The revelation that this would be the final issue of Lucifer came as something of a shock. New writer Richard Kardey was announced not six months ago with much ballyhoo and excitement and the promise of great things to come in the wake of Holly Black’s departure from the series. And now here we are, with the battle between Lucifer and a reborn, fascist, Free Will hating God for Heaven, Hell and everything in between being settled with three violent conflicts in the span of a single issue.

Mind you, as far as conclusions go, you could do far worse than Lucifer #19. Only the events of the story feel rushed. Richard Kadrey’s dialogue and pacing are as leisurely displayed as ever. Apart from the story’s open-ended and multi-faceted conclusion, one would hardly expect this issue to be the end of an era.

The artwork too, remains fantastic even to this bitter end. Lee Garbert’s artwork is some of the finest to grace any Vertigo series in recent memory. Antonio Fabela continues to find the perfect palettes for every scene, regardless of how exotic the setting. And Todd Klein – whom I can describe as a legendary letterer with no sense of irony – showcases the penmanship that has won him so many awards wonderfully.

And so the second volume of Lucifer ends – not with a bang or a whimper but with a satisfying, if somewhat rushed, conclusion that leaves the door propped open for a revival later. The rumors are that Vertigo is considering revamping the series, crafting something similar in tone to the Lucifer TV series. Personally, I hope these rumors are just rampant speculation as it would be a poor thing for the last vestige of Vertigo Comics‘ once-great shared universe to be shelved purely for the sake of a television tie-in.