The world of comics has been missing the wonderfully edgy creations of writer Greg Rucka since his final five issue wrap-up of Punisher: War Zone. Now he’s back with all the grit and toughness Rucka is known for bringing to his stories and characters.

Official description from IMAGE:

‘FAMILY,’ Part One In a dystopian near-future government is a quaint concept, resources are coveted, and possession is 100% of the law. Forever Carlyle defends her family’s holdings through deception and force as their protector, their Lazarus. Shot dead defending the family home, Forever’s day goes downhill from there….

Lazarus is the story of a future where the world is no longer divided by political or geographic lines but rather financial ones. This is the 1% on steroids and each family has a protector called a Lazarus. The Carlyle’s protector is named Forever.

From the very first panel Rucka is at his best. Forever is being gunned down by thieves and she describes in explicit detail the extent of damage and pain each bullet renders to her body. It’s clinical in detail yet visceral in emotion. By page two the killing is as shocking as it is haunting. What follows is more than justice, it’s revenge and death with machine like efficiency. Forever’s brand of protection for her family also comes at a price and she convey’s it with just a touch of sadness. Part of Forever’s pain comes from the fact that regardless of how minor the crime may be her response, while deadly, is also not one she has the freedom of choice to make.

Inside the Carlyle compound there has been a betrayal which resulted in an attack by a rival family. Forever and brother Jonah’s investigation will demand that the family’s repercussions for betrayal be carried out to it’s horrifying conclusion. This is where lines begin to blur. Jonah is a manipulative, the truth behind an inside job is as clear as mud and the doctor who repairs her and who she confides in is conflicted and untrustworthy. Forever knows that all is not what it seems but her duty to dispense punishment and protect her family overrides any of her doubts.

Rucka hits it out of the park here with Forever. She is tough as nails and even though her freedom of choice is nonexistent, she is intelligent, strong and full of heart. Whatever her flaws it’s obvious they are only temporary. Michael Lark’s art is a perfect fit for this story. His details and line work convey all the brutality and darkness of this dystopian future and the grit of what Forever must endure and what she gives in return. Lazarus is action-packed, tough as nails and gritty with just right  touch of emotion making Forever Carlyle one of the best female characters to come along in quite sometime and Lazarus is a hit in the making.

5/5