The New Gods #1 is an epic first chapter in the ongoing saga of some of the DC Universe’s most powerful beings from Ram V, Evan Cagle, and Francesco Segala. The Jorge Fornes-drawn opening is pure Jack Kirby: florid prose, krackling stars, and of course, “The Old Gods died”. However, this comic isn’t a nostalgia trip, but creates a new conflict for the residents of the New Genesis in light of Darkseid’s passing in the DC All In Special. (You don’t need to read that comic to understand what’s going on here though.) There’s a new New God on the horizon to balance the scales between dark and light, but this also threatens Highfather’s domain so its coming isn’t necessarily seen as a positive. Caught in between are key players like Orion, Mister Miracle, Metron, and a napping Big Barda. (Being a mom and a Bird of Prey is hard work.) V and Cagle give these powerful beings humanistic traits in both their dialogue and mannerisms while not shying away from the universe-spanning scope of the book.

Seriously, if you’re a fan of anything cosmic, then New Gods #1 is the book for you. Fornes plays the previously mentioned overture, then Evan Cagle leads off his portion of the interior art with a Jonathan Hickman-meets-Leonardo Da Vinci’s journals data page, and it’s off to races. Cagle and Segala never lose sight of storytelling fundamentals like character acting and panel transitions while depicting the glittering spires of New Genesis, the corridors of a Parademon-controlled corporate mining planet warehouse, or the puke-stained couch at the Free residence. Tom Napolitano’s lettering also accentuates key moments in the comic like a static-ringed bubble when Highfather interrupts Orion’s ass kicking with a dark message. Evan Cagle’s visuals match the flow of Ram V’s dialogue. His linework is more fluid when Scott Free and Orion are shooting the breeze and more rigid when Metron is warning Highfather of an upcoming prophecy. Also, Doom-Crow being Highfather’s name for Metron is like something straight out of Tolkien, but V writes sassier dialogue than the Oxford don.

Hear me out, but at times, New Gods #1 feels like a modernization of a long lost Stan Lee and Jack Kirby collaboration. The Kirby side is Cagle’s cool sci-fi visuals mixed with craggy faces for characters like Highfather and Orion (In one panel.) plus any time V’s writing feels like cracking open the Hebrew Bible. The Lee side is Free’s insecurity about being a father, Orion debating between duty and morality, or even Lightray and Fastbak flying through New Genesis and vying for Allfather’s favor like a B-list hero trying to make the Avengers or a young Spider-Man trying to join the Fantastic Four. New Gods #1 combines timeless archetypes and relatable neuroses to make an enjoyable not unlike those classic Silver Age Marvel Comics. Thankfully, Ram V uses a lot less narrative captions than Stan Lee and lets Evan Cagle’s layouts sing.

New Gods #1 checks all the boxes for a great first issue. It has an aesthetically memorable opening scene, a cast of characters that are easy to latch onto and introduced in a way that flows with the plot, and moral dilemma that also acts as a series hook. Plus it ends on a splash page that is Kirby-meets-Akira Toriyama. Even if the last time you cared about the New Gods was their appearances in Grant Morrison’s JLA or in the DC Animated Universe, this is still worth picking up and immersing yourself in this messy, mythic world.

Story: Ram V Art: Jorge Fornes, Evan Cagle
Colors: Francesco Segala Letters: Tom Napolitano
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.2 Overall: 9.1 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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