The New Gods #1 is an Epic Revival Worthy of Jack Kirby’s Iconic Creation (Review)

Spoilers ahead for The New Gods #1!After years out of the spotlight, the Fourth World Saga's iconic characters are back in The New Gods. Jack Kirby's beloved high-concept franchise returns in a story that is shaping up to be the most important part of the DC All In initiative.

The King of Comics changed the game for the DC Universe with the creation of the Fourth World Saga. Not only did he introduce innovative and powerful characters like Darkseid, but his story laid the bedrock for the DCU's cosmology, which still inspires comic creators today. Now the New Gods have returned at a pivotal moment in DC Comics' history with a story that's just as daring as Kirby himself.

The New Gods #1 is a Godly Epic, Yet Beautifully Human

It's an Epic in Every Sense of the Word

Close

In The New Gods #1 by Ram V, Evan Cagle, Jorge Fornés, Francesco Segala, and Tom Napolitano, ripples are still being felt all over the cosmos after Darkseid's death. At the edge of reality, Metron faces the Source Wall, where he hears of a prophecy that promises a reckoning and an ending for the age of gods. On New Genesis, Metron returns to consult with the Highfather about the prophecy and reveals that a child on Earth will awaken as a New God, and that they could usher in an age of darkness.

Highfather calls for his champion, Orion, who is busy eliminating Darkseid’s remaining forces. After hearing of the task Highfather is asking of him, Orion heads to Earth to consult with one of his closest confidantes, Scott Free, aka Mister Miracle. However, Miracle is busy with an even more difficult task: Raising an infant daughter. After finally getting his baby changed and put to sleep, Miracle meets with Orion, who tells his comrade that Highfather wants Orion to kill the New God when they appear on Earth.

...Orion gives Miracle seven days before Orion starts his hunt for the god child.

However, Orion does not want to do that and implores Mister Miracle to find the New God before Orion does and get them somewhere safe. Scott rebuffs the offer, but Orion gives Miracle seven days before Orion starts his hunt for the god child. Miles away in India, a young couple is fleeing for their lives from several soldiers with their child, Kamal. The soldiers kill the boy’s father and the intense commotion causes Kamal to glow an unearthly blue. Kamal becomes a New God and dispatches the soldiers as the prophecy once again speaks of reckoning.

Where The New Gods Fits in a Post-Absolute Power DC Universe

How Darkseid's Death Has Driven DC All In

While the New Gods' story has been told since the heydays of Jack Kirby, things have changed wildly in the last several months. As a result of Amanda Waller's machinations in Absolute Power, the multiverse was sealed off and that began to drive Darkseid mad. With all his power coalesced into one being, Darkseid became restless and sought to break the cycle by fusing with the powerful being, the Spectre. The Spectre brought Darkseid to the Justice League, where a fight broke out and Darkseid's physical body was destroyed.

Don't miss that outrageous moment in the DC All In Special #1!

However, that wasn't the end of Darkseid as his energy broke through the dimensional barrier and found a new universe. His energy imprinted on this world and created the Absolute Universe, a world where DC's iconic heroes still exist, but without the comforts of their prime counterparts. Comic creators have spoken about how the Absolute Universe is a core part of the epic story that DC Comics' new All In initiative is telling for the next several years. Ram V even spoke with Screen Rant about the role The New Gods plays in this epic.

Ram V:... I would say it kind of makes New Gods very much a part of what is happening in the DCU. And then, as a sort of look into things to come, I would like to say that New Gods are uniquely positioned as being the connective tissue between the All In and the Absolute Universes. They're the only characters who sit outside of the duality conflux point, even if they don't know it, they're the only ones who have access to both the universes.

Ram V confirmed that Darkseid's death is the driving force of his story and that while the book was originally conceptualized years ago, a few minor tweaks made it a central part of the overall All In narrative. He also discussed how the New Gods are one of the few beings in the entire DC Universe who sit outside both the Prime and Absolute Universes, allowing them to act as the connective tissue between these worlds.

The New Gods #1 is the Ambitious Opening Chapter it Needed to Be

The New Gods #1 Embraces Kirby While Forging Its Own Path

This is the first New Gods title since the mid-'90s, so when DC announced it at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, expectations were sky-high, doubly so after the Absolute Universe began in earnest. But even with all that pressure, The New Gods #1's creative team exceeded those expectations and crafted one of the best comic books that DC Comics has put out all year. Ram V excellently balances this story. It's grand and lofty, almost Shakespearean at points (not unlike Kirby's original Fourth World Saga). But there's also a real humanity woven in here, that keeps the story relatable.

Ram V and Evan Cagle are taking the New Gods into an exciting new future.

Of course, Ram V is just one part of this story. Evan Cagle’s art elevates The New Gods #1 to another level. Whether it’s Orion tearing his way through Darkseid’s underlings or Kamal awakening as a New God, every moment has so much obvious effort and care put into it. Even the subtle things, like Mister Miracle cracking a smirk during Orion’s overacting speech make the characters that much more three-dimensional. And having Jorge Fornés’ providing art during the opening prophecy was an excellent touch, giving this story an extra dose of gravitas.

DC Comics has been firing on all cylinders lately and this book is a solid example of the creativity and work that artists and writers are putting in during the All In era. The New Gods #1 isn’t a book that was put out to cash in on Darkseid’s death. This is a comic that has a lot of ideas and ambition that wants to build on the foundation that Jack Kirby laid so many years ago. But it’s also not retreading the same ground. Ram V and Evan Cagle are taking the New Gods into an exciting new future.

Do Not Miss The New Gods #1

If There's a DC All In 'Must Read', It's This One

DC All In has a lot going for it right now between hit books like Absolute Wonder Woman and Justice League Unlimited. But The New Gods #1 is something special. No one knows what the future holds for DC Comics over the next few years, but it's clear that this book is destined to become the defining series of the All In era. The entire creative team gives their all in this series, and anyone who's ever had the pleasure of reading Jack Kirby's cosmic epic owes it to themselves to check out The New Gods #1.

The New Gods #1 is available now from DC Comics.