Last Updated 7 months ago.

After Death of the Endless, we continue our exploration of the world of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. This time, with Lucifer Morningstar himself. Today, this character is probably more famous than Dream and his own comic book because his story is the inspiration for a TV show on FOX. Maybe you watched it and now you want to read the comics. Follow the guide

Who is this Lucifer Morningstar?

Of course, you know who Lucifer is. That said, we are talking about the Sandman’s version here. Lucifer Morningstar is a fallen rebel archangel who was cast out of Heaven as punishment for leading the revolt of the angels.

Once upon a time, he rebelled against the Kingdom of Heaven and end up in what became Hell, until the day he decided to close shop. He retired on Earth and ran bar names Lux with his mistress Mazikeen at his side.

Advertisements

Where to start with Lucifer comic books?

There are two possibilities. The first is with The Sandman. The second is the solo series. And now, the details:

Lucifer in The Sandman

Preludes and Nocturnes – Lucifer Morningstar first appeared in The Sandman issue #4. Dream of the Endless visited Hell in order to get back what was his and he met with Lucifer. He discovered that he was forced to share his power after the Great Darkness’s return. A Triumverate was formed, but Lucifer retained the majority of power (this is not indispensable, but it’s a good read). Season of Mists – Now, the important part. Dream wanted to fix an old mistake. For that, he must visit Hell again. After some preparations, He found Hell empty and Lucifer gave him the key and left for Perth, Australia. It’s the real starting point for the character. The Kindly Ones – The last short (and mostly optional) apparition of Lucifer Morningstar in The Sandman. That’s when we learn about his new life in Los Angeles.

The first Lucifer solo series

The Sandman presents: Lucifer – The Introduction of the Lucifer spin off (you’ll find it in the Devil in the Gateway TPB). A teenage girl named Rachel Begai’s life becomes intertwined with Lucifer when Yahweh sends Amenadiel of the Seraphim to make a bargain with the Morningstar. The deal is that Lucifer must slay some Old Gods and in return he will be granted a gift. Devil in the Gateway (issues #1–4) – Lucifer wanted to use his gift to build a new Creation outside of God’s creation. He must verify his validity first. Children and Monsters (issues #5–13) – As Lucifer bids to reclaim his lost wings, so his mortal vulnerability is revealed, and from the grim tapestry of his past the agents of chaos gather, ready to feast on his damned soul. A Dalliance with the Damned (issues #14–20) – As Lucifer tries his hand at universe-building, back on Earth and in Hell schemes and betrayals continue to grow.

Lucifer Omnibus Vol. 1

Lucifer Omnibus Vol. 1 collects The Sandman Presents: Lucifer #1-3, Lucifer #1-35, and Lucifer: Nirvana #1 with a foreword by Neil Gaiman and an introduction by Mike Carey, along with an extensive gallery of never-before-seen art from the making of the series.

Lucifer: Nirvana (one-shot) – A self-contained story, can be read when you want before the end of this first series (collected in the Evensong TPB). Alerted by an attack on his Los Angeles piano bar, Lucifer follows a trail that leads him from the mercurial realm of the Dreaming to the luminous streets of Beijing. It’s here that the Morningstar must fight his most difficult battle. The Divine Comedy (issues #21–28) – With the original gate between the two worlds shattered into a million separate gates, beings from all of the worlds in the old Creation now have the opportunity to join Lucifer’s recently opened existence. Inferno (issues #29–35) – Still weak, with most of his power locked in the feathers stolen by Susano-O-No-Mikoto, Lucifer must now face the challenge of single combat to the death with his brother, the angel of the Host Amenadiel. Mansions of the Silence (issues #36–41) – The strange crew of Lucifer Morningstar voyages on a ship made of dead men’s nails in search of the soul of Elaine Belloc, the daughter of the Archangel Michael and the girl who gave her life to save Lucifer’s.

Exodus (issues #42–44 & #46–49) – With his mission to rescue the spirit of Elaine Belloc successfully completed, The Morningstar must now face a new challenge. God’s departure has left behind both an empty throne in Heaven and the powers that accompany it, and defending the status quo requires cooperation between angel and devil alike. The Wolf Beneath the Tree (issues #45 & #50–54) – Fenris, the acme of ruin and destruction, has awoken into Gods absence, and he stalks the World-Tree Yggdrasil where he is destined to end of the world. Only Elaine Belloc, the Archangel Michael and Lucifer stand in his way and their efforts may only hasten the end of all things. Crux (issues #55–61) – Lucifer is unexpectedly called back into action after he receives a mission from Heaven. Now as his enemies unite to stop his reemergence, Lucifer gathers his forces as he prepares to launch his new revolution.

Morningstar (issues #62–69) – Lucifer gathers together the forces of Heaven, Hell, and everyone in between for a final battle to determine the fate of both Yahweh and Lucifer’s Creations. Evensong (issues #70–75) – In the aftermath of the universe-shaking battle in Heaven, Lucifer and his cohorts return to pick up their lives and tie up their loose ends.

The second Lucifer solo series

The first Lucifer series ended in August 2006. After that, there’s a Lucifer that appeared in the DC New 52, but – the way I saw it – it was not the same character. With Vertigo selling the rights of their comics for adaptation to who wants to buy, FOX put a TV show on the air. It’s not really an adaptation, but it’s not too bad (I just watched the pilot). Naturally, Vertigo had to launch a new ongoing series – it’s not connected to the TV show, FYI.

Cold Heaven – God is dead and Gabriel has accused Lucifer of His murder. He had motive and opportunity, but he can prove his innocence. If Gabriel finds the killer and takes the culprit into custody, his sins will be forgotten, and he’ll be welcomed back to Silver City. Father Lucifer – Now that the Throne of Heaven is vacant, archangels will stop at nothing to seize their absent Father’s crown. Since Lucifer has no wish to head back to Hell, a vicious power struggle has erupted in the Underworld as well. Blood in the Streets – The conclusion to the newest saga of the Fallen One put Lucifer against an all-powerful entity that has usurped his deceased Father’s place in Heaven and is preparing to extinguish every last vestige of free will throughout the universe.

Like with Death of The Endless, there are also some less notable cameos in the DC/Vertigo universe that didn’t need to be mentioned here.

The third Lucifer solo series

The Sandman Universe is back at Vertigo and there’s also a new Lucifer ongoing series.

The Infernal Comedy – The Prince of Darkness is missing, and from the look of things he’s not coming back. Blind, crippled, and without a penny to his name, the onetime ruler of Hell is now a wizened, unkempt old man trapped in a small town where sinister forces torment him at every turn and nothing is as it seems. Collects Lucifer #1-6. The Divine Tragedy – God is angry. Lucifer has committed an unthinkable act of sacrilege, and now the forces of Heaven have left him with nowhere to turn but the lands of the dead. Collects Lucifer #7-12.

Did I make a mistake? Did I forget something? To help me to complete this reading guide, leave a comment!