Slouching to a Bethlehem Near You

Second Coming: Only Begotten Son #1–2

This is far less a review and more of a commandment. The sequel to Mark Russell and Richard Pace’s hugely successful Second Coming series has been coming out at a glacier’s pace this year. The third issue was re-solicited for the end of July. This only means thou shalt have plenty of time to grab issues 1 and 2 and catch up before that happens.

Russel and Pace’s first Second Coming mini-series had a Jesus meets Superman story as Mr. Christ comes to live with Supes-stand-in Sunstar in God’s hope that Jesus will toughen up a bit. It was refreshing religious satire that also took on the rote “Superman as Jesus” idea by depicting Sunstar as more of an everyman with life problems that turned superpowers useless. The sequel turns this concept on its ear yet again with Sunstar and his newlywed wife Sheila anticipating a child conceived with God’s literal hand. Amongst that, Jesus strikes out on his own to behold the horrors done in his name.

In the first issue of Second Coming, we are instantly reminded of writer Russell’s deft ability to move between humor and pathos. The fact that we are still drawn into the flashbacked lives of Sunstar’s doomed parents even after a hilarious rift on the 1979 Superman film proves this.