Review: The Last God: Songs of Lost Children
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Creator:Â Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Writer:Â Dan Watters
Artist:Â Steve Beach
Colorist:Â Dave Stewart
Cartographer:Â Jared Blando
Letterer:Â Tom Napolitano
Reviewer:Â Tony Farina
Summary
Set a decade after the infamous battle of the Black Stair, an incognito Queen Cyanthe and her handmaiden embark on a journey to the poverty-stricken villages outside Tyrgolad. When faced with stories of disappearing children and a real-life encounter with a great and ancient monster, Cyanthe realizes that tales of monsters lurking are anything but folklore, and must return to her warrior roots to slay another ghastly creature.
Positives
Steve Beach, Dave Stewart and Jared Brando are simply magnificent. This book is a visual feast. The story is compelling, gut wrenching, readable, and all around unputdownable, but the art, coloring and maps are next level. Even if one was not interested in this story, one would be interested in seeing this book.
It is an art museum hidden in the paged of DC Black Label. I mean, when is the last time you looked at the credits for a book and saw cartographer? Hmmm? How about half past never? What a masterpiece. Add in Kai Carpenter’s cover and you have 36 pages of awesome.
Dan Watters continues to impress. He always manages to make everything feel like an epic poem. That may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it is a whole seeping kettle. Even coming in cold to this universe, I was engrossed and captivated by the way he develops character and studies their motivation.
Negatives
The Last God: Songs of Lost Children is all of the things I mentioned above, but it is the middle of a story. It is a one shot, but not really. I am willing to forgive it, but I don’t know if all the readers will. There is a lot we are missing.
Verdict
The Last God: Songs of Lost Children is an epic. It is full of heartbreak and it is beautiful in its tragedy. Honestly, this is my first foray into this universe. I picked it up because Dan Watters wrote it. Boy am I glad I did. There is clearly something I am missing, but he does a wonderful job catching me up right off the top. I highly recommend this book and I would suggest going back and catching up. I will.
