Death of the New Gods # 1 (of 8)

Someone is murdering the New Gods as a great cosmic event looms over the universe. Although other New Gods characters have been killed in the pages of previous DC comics, the pace picks up in this issue as two fairly well-known characters, created by Jack Kirby no less, bite the dust.

There isn't too much action in this comic which deals more with exposition and a few clues which are so blatantly obvious that they must be red herrings. In a way, it is almost a New Gods version of IDENTITY CRISIS with the initial murders only opening the door to more menacing secrets. Starlin's dialogue and narration are still a bit leaden. He still does not have the rhythm of comic book speech that comes so easily to other writers. But he does convey very well, the grandeur (be it dark or light) of New Genesis and Apokolips and its respective residents. His human figures largely look rather gaunt, perhaps reflecting the approaching doom awaiting all of them. And he does tell a rather metaphysical story quite well so even a newcomer to the world(s) of the New Gods can tell what is happening and why this is all important. This gets four stars out of five.