A. David Lewis, Georgetown University
Created for ENGL 864-01 Theory of Writing: Narrative Dicourse
Professor Patricia O'Connor
Created 15 April 2001 - Updated 15 May 2001
KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
Web Resource for Kingdom Come project,
"Keys to the Kingdom: Examining Mythology Fabula Through Modern Comic Book Narrative"

Kingdom Come, the 1996 comic book mini-series by Alex Ross and Mark Waid, tells of "a superhero civil war" amidst the pantheon of DC Comics superheroes (Saunders 73). The story was originally produced in 1996 and later as one condensed trade paperback complete with preface, epilogue, and appendix in 1997. Other variations have also been put on the market: a novelization by Elliot S! Maggin, a hardcover slipcase edition featuring the bonus Revelations companion, and even an adapted radio performance. But, save through the collectors' market, it is generally the trade paperback produced under DC Comics' Elseworlds imprint that reaches its readership, given the format's unique presence in both comic book specialty shops and chain bookstores. For the purposes of this paper, only the trade paperback and monthly issues will be considered -- specifically two pages from the second issue "Truth and Justice," pp. 68-69 -- to better ground discussion.

To briefly summarize the plot:

Those unfamiliar with the DC Comics cast of characters may wish to reference the following sites concerning these Kingdom Come players:
...Kingdom Come focalizes through ordinary human pastor Norman McKay and his divine counterpart, the Spectre, to witness the DC Comics universe of superhero characters roughly twenty years into the future. (That is, between twenty to thirty from the time at which the story was published, the mid-1990s.) A new breed of metahumans has arisen, the sons and daughters of modern-day heroes. However, they lack the same moral conscience of their progenitors and threaten, through their misguided heroics, to do more damage to the mortal population than good. This danger escalates to the point that Superman is compelled to come out of his self-imposed retirement and band his former comrades. This reunited, latter-day Justice League will stem the New Breed's chaos and, hopefully, reform them. However, the Justice League's crusade only polarizes the opposing styles of the old and the new and accelerates the tensions, almost to the point of all-out warfare[...] The conflict reaches its breaking point when Captain Marvel, near-mad from the brainwashing and narcotics administered to him by Lex Luthor, unleashes the imprisoned, raging members of the New Breed to square off against the Justice League led by a battle-ready Wonder Woman. The drug-crazed Captain Marvel stymies Superman, his rival in strength, from averting the clash, and all-out bloodshed ensues. The U.N., led by Secretary General Wyrmwood, seizes upon the moment to launch several nuclear explosives at the concentrated battlefield of metahumans before their unchecked frenzy consumes the planet. Two of the explosives are stopped by the ideologically-opposed Batman and Wonder Woman. The last one, however, is left to a conflicted Superman. [...] Superman leaves the judgment to a restored, clear-headed Captain Marvel, who, with his alter ego of Billy Batson, is a representative of both the god-like metahumans and the endangered mortals. Sacrificing himself, Captain Marvel detonates the bomb before it can touch down, but few of the metahumans survive. Enraged with grief, frustration, and guilt, Superman begins to rain fury down on the human members of the U.N., only to be averted by Pastor Norman McKay's heartfelt appeal to Superman's own humanity through the discarded identity of Clark Kent:
They won't forgive you for this, Clark. Forgive yourself. […] Listen to me, Clark. Of all the things you can do…all your powers…the greatest has always been your instinctive knowledge…of right and wrong […] But the minute you made the Super more important than the Man…the day you decided to turn your back on mankind…that completely cost you your instinct. That took your judgment away. Take it back. If you want redemption, Clark…it lies in the very next decision you make. Make it as a man…and make it right. (192-193)
Superman feels McKay's words and, with the remaining metahumans, vows to work with humans rather than above them. He now recognizes the correctness of Captain Marvel's decision: "I asked him to choose between Humans and Superhumans. But he alone knew that was a false division…and made the only choice that ever truly matters. He chose Life" (195).
The purpose of this Web site, which draws upon writing from my 2001 PCA paper "Kingdom Code," is to fully explore one specific sequence from that story more fully and unveil some of the more interesting elements about the characters, plot, and theme. The site should serve as the most comprehensive background for my upcoming final paper, "Keys to the Kingdom: Examining Mythology Fabula Through Modern Comic Book Narrative", which will look even more closely at the mythological connection of the story's fabula.

Click the following graphic to access the main page:

Click either of the following graphics to access the individual pages:
Bibliography
All images and characters are the property of DC Comics
(c) 2001 A. David Lewis