Newer Gods 15. Lonar versus the misdrawn demons of Apokolips!
Newer Gods is a monthly feature where I take a look back at the history of DC Comics’ New Gods from the era after original creator Jack Kirby. It’s a study of creators as they take a look back at work of the King of Comics and re-create it.
Cover art by Rich Buckler, who finds his ways into the interior this time as well!
All images copyright DC Comics.
Return of the New Gods 15
After a month-long digression into the world of Mister Miracle we finally continue the Return of the New Gods with issue 15. Gerry Conway is back on writing duties, while Don Newton takes a break to allow regular cover artist Rich Buckler to take the interiors with the always impressive Bob McLeod on inks.
Buckler doesn't have quite the same chops as Newton, but his work features an interesting mix of Kirby and Neal Adams that works quite well for the gods of New Genesis. His art shines as we open the story with a New God we rarely saw in Kirby's own work: Lonar.
If you remember from way back in issue 12, Lonar was the chosen protector for Nomak, the Eskimo that held a part of the Anti-Life Equation locked in his mind.
Lonar and Thunder are majestic in a Conan sort of way!
The lone warrior, rider of Thunder, isn't one for socializing, which makes him fit in among the sparsely populated Inuits. But his meditation on his own existence is interrupted by Nomak's cries of "DRUMAK! DRUMAK!" The word means stranger and as Lonar turns he sees a burning boy come across the snow.
The boy cries, "Help me! For the love of sanity, help me..." The title piece on the same page makes the focus on him quite clear. He is "THE APOCALYPSE CHILD." Lonar knows he should act, but he has no idea what to do!
We check in on Orion who as Anthony Masters again has a foul run-in with General Torch. Lightray, still smitten by Debbi Drake, doesn't like anything about his charge, Richard Roe. Richard gets attacked by the dealers he sold for, now wanting their money. He rescues Richard from the attack and sends him to the hospital. Just then his Mother Box pings as Lonar calls the most social of all the gods of New Genesis for his assistance.
Lightray flies to Lonar's aid. Lonar introduces him to Lucifar, the so-called Apocalypse Child. Conway has never been a bad writer, but do not ask me to excuse his use of three characters with names all starting with L. That's asking for reader confusion. Anyway, Lightray tells Lonar his next move is obviously a return to New Genesis with the boy. Nomak and his wife insist they accompany the boy as well.
Unfortunately, the young gods didn't warn the simple Eskimos about the nature of New Genesis. They immediately scream in fright as Highfather appears. He introduces himself to Lucifar. The boy reveals he was sent to the gods of New Genesis in exchange for Esak, a new pact like the one that transferred Orion and Scott Free between worlds.
Apokoliptan demons - actual demons here, not Parademons, a mistake on Buckler's part I expect - attack the gods and humans. The Eskimos run for cover as Lightray and Lonar due battle, although helplessly outnumbered. Highfather screams out to the heavens, his call to the other warriors of New Genesis to return. The other New Gods return to join the battle.
But even as the battle rages, Nomak runs for cover. Unfortunately, he's run directly into Darkseid's trap. The supreme lord of Apokolips towers over the Eskimo, ready to extract the knowledge he seeks.
Lonar gets few action shots in his career, so let's show off this one, even if he's fighting the oddest Apokoliptans possible.
Lonar realizes the Eskimos are gone. He pursues them inside, only to run headlong into Darkseid himself. The gray-skinned monster hurls Nomak's motionless form back at Lonar, saying, "You've came too late, godling! I've drained this creature's mind of the information I need... and you may have him, for all the good he'll do you now!"
Lonar lets Nomak fall at his feet. He has his own declaration of intent towards Darkseid: "I may have failed to protect this Earthman, but I can still fulfill my duty, BY DESTROYING YOU!" Lonar hurls his full might at Darkseid, only to be blasted out of the air by the gray-skinned brute.
"No one harms me!" he declares. "NO ONE!"
He leaves Lonar's unmoving form as he disappears.
The other heroes combine their might to send the demons hightailing back to Apokolips. Only in the aftermath of the great battle does Highfather reappear. He carries the lifeless form of Lonar, who has given his life to protect Nomak. Orion wishes to take his fury out on Lucifar, but Highfather stays his hand. Again we end the tale with Orion silently declaring his quest for vengeance against his own father as we're promised next time, "The Titan and the Hunter!"
Despite his adept style, Buckler seems to miss at least two visual cues from the Kirby run. First, the strange demons look like nothing from Apokolips, but actual demons, which is a strange choice from a world with an army of parademons. Later, Lonar is struck down by Darkseid's power. But Darkseid kills him with just a blast of energy from around his body, with no sign of the Omega Beams he uses to kill at all other times.
Yet it does deepen Conway's revival of the property as he leads the book to its inevitable conclusion, one of course Kirby never finished.
The focus on Lightray and Lonar proved satisfying as well. Neither received much in depth characterization from Kirby, but they get much more personality at Conway's hand, even if they are part of a rather large cast. We will learn more about him in just a few short weeks, but first, we return to Mister Miracle as the final issue of the Englehart / Rogers run looms close!
