series' focus is "Forever Carlyle," the Lazarus for the Carlyle family. But she's absent from the first half of this volume as Rucka and Lark offer more of a ground-level look at their dystopian world. We're introduced to a fishing family in Denmark, one that happens to catch a man in a survival suit--Jonah, the black sheep of the Carlyle family, though to have been murdered by Forever, who secretly spared his life.

He's accepted by the family--enthusiastically so by their daughter--and seems to embrace a "normal" existence after the tumult and torture of life at the top. But the ruling families are at war, and even little fishing villages in Denmark aren't exempt. Much like the second volume of the series, "Lift," this story gives us a good view of how rough life is for the average person in this totalitarian setting.

The rest of the volume shifts to war, as a hodgepodge of ruling families settle scores and avenge past betrayals. This part is slicker and exciting. Rucka is great at dirty-tricks plotting, and Lark has an amazing faculty for machinery, stealth fighters and the eventual hail of bullets.

Rucka has succeeded in humanizing the Carlyles throughout the series, offering depth and even growth for characters that could easily be caricatures of the 1%. While the "war" story kept my interest, it seemed to advance a bit too easily, especially given the explosive setbacks these characters had seen in previous issues.

The final reveal--that the world of the "families" was all part of a devious long-term plan by the Carlyle family patriarch--feels far too tidy, especially since the character is framed as someone who would rather burn a global oligarchy down than build it from the ground up. It's a testament to Rucka and Lark's skill that they keep the story engaging, even as the plotting overcommits.

[Alex E · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this final (so far) volume of Lazarus, we get big revelations and huge plot development.

What's great about Greg Rucka is that, he can spend all this time building this world, and it's action packed and gory - but it's the richness of the story itself that keeps the reader enthralled. The details and nuances of the plot allow for even more storytelling and more drama. This volume is mostly story - hardly any action. Yet, I was glued to my seat and couldn't put it down.

In this one, we get to see what happened to Forever's brother, who she was supposed to kill on her father's orders. However, after he was set free by Forever and drifted in the sea, he was rescued and rehabilitated, allowing for him to truly live for once. His story ends on quite the tragic cliffhanger and I have a feeling he will be a big part of the story in the future.

The major developments happen with the Carlyle family (mother and all), and Hock - who reveals the details of events that set this whole new world in motion. It's striking to see how the relationship between the two heads (along with Hock's sister) really shaped the world. It's almost tragic and at the same time infuriatingly frivolous to think how much suffering and death has come down due to these men's arrogance and need for vengeance.

The story definitely takes a turn and I want more. But the book is on hiatus at this point with no new volume in sight for the time being. After reading the entire series, I am definitely a fan and look forward to when Rucka and Lark give us the new chapters of this excellent story.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

LAZARUS Volume 7 – SEVEN, by Greg Rucka

LAZARUS #27
Back into it, this time catching up with what happened to Jonah.
Similar feeling to the ‘return’ characters in Game of Thrones series.
Great ‘sketchy’ illustrations, economic dialogue. Great stuff.
“Curious who did THIS to your hand. Who did this to your EYE. Who HURT you and left you for DEAD.” – Pernille to Jonah (Carlyle)
..

LAZARUS #28
Intense, heart-breaking. When Empires use up their human resources – injustice!
“Take care of yourself. The sea gave you to me. I don’t want the sea taking you back.” – Pernille to Jonah, after the news that Jonah has been drafted into Bittner service.
..

LAZARUS: RISEN #5 [Fracture II, ch.1]
“I get BOOKS, you know? Did you get books? The STORIES I read, and they’re these FAMILIES in them, the way they treat each other with love..”

LAZARUS: RISEN #6 [Fracture II, ch.2]
“One of the things DEATH gives us is PURPOSE: It demands to know what we’ve DONE with our LIVES, who we’ve BEEN.”

LAZARUS: RISEN #7 [Fracture II, ch.3]
“All those BOOKS for BABYSITTERS, Malcolm. I have often wondered who you would’ve become without the FREE LIBRARIES to TEACH you.”

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greg Rucka and Michael Lark delivers another great volume of Lazarus.

There is a lot to unpack here.

When it comes to quality, this volume is up to the same quality that we are use to coming from this duo. One could argue that it is probably even better.

Story-wise, a lot of stuff is happening here. For the first time I felt that Rucka could be taking steps into a series conclusion. I hope not because I want to keep reading this for years to come but there is definitely a feeling of an end of a cycle, in the very least.

We'll see what the future brings. Right now, this volume only solidifies what was already one of my favorite series so far.

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, thrilling, emotionally satisfying high point for the series, and probably the best collection of issues yet. A sit down between Carlyle and Hock gives enlightening exposition for the good intentions behind how and why the world got the way it is now, including the origin of their intense animosity. Forever also enacts several of her long formulating plans, including a few masterstrokes in the ongoing global war but, more importantly, also her personal scheming regarding her and Eight’s place in the family. So many threads get successfully paid off while teasing intrigue for what’s next, and I hate that I’m now caught up to this series’ extended hiatus.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series started well, as a blend of dysfunctional family drama with a power struggle among the wealthy elite of a future world. It ends heres (I think), and it's no more than adequate. The shift to Forever's personal struggle to be free is in keeping with the earlier volumes. However it turns out this entire power struggle stems from a tragic relationship mess decades ago, about which we've heard nothing until now, and the climax is everyone sitting around and talking about it. It's dramatic, yes ...but not a satisfactory payoff.

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, Jonah Carlysle hides out in Denmark. He makes a life for himself, but the war intrudes.

Then in three oversized issues, Forever, Eight and their compatriots plan for their freedom. The war peaks and the heads of Carlysle and Hock agree to meet and negotiate.

This could be an ending. Or it could be a beginning. We'll see.

[Johan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was worth the wait. In this volume you will learn what happened to Jonah after he was dumped in the ocean, Forever 7 and 8 get some time together, plans within plans, Forever (7) brings the fight to their enemies, negotiations between Carlyle and Hock take an unexpected turn, Forever (7) meets her mother, ...

Please, don't make me wait a year (or two) for the next volume.

[Christopher Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was wondering what happened to this series when I spied the latest graphic novel in a comic book store. I was really pleasantly surprised. Various plot threads are coming together, and they build to a climax that has been a long time coming. Plus, you get a different view of the war between the Carlyle and Hock families. Let's hope I don't have to wait so long for the next collection!

[Jake Kilroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume hauls and delivers. I love that we get a full explanation of familial/friendly accounting, but it also feels a bit like I missed an issue. "I dated his sister and we had a messy breakup" is such a funny reason for reshaping the entire structure of the world's power systems and engaging in immortality-laced warfare. Sure, there's more to it than that, but all's fair in love and war.