WICKED & DIVINE (2014)

"Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as teenagers. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critically thermonuclear floor-fillers Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to start a new ongoing superhero fantasy with a beautiful oversized issue. Welcome to THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, where gods are the ultimate pop-stars. But remember: just because you're immortal, doesn't mean you're going to live forever."

"Diabolically divine pop-god Lucifer is in trouble. She offers superfan Laura an unprecedented deal if she helps. It's a bargain. A Faustian bargain, and they always turn out so well. Who knows who Laura will turn to fulfill it? We do. Clearly. It's our comic. You can know too if you buy this fine pictorial narrative with your human money coins."

"Laura has no choice. She has to go underground to find the goth-goth-gothity-goth of the Morrigan. Is this the most ill-advised underworld-related decision since Orpheus decided to see how Eurydice was doing in the back seat? To find out, read the comic that people are literally calling 'The one by GILLEN/McKELVIE/WILSON with the very long title.'"

"The mystery is solved. But does pop-god Lucifer like the answer? The answer is a word that rhymes with 'Go', 'Blow' and 'Pro'. If you think the answer rhymes with 'Cow' I applaud you for your unconventional nature. It's good to experiment. We're experimenting with being Awesome for four issues in a row. JOIN US."

"Showtime."

"THE FAUST ACT is over. Welcome to FANDEMONIUM. The second arc of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE begins in its traditional manner (i.e. a ludicrous pun.) We'd say something like 'nothing will ever be the same again' but if you think about it, you can say that about literally everything, ever. Er...also some comic story. Probably."

"Last year, before The Recurrence, fans gathered from their distant worlds at RAGNAROCK to wonder whether the gods were really about to return or not. Now, as the next RAGNAROCK approaches, everyone knows things are different. What's more, there are two gods still to emerge. Will anyone there get 'lucky?' Look at us whistle, shuffle feet, and avoid eye contact."

"Now the eleventh god is here, it's time to party. You're invited. Everyone's invited. We can sleep when we're dead-but when you'll be dead within two years, you may as well turn up in your pyjamas. After seven issues of egomaniacs, it's time for an issue where the crowd is the star. "

"It's time for a private audience with Ananke, she who has protected and judged the Pantheon for thousands of years. Yes, it's time for an interview... with an umpire. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Also: Baphomet being all goth and having a nice little mope."

"Ragnarock is finally here. The show to end all shows promises to be a lovely experience for all the gods... wait. Oh noes! Jamie and Matt have drawn Baphomet drenched in blood on the cover. What a hilarious internal communication error. I'm sure it's a mistake and nothing to do with the story whatsoever."

"The end of Fandemonium. The end of Ragnarock. The end of the arc. The start of something else. Everything's going to be okay."

"To be announced."

"There's one god missing in our story. It's time to finally meet Tara, Goddess of God-knows. Also, meet TULA LOTAY (SUPREME: BLUE ROSE) who joins Team WicDiv as the second guest artist in our Eisner Nominated Series. We had to mention the Eisner nom. We are shameless."

"Behind the music, Woden's stayed back from the spotlight. But in this issue? We look beneath the mask. Shall we say it's the most audacious and experimental issue of WicDiv yet? I think so."

"STEPHANIE HANS's Amaterasu alternate cover was so stunning we figured doing a whole issue of that would be a good idea. Plus JAMIE and MATT on a back-up, obv."

"The Morrigan is visitors, including LEILA DE LUCA (SHUTTER). Plus a backup by JAMIE and MATT. Suffice to say, this one is NONE MORE GOTH."

"In the last of our guest issues, we're joined by BRANDON GRAHAM (PROPHET, ISLAND, MULTIPLE WARHEADS) to slink closer to the mysterious and oft-murderous Sakhmet. Plus a back up by JAMIE & MATT. Also... the of an arc? You know WicDiv. Expect big game changers and/or Sakhmet having a nice purr."

"NEW STORY ARC An ideal jumping-on point. Persephone, live. The question is, will it be for more than one night? Don't call it a comeback, as JAMIE McKELVIE and MATT WILSON return to THE WICKED + THE DIVINE for the most rock-and-roll everything-explodes arc of the hit series."

"'RISING ACTION,' Part Two Gods of the Underworld, in the Underworld. Perfectly safe now. Definitely. Stuff definitely doesn't explode. That doesn't happen."

"'RISING ACTION,' Part Three So why is Laura still alive anyway?"

"'RISING ACTION,' Part Four FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! But don't worry, it's probably a metaphor for the creative process or the Hegelian dialectic or something clever so we'll still get taken seriously. FIGHT!"

"END OF STORY ARC 'RISING ACTION,' Conclusion A little extreme violence never hurt anyone."

"NEW STORY ARC! 'IMPERIAL PHASE I': Part One-Welcome to the November 2014 issue of Pantheon Monthly. Exclusive interviews with all your favorite gods. Plus! The first photographs of the Morrigan ever!"

"'IMPERIAL PHASE (I),' Part Two It's January 1st. Happy New Year. For a WicDiv-ian value of happy. "

"'IMPERIAL PHASE (I),' Part Three The comic that says, 'What could possibly go wrong?' and then looks at the camera and stares until we all start crying releases another issue."

"'IMPERIAL PHASE (I),' Part Four-Once more we return to the polling booth. One god, one vote. I'm sure it'll be fine. Democracy always works, right?"

"'IMPERIAL PHASE (I),' Part Five-Sex and drugs and rock and roll and sex and drugs and rock and roll and sex and drugs (cont.)."

"END OF STORY ARC 'IMPERIAL PHASE (I),' Part Six and sex and drugs and rock and roll and sex and drugs and rock and roll and sex and drugs and end."

"NEW STORY ARC Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too many to fit in the scant time I have remaining, so what's a girl to do? The party's over. The party never ends. A hangover that just won't go away opens IMPERIAL PHASE (Part II). Heaven help us all."

"Wherein Dionysus sits in the darkness for most of an issue, but in an awesome way. Honestly, you'll love it. Also: other stuff. "

"'IMPERIAL PHASE (II),' Part Three-A nice lie-in. An awesome gig three friends have worked really hard on. A day trip to a museum enlivened when some old chums turn up. Everything continues to be lovely for the gods in 'IMPERIAL PHASE.'"

"'IMPERIAL PHASE II', Part Four It's time for a 'Wait-he's doing what? But he's...yes! No! Oh no! But then she did the-and WHATTAAATATAT? I think I'll sit down and have a cup of herbal tea' issue."

"'IMPERIAL PHASE II,' Conclusion There's only one thing all Imperial Phases share. They end. Ours does too."

"'MOTHERING INVENTION,' Part One It's around 6,000 years ago. It's never happened before. Let's talk about that."

"'MOTHERING INVENTION,' Part Two: Once More We Return to the Once More We Return."

"'MOTHERING INVENTION,' Part Three One day we'll reveal a happy secret, like a Secret Santa, but not today."

"'MOTHERING INVENTION,' Part Four-None More Goth."

"'MOTHERING INVENTION,' Part Five-We'll probably call this episode 'In-Between Days,' just to make Jamie happy. Jamie deserves to be happy. Meanwhile, Kieron has to reread The White Goddess, as he deserves to suffer."

"END OF STORY ARC! A 2018 Eisner Award nominee for Best Continuing Series and Best Lettering by CLAYTON COWLES! 'MOTHERING INVENTION': Conclusion-Well, it's the end of the arc, in just about every way you could define those particular words."

"NEW STORY ARC 'OKAY,' Part One The pop-obsessed sensation starts its final arc. Yup, you read it right. We're rushing toward the climax. Are you really going to stop now? C'mon. Stay with us. We've got a five-years-in-the-making conclusion to be getting on with."

"'OKAY,' Part Two Back in black."

"'OKAY,' Part Three: I just read the synopsis for this issue and gaped. We're actually going to do all this in an issue? That AND that AND that? Honestly, this last arc really is going for it."

"'OKAY,' Part Four Jamie, this is the last time we have to do big crowd and fight scenes. I swear, we can get through this. Two more issues after this, and then we can have a sleep."

"'OKAY,' Part Five: There's one 'i' in 'decide' but two in 'deicide.' I'm not sure if that tells you anything, but it sounds pretty enigmatic, right?"

"SERIES FINALE! 'OKAY,' Conclusion: Thanks for reading. We'll miss you."