Comics
Review: “The Wicked + The Divine” #3
Gillen and McKelvie are both incredibly talented, I have nothing but the utmost respect for both of them and their work but I sincerely cannot fathom the appeal of this book. And with “The Wicked + The Divine” #3 my confusion has hit critical mass.
WRITTEN BY: Kieron Gillen
ART BY: Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: August 20, 2014
Reviewed By Torbin Chimners
I pick up most indie first issues I see because I’ll give anything a shot. I’ve been pleasantly surprised more times than I’ve been letdown; this is not one of those pleasant times. With the massive amount of hype surrounding “The Wicked + The Divine,” I had to pick it up. I gave it a shot. Wasn’t for me. Second issue rolled around and that Zdarsky variant cover was too good to pass up, so I picked it up too. It still wasn’t for me. Now I’m here to review issue #3, because everyone knows universal praise is no fun without a little bit of criticism.
So we’ve got a wooden protagonist who’s celebrity worship is so off the charts it’s almost sickening. She’s literally working to clear Lucifer’s name and help out any gods she can on the way. We’re supposed to care and/or feel bad for these all-powerful god-celebrities, who, instead of helping humanity in any constructive way, choose to become the cockiest, most pompous celebrities who’ve ever existed.
Sure, there’s one character who seems to be the voice of reason in issue #1, but now she’s a couple prayers away from being just part of the gang. It’s all completely maddening. Following the beginning of the issue, is what amounts to a size contest between two of the gods with hundreds of human lives at risk. They’re all basically about to become collateral damage, once again due to the unimaginable irresponsibility of these “totally cool and rad” god-celebrities. While the story is weak here, McKelvie’s visuals are outstanding, jaw-droppingly so.
That whole kerfuffle eventually leads Laura to the only likable/relatable character, Cassandra. Laura and Cassandra sit down and try to hash out where they are now and where to go next. Cassandra’s got quite a few questions but fortunately enough all of them were already answered by Lucifer, presumably last issue, to Laura who then repeats them.
If that sounds confusing, trust me it is, it’s not anymore clear when you read it. Lucifer, who’s just being repeated by Laura, proceeds to lay on some thick exposition that reads like molasses for about 3 pages. McKelvie’s art feels incredibly uninspired and lazy during this whole scene and then the issue is topped off with a line so cringe worthy I can’t bring myself to quote it.
Gillen’s story shows no signs of a course correction. McKelvies visuals are inconsistent. One moment he’s blowing me away, the next it looks like I’m watching a student film with the same dull framing reused over and over again. I LOVE the creative team, but I just don’t get why this book is so appealing.
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Torbin Chimners AKA Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @Vulgar_Rhombus
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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