Barbara knows Diana is feeling awful. She knows why. She doesn’t know why she’s wearing that ridiculous costume. Meanwhile, Billy’s in a prison cell. Every time he tries to turn into Captain Marvel, he’s a bit weaker, which might have been the wizard’s idea all along. Things aren’t looking too good in Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods #3. Writer G. Willow Wilson continues a conflict between gods, mortals, and those somewhere in between in an issue that is drawn to the page by artists Emanuela Lupacchino and Cian Tormey. Their work is embellished by inkers Emanuela Lupacchino and Raul Fernandez. The talented Jordie Bellaire handles the colors. 

Diana made a hell of a bargain when she chose the well-being of family over the rest of the human race. (In retrospect, an obvious mistake.) She may possess the wisdom of Athena, but that doesn’t mean she always makes every decision with the full benefit of it. An old enemy who is now a friend tries to console her. She wouldn’t have turned one of her greatest enemies into one of her strongest friends if she wasn’t among the best to be called a “superhero.” Meanwhile, Billy Batson is in a dungeon when a rodent begins talking to him...

Wilson drags some of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe through a pretty low point for both of them. The fact that any of them had come to be where they were suggests fundamental errors that feel uncharacteristic of either of them. Wilson manages to keep the drama centered and emotionally balanced enough to keep narrative inconsistencies from overwhelming the substance of the story. When the dust clears on the issue, Wilson has all of the main elements perfectly poised for the central title of the crossover, which ends in its fourth issue next month.

Lupacchino has a firm handle on the crushing drama of powerful characters who have fallen into a very, very dark place. The pivotal rodent in Captain Marvel’s life is positively beaming with intelligence that never betrays an earthbound realism in its rendering. What makes Lupacchino’s art so impressive is the way she brings the lofty and godlike into a compelling realism. Making gods and godlike beings look human is always a problem, but Lupacchino finds a perfect balance between massive power and the intensity of the gods’ humanity. 

DC has had a rather shaky track record in bringing the larger-than-life crossovers to the page. Crisis on Infinite Earths was impressive enough, but it was WAY too cluttered to make much sense to the average reader. War of the Gods was a hopeless farrago that was all completely muddled by the editors involved. By contrast, Lazarus Planet has come across with a great degree of coherence and a vivid sense of gravity. It’s quite fortunate that DC had managed to get some of its better writers together for the crossover. It’s been a very satisfying crossover thus far. 

Grade: A