A New God is missing. Kamal is a young boy with limitless power. His mere presence caused High Father to take drastic actions. This has spiraled into a conflict between Orion and Mister Miracle on Earth.
New Genesis has its own issues. The peaceful planet was attacked by The Nyctari. Lightray was a casualty in the vicious invasion. This caused High-Father and company to seek refuge on Earth. Once here, a traitor has revealed himself. Serifan is working for Maxwell Lord.
They have stolen Kamal with plans to use him as a weapon. This doesn’t bode well for the Fourth World heroes.
The New Gods #10 by Ram V., Evan Cagle, Simon Parr, Francesco Segala & Tom Napolitano continues with its dramatic odyssey.
Let’s take a closer look at where events play out now.
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The world of Serifan is brought front and center for this chapter. Ram V introduces him as a boy heavily influenced by American media. The writing slowly walks through the growing impact of his consumption. It leads to a sense of disillusion in dealing with others. This aura builds up to a heart-breaking present view. there is no question of his longing for the past. Sadly, his future is not looking any better.
The conversation with Maxwell Lord is sharp and unapologetic. It moves into a sad state of affairs with no good end in sight. This is a very big contrast from Orion’s court. The mood features him in his new role as Oathmaker. Readers watch as the adjustments are complicated to take. This moves events forward to try a rescue. Readers get a much needed shot of action as the search gains steam. The writing moves this along before heading back to a looming plot point. In this stage, the mood swings into a dangerous place. The closing page makes a loud statement towards the immediate future. Only time will tell if Orion’s group is ready.
Cagle and Segala takes art duties for the history of Serifan. There are many homages to American history. The usage of panels depicts how the child is absorbing this information. It will be easy for readers to start connecting with these pages. It ultimately leads to a sad farewell panel. Cagle and Segala deliver on the emotional toll taken before handing off duties to Parr.
Readers watch as the talk between Serifan and Lord eludes to much mistrust. The expressions given lead to believe a set-up has occurred, fitting the movie motive. This breaks away to show how Orion and company deal with the situation. The art locks in on Orion’s new role problems. There is little time given here as the action finally starts happening. A near full page shot showcases two heroes fending off much of their opposition. This all moves everything towards the close. The art sets the stage for a showdown in waiting. A full page image screams the danger lying in wait. It may have taken a scenic route, but it appears all roads are finally starting to come together.
OVERALL GRADE: 8.4
A look into a lost soul leads a heavily travelled issue. Ram V’s writing juggles many plots while continuing to build. Cagle and Segala present Serifan’s past with much sadness and longing. Parr takes the issue home with solid action. There’s no turning back now for where this series is heading.
Let me know your thoughts on The New Gods #10 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!