SPOILERS AHEAD!
Initial Thoughts
Well, I’ll be damned. It actually happened. In Lobo #8, the unthinkable just happened, and the series isn't over yet! Writer Skottie Young, artist Jorge Corona, and colorist Sarah Stern bring Lobo's death to life, which I won't spoil since it's literally in the title. Lobo #8 sees Lobo and Francis (formerly known as the Mauve Lantern) face off in what Francis sees, and Lobo hopes, is their very last battle. For one of them, at least for now, this was their final day in this universe, and you can probably guess who.
Lobo #8 proves this series could have done so much more, and I think the arc's climax was the best issue so far. Specifically, the last two issues are the most cohesive of the 8-issue run, and they finally tie the chaotic storylines into one big arc that will carry us through the rest of the run. Even though it is the “Death” of Lobo, there is still a lot to figure out, and enough to keep us interested for the foreseeable future. If Lobo isn't to appear in his own title for a while, there's still enough story left to keep us interested until the main protagonist, and MAIN MAN, eventually returns.
Damn. He Really Died.
The most important part of the book was obviously Lobo's “supposed” death, since the Czarnian is supposed to be immortal. Francis followed Lobo for years, if not decades, studying him and looking for a way to kill him, and for the time being, Lobo is as dead as a doorknob. There is no trick here. Lobo looks dead, dead. In that final panel, Lobo can't look more dead, as his carcass has been rotting away for over a year before anyone finds his remains. It will be really interesting to see how writer Skottie Young gets out of this and returns us to the status quo, if he even decides to go that route. What if Lobo is dead forever?! Probably not. But the ride to Lobo’s rebirth will be fun.
Even if Lobo isn't dead forever, some of the finer details will stick around for a while. Don't say this series can't be emotional. Dawg, nearly starved to death, has not left his master’s side for an entire year, waiting for someone to check on him and Lobo. For any dog owner, this is a literal nightmare, and even if it's an alien dog, Dawg still longs for his owner. Yelping and crying for someone to come and help, and that is where we finally introduced the “Ex-Lobos.” The Ex-Lobos, I think we are getting a “Death of Superman” retelling. I think thats neat!
Death is Relative
What will stick with me throughout this series is how readily Lobo accepted death. He was ready to die, and that dynamic is interesting to explore in characters who can't die. For most of us, death is something we fear, keep an eye out for, or at least acknowledge. For characters like Lobo, however, death doesn't creep up on him the way it does for us. If anything, it might feel like a relief. This idea isn't groundbreaking, but in this story, Lobo won't give Francis the satisfaction of enjoying his death. Lobo sees it as a favor. That will be an interesting story thread to come from Lobo’s death.
So that begs the question: Will Lobo even be happy when he's inevitably brought back? I know I don't like getting woken up from a nap when I'm tired, and that is how Lobo sees it. What role will the Ex-Lobo’s play in all of this? So yes, while death is final for us, it isn't for Lobo, which is what keeps this series so interesting. Plus, whether Lobo would like to admit it or not, Dawg is missing his main man. That alone should make it worth Lobo coming back to life.
The Art is Insane… In a Good Way
Jorge Corona's art makes the entire book look insane, and I think that is fantastic. This keeps the trend alive from the previous six issues Corona has drawn, and it still fits the book's theme so well: chaotic, schizophrenic, and loud. Both Lobo and Francis are at the end of their respective roads, and the world looks like it's about to end. Lobo looks utterly insane. The panel that will stick with me is when Lobo dares Francis to kill him, almost welcoming his demise. It feels both like a dare and a relief.
The final death-scene panel, which is where the scene above is from, is a work of art. Lobo’s blood, used as an accent across the splash page, is genius, and it makes it feel like we are there on Cznarnia with Lobo and Francis.
Speaking of Francis. The former Mauve Lantern looks demented, too. He has been slowly slipping into madness, and his face shows almost no excitement once he completes his mission to kill Lobo. Lobo broke him, and Corona's art truly captures a man who's lost everything. His design hasn't changed structurally, but he looks like a man who hasn't taken that outfit off in years, fitting for his mental state at this moment.
Final Verdict
Lobo #8 is the best issue in this run so far, finally living up to the expectations set when the series launched. The schizophrenic storytelling we've witnessed over the past seven issues finally coalesces into a cohesive, direct story. The subtle way the story shows different entities and characters dealing with death, compared to us humans, will always fascinate me. The art remains strong, and this issue pushes it even further. Lobo #8 is the watershed issue of this run, and no matter what happens next, it will set up all future plot points. We might also be revisiting a classic DC story in this series.