Review: Kneel Before Zod #7

Kneel Before Zod #7 came out last week and was another brutal, fight-filled brawl of an issue. But it is also about as close to a Keith Giffen Legion issue I have read in a long time. As a long-time LSH fan, I was pretty tickled by the issue.

Outside of the nostalgia of this issue (and trust me there is a lot of stuff for a Legion fan to love here), I have sort of turned the corner on this book. Yes, the issues are mostly violent action and a lot of it. But the real foundation here is that, for all his bluster, Zod is a broken man. From visions of Jor-El to losing his family to looking into the abyss this issue, Zod is falling apart. This is a very different take from the character that has always been a ramrod straight, narcissistic despot. It finally has added some depth to the character for me.

Dan McDaid continues to be a sort of revelation on the book. His art remains a sort of rough beauty, perfect for a melee like this title. Moreover, this issue he really leans into Giffen, from the 9 panel grid to Munoz-esque faces in shadow to the Kirby-esque Emerald Empress. And more. 

I am pretty sure this series got cut short and will end soon. I doubt writer Joe Casey is going to tell us the full story he wanted to. And there are a lot of loose ends. But for now, I am going to enjoy this dive into Zod.

On to the book.

Last issue, the Emerald Empress was released from the deep hold of the prison ship Zod had taken over.

She is clearly mad, seeing visions of some cruel lord from Orando who abused her and ready to take revenge on everyone on the ship. The Empress I knew was haughty and thought she should rule. This one just wants blood for whatever indiscretions were done to her. Makes her even scarier.

And the Empress?

McDaid must be taking inspiration from this later take on the Empress' look. I feel this was when Giffen himself was leaning into Kirby.

Zod arrives ready to battle.

I mean, this is Giffen through and through. From Zod's face hidden in shadows to the panel progression to the aliens - a Comet Queen lookalike, a Psion, and someone from Garguax's world - it's all Giffen.

The ship is vast. When Zod and the Empress brawl to a standstill, she takes off. 

This is still a prison ship. Despite Zod's rule and the Empress somewhere on board and thirsting for blood, a petty squabble still break out.

Yes, it could be looked on as a sort of waste of pages. But for me, it shows how far Zod has fallen. He is burned and scarred. He can't defeat the Empress. He can't even keep this ragtag group in line. 

This isn't the General keeping throngs of loyal soldiers in formation. 

Zod running a mob of crooks? Doesn't sound like him, does it.

I did like this trick McDaid uses of letting us see what the Empress is seeing by having her vision of the Orando lord who abused her basically mimic the 'real' characters on the ship. 

We don't know exactly what this guy did to her but it must have been terrible.

Orando! Holy Projectra!

But things get even nuttier.

With the Eye free from the prison neutralizing cell, other things can now sense it ... like the head of Ekron who's eye it is! I haven't seen Ekron since the 52 series! That's a relatively deep cut.

Ekron begins ripping the ship apart from the outside!

And inside the Empress continues to blast away, even killing a White Martian.

This whole issue has just been a bit of a primer on DC alien races!

The only way to save the ship from being destroyed internally is to get the main combatants outside. So G'Raffe, the prisoner from G'Nort's world we met last issue opens the airlock sending Zod and the Empress outside where Ekron swallows them in its maw.

Love this panel. 

Such great art by McDaid as he brings it to this brawl.

But Zod survives and comes back.

And here is my favorite moment from the book. 

Zod freezes the Garguax alien and kills her. All he wanted to do was make these aliens into some sort of army. But he can't. And now he truly knows he is alone in the universe.

This is truly a deconstruction of Zod who now has sort of hit rock bottom. A general without a followers. A husband and father without a family. A despot with now world to rule. 

I am a little peeved that we won't see the whole thing play out. I think we go from 5 more issues to go to only one! It's a shame because this book has been getting more interesting as we go along.

Throw in the oodles of Legion lore here and this book was the winner of the week.

Overall grade: A