DEVIL'S REIGN #1-#8 plus WEAPON ZERO #10/DEVIL'S REIGN INTERLUDE and CYBER FORCE #30/DEVIL'S REIGN INTERLUDE by various creators (Top Cow/Image/Marvel, January 1996-April 1997) Marvel, Image, and Image imprint Top Cow super-hero titles during this period of the 1990's all shared a similar look: bold colors, flashy art with big bodies and exaggerated anatomy, lots of text and panels, and plenty of splash pages. An argument could be made for which publisher was most responsible for this title, but this reminds me of Top Cow books during the day more than anything else.
Considering the multitude of writers/artists on this maxi-series, I was anticipating a cluster-F. However, due to the episodic nature of the story and a different pairing of heroes each chapter, along with a different writer and artists each issue, this holds together fairly well.
Mephisto (one of Marvel's bigwigs in Hell) discovers a new dimension to corrupt (the Top Cow universe). After tricking the Silver Surfer into inadvertently opening a portal between the two worlds, Mephisto works to create a new Hell to rule. Back in the Marvel Universe, Eternity recruits the Ghost Rider to stop him, but Mephisto has already corrupted and transformed Heat Wave (the leader of Cyberforce) into his ranks, and is sowing discord and illusions of grandeur to slowly mislead residents of this universe to believe he is creating an Eden in the desert. (More like Sodom and Gomorrah).
Ballistic (part-time member of Cyber Force) is looking for Heat Wave after he goes AWOL. She teams up with Ghost Rider (Chapter Three) and Wolverine (Chapter Four) but they just get mixed up in Mephisto's kidnapping thousands during a weird New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. Mephisto's master plan includes also trying to persuade Witchblade to his cause, and later Cyblade - - and his demonic minions eventually capture both.
It requires the return of the Silver Surfer to set things right, defeat Mephisto, and close the portal between the two universes in the final issue. But, doesn't somebody have to die when the stakes are this high? Seemed to be the case back in those days. So, there will be some new faces in CYBER FORCE #31 as Heat Wave makes the ultimate sacrifice.
The whole story is kind of fun to read (once) and is an easy way to get introduced to the various Top Cow heroes of that era, But, like a lot of 1990's comics, something seems to be lacking. For me, it may be emotion. I really didn't get attached to any character throughout the whole series, so this was just like watching an escapist action movie. Good for the moment, but doesn't persuade me to explore any further. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS for ambition, and juggling so many cooks stirring the pot and still coming up with a tasty stew.
THE CREDITS:
CHAPTER ONE / SILVER SURFER and WEAPON ZERO Walter Simonson story with art by Billy Tan Mung Khoy, Marc Silvestri and Kirk Van Wormer
CHAPTER TWO / CYBLADE and GHOST RIDER Ivan Velez with Anthony Chun and David Finch on art
CHAPTER THREE / GHOST RIDER and BALLISTIC Warren Ellis and Billy Tan Mung Khoy
CHAPTER FOUR / BALLISTIC and WOLVERINE Larry Hama and Joe Benetiz
CHAPTER FIVE / WOLVERINE and WITCHBLADE David Wohl and Christinaz with Michael Turner on art
DEVIL'S REIGN INTERLUDE /WEAPON ZERO #10 Walter Simonson story with artists Scott Lee, Kevin Conrad, and Norm Raymond
CHAPTER SIX / WITCHBLADE and ELEKTRA story by Christinaz and David W. with art by Michael Turner, David Finch and Joe Benetiz
CHAPTER SEVEN / ELEKTRA and CYBLADE story by Howard Mackie and Brian Holguin with art by Billy Tank, Kirk Van Wormer, Anthony Chun and David Finch
DEVIL'S REIGN INTERLUDE / CYBER FORCE #30 Brian Holguin and Scott Lee
CHAPTER EIGHT / FINALE Brian Holguin and Joe Benetiz
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