“What happens when one of us dies?” asks Lightray in New Gods #5’s opening pages. This is the common question Ram V, Evan Cagle and guest artist Andrew MacLean use to better explore the nature of a conflict between gods. It’s also the vehicle V uses to highlight how taking inspiration from Hinduism won’t simply allow for the New Gods to feature in new stories, or for those stories to be told in different ways, but it will fundamentally shift how these characters are read. This is an exciting change to the underlying cosmology of the DC Universe.
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This issue’s excerpt from Himon’s The Prometheus Codex V asserts the existence of archetypes, which are “eternal constants” which “govern a sort of existential homeostasis.” This idea reads like a puzzle piece which effortlessly clicks into the cosmology of the fourth world. The idea that the first, second, third, fourth and presumably one day Earth as the fifth world all are bound to these eternal constants is incredibly intuitive.
V previously introduced readers to an eternal constant back in New Gods #3 wherein The Chronicler references Kali Yuga, the fourth and final age of the Yuga cycle before a prophesied cataclysm. In order to properly understand how this shapes the story that V is telling it’s important that readers understand a couple concepts from Hinduism, namely the Trimurti. This is the trinity of supreme divinity which represents creation, preservation and destruction. Often in Hindu writings figures will act as avatars of one of these divinities, and that concept is very present in V’s New Gods writing.
Karok Ator isn’t simply a new physical threat to the New Gods, rather he exists as an avatar of destruction itself. Confronting him isn’t simply confronting an evil, but a fact of life. V has set out to challenge the denizens of the Fourth World in ways which allow readers to learn new things about them, and it seems he’s found the perfect conceit.
This setup and structure also lead the mind quite far out in wondering where this story could go. Will V and Cagle guide readers all the way through Kali Yuga into cataclysm and recreation?
In this issue in particular this concept of archetypes which is introduced is used to incredible effect. In a very simple but clear way V and Cagle illustrate for the reader what happens when a character acts as avatar for a concept, and how manipulation of that character within the story becomes manipulation of that concept. It seems likely that this is them teaching a lesson for how they’ll tell their story going forward.
Though, I do wonder if the concepts V introduces might have found a new avatar by the end of the issue.
New Gods level scale
Storytelling of this magnitude would not be possible without an artist who’s able to truly, harrowingly convey the scale of the conflict. Cagle is absolutely that guy. Throughout this series, and specifically throughout this issue I’ve seen destruction and violent conflict on a scale that I didn’t think the book would have reached by this point. The book is rolling with all of the exhilaration and dread of a sports car whose brake lines have been cut. Cagle has my trust to take me anywhere, even places I’d desperately like to avoid.
Then within the massive environment, action and cast of characters, there’s still all of the detailing necessary for individual characters and moments to stick in the memory. The book continues to use introduction pages at appropriate times and these are awesome at establishing a tone for certain characters. It’s the smaller moments that allow readers to feel the men within these gods that V has stated he wants to forefront. For example, Cagle, with utmost clarity, can convey to readers Highfather’s quiet regret in his use of power which should’ve been a moment of triumph.
Every issue feels like a tall ask of Cagle, and as the story becomes more clear that begins to feel like an understatement. He isn’t just drawing Karok Ator. Instead, he’s asked to place the avatar of destruction on the page for readers in a way they can understand and engage with. It would be a triumph if he succeeded 50% of the time, yet he’s succeeding more like 95% of the time.
In contrast to Cagle’s work, the book once again welcomes a guest artist for a portion of the book. MacLean brings simple strong line work and an evocation of Kirby’s boxier figures to the flashback story he works on. This section of the book both works as a sort of parable and an avenue to more deeply contextualize the series main plot as many of these side stories have done. It’s the charming heart of this portion of the book, which delivers the emotional weight for the issue’s finale.
V and Cagle continue to be the team which produces work that sticks in my mind each month after reading it. The pages of New Gods don’t just compel thought, but they compel follow-up. It’s so easy to find yourself looking up concepts, or trying to find old New Gods stories that the two might be pulling from. This book is one which has been enjoyable, but more importantly it’s rewarding to engage with and reread. The next issue simply can’t come fast enough.
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