History Comicbook / KingdomCome

''Kingdom Come'' is a 1996 Creator/DCComics story published under the ''Creator/{{Elseworlds}}'' imprint, written by Creator/MarkWaid and beautifully painted by Creator/AlexRoss. The story depicts a dystopian future in which ComicBook/{{Superman}} has retired due to the public's preference for heroes who will use lethal force. The [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] superheroes follow him, in some cases retiring completely, in others sticking to their own small areas. With the absence of the old heroes and the abundance of a new, more reckless generation, the world has become a bit grimmer, a bit more pessimistic and hopeless, but nevertheless seems to keep turning.

Through it all, a simple pastor named Norman [=McCay=], the minister of an elderly Wesley Dodds (the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] Sandman), is guided by apocalyptic imagery drawn from the Literature/BookOfRevelation and by ComicBook/TheSpectre. He must decide the fate of humanity - whether to allow the metahumans to be killed en masse and save the rest of humanity, or to allow them to survive, but doom the world.

See also ''ComicBook/{{Justice}}'', a similar miniseries also painted by Alex Ross that attempts to [[{{Reconstruction}} reconstruct]] UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks and UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks after this series [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed]] UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks.

* AntiClimax: The anticipated fight between Superman and Magog [[spoiler:never happens because of the latter's VillainousBreakdown]]. [[spoiler: Wouldn't have been much of a fight anyway as Magog lashes out and Superman just takes it, more surprised than hurt. It's in keeping with the relative power levels of [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]] characters versus [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] ones.]]

* AntiHero: Magog and his cronies are these. A large part of the book hinges on the difference between antiheroes and traditional heroes, to the point where the whole thing can be seen as a metaphor for UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks with the rise of the NinetiesAntiHero and the decline in popularity of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] super heroes and the coinciding loss of morality in comics, and the eventual need to bring those ideals back. It also explores the differences between anti-heroes and villains. [[spoiler: That difference is what breaks Magog in the end.]]

* CastHerd: We've got the original "[[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]]" DCU heroes, their children, the rogue antiheroes, the former supervillains, and a number of ordinary "humans" (mostly politicians). So much work was put into creating a gigantic cast of superheroes that it almost works against the book's favor, as you have to seriously do your homework on the appendices to work out who people are a lot of the time, doubly so in the battle scenes.

* DeconstructionCrossover: For the sake of exploring the moral and philosophical differences between the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] and [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]] ideals of hero. Although it's generally considered primarily a deconstruction of the latter, the former don't escape unscathed either.

** Magog is one of Cable, meant to symbolize everything wrong with UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks.

* ANaziByAnyOtherName: According to the creators, the character of Von Bach comes from stories from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks where superheroes would fight Hitler, or thinly veiled Hitler CaptainErsatz dictators. He even speaks in German, and is covered in tattoos of far right German symbols. And the fact that the design for Swastika, whose tattoos form a giant swastika across his entire body, was originally designed as Von Bach, confirms this. The {{Novelization}} reveals Von Bach's hero is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josip_Broz_Tito Marshal Tito]].

* NinetiesAntiHero: Numerous characters, primary and secondary. And since Mark Waid and Alex Ross are [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]][=/=][[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] fans, they push the NinetiesAntiHero to the logical maximum: a bunch of superpowered gangs fighting each other because they killed all the supervillains and have nothing better to do, personified by Magog.

* SherlockScan: During the epilogue, it takes Batman only a few seconds, of course, to [[spoiler:realize that Diana is pregnant. Having not been around him for several decades, she's momentarily flummoxed by his deductions (he noticed that she'd gained a little weight -- which being "an immortal Amazon of changeless physique", she hadn't since he'd known her -- and that her hair had begun to take the same tint as Clark's, implying the fetus was absorbing solar radiation like he does.]]

* SherlockScan: During the epilogue, it takes Batman only a few seconds, of course, to [[spoiler:that Diana is pregnant. Having not been around him for several decades, she's momentarily flummoxed by his deductions (he noticed that she'd gained a little weight -- which being "an immortal Amazon of changeless physique", she hadn't since he'd known her -- and that her hair had begun to take the same tint as Clark's, implying the fetus was absorbing solar radiation like he does.]]

* RedEyesTakeWarning. Superman is, to put it mildly, none too pleased after the nuke is detonated, with the Spectre remarking that this is a signal for him unleashing "a fury that would cow Satan himself."

* SherlockScan: Batman casually examines Diana's body during the epilogue to find out that [[spoiler:she is pregnant.]]

** In the epilogue, Clark wonders in bafflement how it was possible that Bruce is able to sneak up on them at a restaurant, even with his superhearing and X-Ray vision.

A [[Franchise/TheDCU DC Universe]] and Creator/{{Elseworlds}} [[ComicBook graphic novel]], published in 1996. Written by Creator/MarkWaid and beautifully painted by Creator/AlexRoss, ''Kingdom Come'' depicts a dystopian future in which ComicBook/{{Superman}} has retired due to the public's preference for heroes who will use lethal force. The [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] superheroes follow him, in some cases retiring completely, in others sticking to their own small areas. With the absence of the old heroes and the abundance of a new, more reckless generation, the world has become a bit grimmer, a bit more pessimistic and hopeless, but nevertheless seems to keep turning.

A [[Franchise/TheDCU DC Universe]] and Creator/{{Elseworlds}} [[ComicBook graphic novel]], published in 1996. Written by Creator/MarkWaid and beautifully painted by Creator/AlexRoss, ''Kingdom Come'' depicts a dystopian future in which Franchise/{{Superman}} has retired due to the public's preference for heroes who will use lethal force. The [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] superheroes follow him, in some cases retiring completely, in others sticking to their own small areas. With the absence of the old heroes and the abundance of a new, more reckless generation, the world has become a bit grimmer, a bit more pessimistic and hopeless, but nevertheless seems to keep turning.

* The comic's incarnation of Franchise/{{Superman}} appears in the Series/{{Arrowverse}}'s 6th CrisisCrossover, an [[Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths2019 adaptation]] of ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', portrayed by Creator/BrandonRouth (who played him in ''Film/SupermanReturns'' instead of Creator/ChristopherReeve), who also plays [[ComicBook/TheAtom Ray Palmer]] in ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', with a bit of CanonWelding to move the events of ''Kingdom Come'' to the timeline of ''Returns'' and by proxy, the original ''Superman'' film series[[spoiler:; specifically, the Joker gassing the Daily Planet and killing Lois Lane]].
** The same crossover event also features a version of Franchise/{{Batman}}, played by Creator/KevinConroy (who had been voicing the character regularly in various media since ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''), wearing the [[ManInTheMachine exoskeleton]] used by the comic's incarnation. However, this Batman is not a straight adaptation but a CompositeCharacter with elements of the incarnations from ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns'' and ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', [[spoiler:both of which it heavily {{deconstruct|edCharacterArchetype}}s by turning him into an EvilCounterpart who went after Superman with the same justification the ''Dark Knight Returns'' incarnation did, and with the same intent as and for the same xenophobic reasons the DCEU Batman did, sans the HeelRealization that stopped the DCEU Batman from going through with it]].
* The golden eagle armor of Franchise/WonderWoman that first appeared in this comic series makes its cinematic debut in ''Film/WonderWoman1984''.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: Franchise/WonderWoman's Hephaestus-forged sword. According to her, it can "shave the electrons off an atom." It can even cut Superman -- though she remarks this is because magic is one of the few things that Supes isn't invulnerable to.

** ComicBook/LexLuthor and his "Mankind Liberation Front" (a collection of Silver Age villains) attempt to exploit the metahuman war and TakeOverTheWorld. [[spoiler:They end up being forced to work by Franchise/{{Batman}} in his makeshift hospital for the casualties of the civil war. Lex himself is emptying bedpans.]]

* LiteraryAllusionTitle: Not only ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' itself a literary allusion (to either Matthew 6:10 or Luke 11:2 from the Bible), but each chapter title ('Strange Visitor', 'Truth and Justice', 'Up in the Sky' and 'Never-Ending Battle') is an allusion to the classic Franchise/{{Superman}} introduction.

* TheMole: [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Batman}} refuses to rejoin Superman, and instead he and his "Outsiders" infiltrate ComicBook/LexLuthor's "Mankind Liberation Front" and stop them from exploiting the metahuman civil war for their own ends.]] [[spoiler: Ibn al Xuffasch is the actual mole in the MLF. Bruce suspects Ibn is his biological son, but it isn't confirmed til the very end.]]

* PoweredArmour: Franchise/{{Batman}} needs an exoskeleton to move about, he's so battered from 60-odd years of superheroing. When he goes into combat, he does it in flying power armour. A number of other characters do as well.

* PsychoticSmirk: Bruce Wayne sports one throughout as a sign of his apparent FaceHeelTurn, quite unusual (and unsettling) considering Franchise/{{Batman}}'s PerpetualFrowner reputation.

* SecondLove: Franchise/WonderWoman gradually becomes this for Superman over the course of the story.

* {{Novelization}}: Creator/ElliotSMaggin's novel is arguably better than the miniseries. It doesn't have Alex Ross' gorgeous art, though.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Superman and his crew are right that the anti-heroes have become too bloodthirsty and overzealous, blurring the binary of hero and villain, losing track of concepts like collateral damage and simply not caring about the people not on their power level. ''But'' the anti-heroes are also right in their belief that simply beating up Supervillains and tossing them in jail is a temporary solution at best and useless at worst because of JokerImmunity.

This series was followed by ''Comicbook/{{The Kingdom|DCComics}}'', which introduces the concept of Hypertime by having the Kingdom Come future superheroes fight alongside their present-day mainstream continuity counterparts, and ''Thy Kingdom Come''.

* CallingTheOldManOut: All of the original Teen Titans' children are on the side of the anti-heroes in defiance of their parents. ShoutOut: They're called [[ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders Batman's Outsiders]].

* MenGetOldWomenGetReplaced: While many of the male heroes come out of retirement after Superman does, most of the female superheroes stay retired and have been replaced in this distant future. Examples include Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/BlackCanary, Comicbook/{{Catwoman}}, Comicbook/{{Starfire}}, and Comicbook/{{Zatanna}}. A handful of exceptions include Comicbook/WonderWoman, [[Comicbook/PowerGirl Power Woman]], and Jade, and only the latter has aged all that much, since it's established that Wonder Woman is immortal and Kryptonians like Power Girl not only age at a reduced rate, but get StrongerWithAge.

* RealMenTakeItBlack: In the epilogue to the collected edition, [[Comicbook/{{Superman}} Clark]], [[Comicbook/WonderWoman Diana]] and [[Comicbook/{{Batman}} Bruce]] meet up at Planet Krypton restaurant. While Clark has milk and Diana gets some water, Bruce's drink order is "Coffee. Black. And keep it coming."

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: When Superman retires, ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' and Superboy decide to leave the present and join the ''Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' in the 30th Century.

** After all the events are over, the Spectre tells Norman McCay that he and the superheroes he just saved are [[InvokedTrope not so different]]: both exist to bring hope.

* LawyerFriendlyCameo: Near the end, Norman [=McCay=] can be seen seated next to an elderly, mustached, bespectacled man with an eyepatch, who is clearly Phillip Sheldon, the protagonist of ''ComicBook/{{Marvels}}'', which, like ''Kingdom Come'', was also illustrated by Alex Ross.

* LawyerFriendlCameo: Near the end, Norman [=McCay=] can be seen seated next to an elderly, mustached, bespectacled man with an eyepatch, who is clearly Phillip Sheldon, the protagonist of ''ComicBook/{{Marvels}}'', which, like ''Kingdom Come'', was also illustrated by Alex Ross.

%%* DeconReconSwitch: Deconstructs the Dark Age, reconstructs the Silver Age. How?

%%* LargeHam: {{Lampshaded}} when Vandal Savage [[KickTheDog Kicks The Dog]].

%%* GenreRelaunch: Of Silver Age era super hero comics.

%%* MoreThanMindControl: [[spoiler:Billy Batson]]. The mind control bugs also appear in Alex Ross' and Doug Braitwaithe's ''Justice''. Both instances show that they're a technology stolen from said character's archenemy [[spoiler:Dr. Sivana]].

%%* SecondLove: Franchise/WonderWoman gradually becomes this for Superman over the course of the story. Context?

* StrongerWithAge: Superman, who is not vulnerable to Kryptonite anymore. But magic can still harm him. [[spoiler: In the {{Novelization}}, at the end not even magic can harm him, and that Hephaestus' sword can't injure him. Why? He discovered the paradox of magic.]]

'''Superman:''' [[SarcasmMode You must be proud.]]\\