Review: Lords of the Cosmos #2

Lords of the Cosmos #2 picks up where issue #1 left off, following the same format as the first issue.  Once again, Lenox and his team provide a compelling collection of tales that detail the evil minions of Umex while reserving the first story of the book for the narrative of Umex’s conquest of Aiden.

‘As the World Burns’ is the title for the second installment of this ongoing story.   In this story, Umex displays his strategic brilliance as he reins in his generals and focuses them on his objectives.  Umex makes clear that he not only wants to conquer Aiden, he wants to subjugate it and its people entirely.  As the story progresses, the reader is confronted with acts of savagery, barbarism, sadism and cruelty.  Umex has unleashed his minions upon the peoples of Aiden and their evil is on full display.  Meanwhile Avietus, an airborne former Lord of the Cosmos, is caught spying on the advancing evil.  Eager to stop him from reporting on his progress, Umex orders him destroyed and Avietus’ future is uncertain as the story ends.

The proceeding stories in the book are once again vignettes featuring moments in the lives of Umex’s lieutenants.  The second story of the book, ‘A Name Matters’, examines how one of Umex’s minions came into his service.  The story begins with this character approaching Umex’s fortress and asking to be presented to the Lord of Decay.  His request is denied and his attempts to name himself are cut off.  Instead, he is told that he must prove himself in battle.  As this character fights for his place, he uses his power of mental domination to defeat his enemy.  He then compels Umex’s representative to take him to Umex while naming himself…Mindozer.

The second of these stories is titled ‘The Scream’.  This story begins with a disembodied head alone and confused.  As it begins to expound on its predicament, wondering why he hasn’t gone to heaven after dying in battle, it is joined by a second disembodied head.  This head mocks the first, reveling in the first heads confusion and savoring past screams of death.  It is then that the first head comes to a terrible realization.  Its head is one of many, cataloged and shelved in a storage compartment.  With this realization, the owner of the collection enters the room.  The horrified head recognizes the being who killed him and left him in this state, Decaptor.  With futile anguish, the will of the severed head is suborned as Decaptor retrieves it and fits it to his body.

The final story, ‘Knights Out’, follows the corruption of Obsidia and the fall of The Rainbow Knights at her hand.   Once counted among their number, Obsidia betrays the knights one by one.  As she does so, she brings them into silent service to Umex.   This service is grotesque and demented, underlining Obsidia’s status as Umex’s chief lieutenant, and must be seen to be understood.   Finally, the issue ends on a note of hope as Pryzm, the last of The Rainbow Knights, escapes Obsidia.  She reappears half a world away and is greeted by two warriors.  The first is Myrmidon and the second is Aegus, leader of the Lords of the Cosmos.  Hope is rekindled for the fight to come.

This is yet another great book with impeccable writing and tantalizing stories.  The villainous vignettes are delicious slices of evil that make you detest the villains while yearning to see more of them.  The introduction of Myrmidon and Aegus at the end of the book promises epic battles to come; battles I am waiting for with great anticipation.  The artwork is once again perfect, each panel drawn with incredible precision and detail.  Of particular note in this issue is the inking in the first story, ‘As the World Burns’.  This ink work is truly amazing, with any number of techniques on full display using texture, contours and shadows to bring the panels to life.  I continue to be impressed by this book, its professional writing, it’s flawless artwork and it’s pitch perfect display of the comic creator’s craft.  I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Writing – 5 of 5 Stars
Art – 5 of 5 Stars

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Concept – Jason Lenox
Creators – Jason Lenox, Dennis Fallon, Jason Palmatier

‘As the World Burns‘

Writers – Dennis Fallon, Jason Palmatier
Pencils – Jason Lenox
Ink – Tuna Historietas, Rudi Sucipto, D.F. Marin
Letters – Dave Sharpe

‘A Name Matters‘

Writers – Dennis Fallon Jason Palmatier
Art – David Newbold
Letters – Jason Palmatier

‘The Scream‘

Writer – Dennis Fallon
Art – Joseph Freistuhler
Letters – Jason Pamatier

‘Knights Out‘

Writers. Jason Lenox, D.W. Kann
Art – Dani Kaulakis
Letters – Dani Kaulakis

Physical Copies of Lords of the Cosmos 1 & 2 for sale at https://www.etsy.com/shop/LenoxArtEmporium

Digital Copies of Lords of the Cosmos #1 are for sale at https://www.comixology.com/Lords-of-the-Cosmos-1/digital-comic/707802

Digital Copies of Lords of the Cosmos #2 are for sale at https://www.comixology.com/Lords-of-the-Cosmos-2/digital-comic/709963

Author Profile

Nemesis

Nemesis is a poet, writer and author of the upcoming novel The Long Game. He is a writer of science fiction and supernatural thrillers. Besides novels and short stories he writes for UK based ASAP Comics developing new stories for Level 8 and OPSEC. Nem is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and tries to bring those experiences into his writing.

He lives and works out of his home in Riverside, California with his wife and three children. When not writing he enjoys reviewing comic books and graphic novels for ComicCrusaders.com and living the Southern California life with his family.

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