Lucifer #1

Heaven can wait. Hell can't. From the pages of THE SANDMAN comes LUCIFER, a new ongoing VERTIGO series starring the ultimate rebel. When fallen angel Lucifer Morningstar asked Dream of the Endless to sever his wings so he could walk among mortals, the former Lord of Hell thought he was making the right decision. But managing a piano bar in L.A. has lost its charm, and now the darkest star in the City of Angels is ready to get back in the game. Only this time he'd rather play God. Written by Mike Carey (THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: LUCIFER), with art on the first three-issue story arc by Chris Weston (THE INVISIBLES) and James Hodgkins (BATMAN) and stunning cover art by Duncan Fegredo (ENIGMA, TOTEMS), LUCIFER finds the title character facing a dilemma. At the end of THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: LUCIFER miniseries, Lucifer was left in possession of a "letter of passage" from God himself...a passport to any realm the bearer desires. Is the letter what it seems - a one-way ticket that could restore Lucifer to either Heaven or Hell - or just the latest move in a subtle game designed to remove him from the face of Creation? A saga of biblical proportions begins in LUCIFER #1, as Morningstar travels to Germany to find the answers to his questions by consulting a living tarot deck guarded by an angel. But getting a reading from the cards is harder than Lucifer expected, as the living deck takes the opportunity to escape its angelic guard and seek a new, mortal host...warping and reshaping the lives of everyone it touches along the way.Among those the deck transforms are three members of LUCIFER's diverse supporting cast - a lonely bookworm whose secret desire may prove his undoing; a struggling female cabaret performer offered a Faustian bargain for wealth, fame and eternal life; and a young initiate in a neo-Nazi gang who may have gone too far in his quest for status and acceptance - whose personal journeys are a crucial part of the series. From the seamy streets of Hamburg to the exotic Japanese underworld, Lucifer will face enemies with grudges as old as creation and make new allies who may be even deadlier than his foes in the ultimate quest to construct a brave new universe in his own image. This project is supported with a 4-color poster; a 16-page "flip book" preview (shared with SWAMP THING).

This issue starts off the beginning of a very intricate tale that continues throughout the series and lays the groundwork for what is to come. At this point in the series, Lucifer's main objective is to consult the Basanos and from them, glean all the information of his future that he can, so that he can be certain about why God granted him a Letter of Passage. We also meet some locals in the city of Hamburg, some more important than others, some because of what they've done, others because of what they shall do.

In the depths of Hell, Susano the son of Izanami is greeted by Remiel of the Seraphim, one of the members of The Triumvirate of Hell. After the initial greeting, the two begin to discuss how things have changed since their last visit.

Susano asks Remiel if the changes in Hell were thought up completely by Remiel himself or did he get some help from Lord Lucifer on occasion. Remiel assures him that no help was received from the Star of Morning and Susano apologizes for his ignorance for he had thought Lucifer made peace with Heaven.

Remiel tells him that this fact is not true and though Lucifer made a hidden agreement when he did The Host a favor, he had already been paid for it. He then continues to say that without Lucifer's advice, he and Duma have found themselves managing just fine.

Moving aside the curtain with his hand, Remiel displays a dark place where countless naked, scarred men are tormented by beasts, forced to work yet unable to die.

Susano says that even his mother's realm, that of the Windowless Rooms, is not so vast nor open and that after seeing Hell since his last visit he decides that his mother's offer may in fact be worthy of Hell. The offer is one hundred million souls for the wings of Lucifer Morningstar.

At first Remiel tries to make it seem as though he does not have them but Susano proves his knowledge by explaining that the Dream of the Endless severed Lucifer's wings at his request and that they have since remained in Hell.

Remiel asks why the Mistress of the Windowless Rooms should want the wings and Susano confesses his ignorance as he has no answer to said question. Remiel begins leading Susano to where the wings are kept saying that though normally he would not wish to compromise Morningstar he believes Lucifer would do the same thing, if it meant bringing about the great redemption.

No more is he the Lord of Hell, nor the Agent of Heaven, in fact his name - the Lightbringer - defines a position he no longer holds. A seemingly ordinary man, he has just finished eating his Omelette and sliced Pastourma and so folds the letter in his hands, the utterly blank letter that causes him to say, "Nothing will come of nothing."

A woman makes herself heard from behind him wearing a white mask that covers half her face, speaking in an a language not known to man she asks him if he said something and he tells her, "Only to myself, Mazikeen. I am one move away from the endgame. I was just reviewing my options."

Mazikeen then once again says something indiscernible and Lucifer responds by first asking her why? He then continues to ask her if it is because he is constantly suspicious of any gift from Heaven and will always spend so much time trying to figure it out before he makes a decision.

Lucifer continues to talk to Mazikeen and tells her that he doesn't trust Him as far as he can throw Him. Why would he have been given an object of nigh-unimaginable power simply so that his minor bothering of Him would end. Lucifer tells her that though it seems genuine if it were him giving the letter he would have made sure it could never be used, that is why he plans on going to Hamburg. There he can meet up with Meleos once again, and ask him for a six-card spread.