History ComicBook / KingdomCome

It can be read [[https://readcomiconline.to/Comic/Kingdom-Come-1996/ here]].

* OhCrap: Norman's reaction to Superman's return, which initially seemed like a CrowningMomentOfAwesome but he realized was [[OnceMoreWithClarity a key part of his vision of armageddon]].

-->'''[[spoiler: Magog]]:''' They chose the hero who ''would'' kill over the hero who ''wouldn't''. And now they're dead. A million ghosts. ''Punish'' me. Lock me away. '''Kill''' me. Just make the ghosts go away.

-->''"I don't know what to do! You can see that, can't you? Every choice I've made so far has brought us here-- has been wrong! So listen to me Billy. Listen harder than you ever have before. Look around us. Look what we've come to. There's a bomb falling, either it kills us-- or we run rampant across the globe. I can still stop the bomb, Bill. That much I'm sure of. What I don't know is whether I should be allowed to. Superhumans or mankind... one will pay the ultimate price. And that decision is not for me to make. I'm not a god. I'm not a man. but you, Billy... you're both. More than anyone who ever existed, you know what it's like to live in both worlds. Only you can weigh their worth equally. Fight the brainwashing, Billy. You can let me go or with a word stop me. Do you understand the choice that can be made by you alone? Then decide. Decide 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.

** In the {{Novelization}}, Norman meets a Wesley Dodd in his nineties in a gym; Wesley is doing exercises a man in his ''twenties'' would be doing.

* CentralTheme: The loss of humanity through [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans justifying your actions]], whether it be taking a life or swinging around your power to get people in line. All the classic silver age heroes had lost their connection to the very people they swore to protect, Superman retired to his Fortress of Solitude, Wonder Woman lost her royal title because she spent more time as a warrior than ambassador of peace, Flash existed in constant motion unable to interact with anyone, Green Lantern remained in a watchtower construct in orbit over Earth and Batman policed Gotham via drones. As such the new generation, who idolized the classic heroes, were left without guidance and fought each other as much as they fought supervillains.

* AbstractApotheosis: One of the least noted {{Repower}}, yet one of the most insane, is the one which took its toll on ComicBook/TheFlash (said to be [[InformedAttribute Wally West]]); in this continuity Wally became the AnthropomorphicPersonification of the Speed Force, becoming a force in perpetual motion, attaining ''[[PhysicalGod omnipresence]]'' by running ''that'' fast. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem able to use his newfound omnipresence to any actual use, especially in the ending where it might have been REALLY useful (simply because he can't pick anyone up to save them or they'll be vaporized by air friction and the Speed Force itself.) As such, he's BlessedWithSuck: Wally achieving godhood had its sacrifices; as noted above he is in perpetual motion, he can't stop moving ''ever'', the times where he seems to be still is just Wally moving in a short space while circling through... well, ''everywhere'' else at the same time, basically an illusion. Also it forces him to cut ties with everyone he knows; since now he basically lives in another reality altogether, no one can keep up with him to even communicate with the guy, Superman is the ''only'' one who can talk with Wally, and that by processing what Wally says some time after the actual conversation.

A [[Franchise/TheDCU DC Universe]] and {{Elseworld}}s [[ComicBook graphic novel]], published in 1996. Written by Creator/MarkWaid and beautifully painted by Alex Ross, ''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 followed him, in some cases retiring completely, in others sticking to their own small areas.

* BadassPreacher: Norman McCay, with touches of BadassPacifist. He never fires a shot or throws a single punch, but through the power of his sermons, he singlehandedly saves [[spoiler: the UN, and by extension the entire ''world''. From ''[[BewareTheSuperman Superman.]]'']]

* DeathByAdaptation: In the novelization, [[spoiler:Kid Flash]] is stated to have died in the blast, despite this never having been depicted on panel (and her being alive and well in the follow-up series ComicBook/TheKingdom]].

* BadassPreacher: Norman McCay, with touches of BadassPacifist. He never fires a shot or throws a single punch, but through the power of his sermons, he saves [[spoiler: the UN, and possibly the entire ''world''. From ''[[BewareTheSuperman Superman.]]'']]

** ''[[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational Justice League: Generation Lost]]'', which had a major subplot having to do with the events of ''Kingdom Come'', actually ''did'' use it. In a reversal of this, Rorschach shows up twice in the bar scene... at one point talking to the character he's an {{Expy}} of, The Question.

** The full quote is ''"Siva ulo! Nandiyan na ang siva ulo! Papatayin niya tayo ulo!"'' literally translates to "Damaged Head! (''i.e. "Insane" but it should be "sira" instead of "siva" for the term "damaged"; and "sira" (damaged) and "ulo" (head) should be a single compound word'')There is already the damaged head! He's going to kill us! Heads!" The authorial intent apparently is closer to "There is (or 'here comes') (the face of) death! He has death in his head (or "on his mind")!", but that requires ''much more longer'' sentences for a correct translation.

** [[spoiler: TheVillagePeople]]

** Several background characters are based on bands and musicians, including Music/{{Bjork}}, Music/TheBeatles, Music/TheMonkees, Music/TheVillagePeople, and King Marvel is visually very similar to an older Music/ElvisPresley. This is a recursive ShoutOut -- Elvis based his famous stage costume on Captain Marvel, Jr., his favorite superhero.

** Keep an eye out for the superpowered VillagePeople.

* BadassGrandpa: Batman is so old and battered he needs machines to help him walk, but he's still as sharp as ever, able to execute a classic BatmanGambit and then has the guts to punch Captain Marvel.[[spoiler: Who is really Billy Batson, but still.]] It's stated that Batman in this future basically abandoned the Bruce Wayne "personality" altogether. And Aquaman. Even ''Superman'' treats him with kid gloves.

* TakeUpMySword: In the {{Novelization}}, The Spectre says that he had come for The Sandman(the human one, not Dream of The Endless), but when he died, the Sandman passed on the visions to Norman so he could deal with the upcoming Apocalypse himself.

* StealthHiBye: Clark pulls this on Bruce. "So ''that's'' what that feels like."

* LegacyCharacter: Again, all over the place. Its setting is helpful in allowing such characters to see a lot of use. They really come to the fore in the sequel, though.

* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: In the {{Novelization}}, Spectre is baffled by Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship. Norman explains that theirs is a relationship of maturity: he needs an independent woman (like ComicBook/LoisLane was), or he needs no one else, and she needs a strong man, or she needs no one else. Spectre notes that Norman's experience as a minister is exactly what he lacks, having been separated so long from his mortal life, and no longer can comprehend human relationships. At the end, Norman is teaching Spectre to be Jim Corrigan again.

Through it all, a simple pastor named Norman [=McCay=], the parishioner 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.

* AbstractApotheosis: One of the least noted {{Repower}}, yet one of the most insane, is the one which took its toll on TheFlash (said to be [[InformedAttribute Wally West]]); in this continuity Wally became the AnthropomorphicPersonification of the Speed Force, becoming a force in perpetual motion, attaining ''[[PhysicalGod omnipresence]]'' by running ''that'' fast. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem able to use his newfound omnipresence to any actual use, especially in the ending where it might have been REALLY useful (simply because he can't pick anyone up to save them or they'll be vaporized by air friction and the Speed Force itself.) As such, he's BlessedWithSuck: Wally achieving godhood had its sacrifices; as noted above he is in perpetual motion, he can't stop moving ''ever'', the times where he seems to be still is just Wally moving in a short space while circling through... well, ''everywhere'' else at the same time, basically an illusion. Also it forces him to cut ties with everyone he knows; since now he basically lives in another reality altogether, no one can keep up with him to even communicate with the guy, Superman is the ''only'' one who can talk with Wally, and that by processing what Wally says some time after the actual conversation.

* {{Repower}}: Lots of the Golden Agers get big power boosts as Waid draws their abilities to the logical conclusion. Especially TheFlash, who has become one with the Speed Force and now exists as a living blur in constant, never-ending motion.

* TheVoiceless: A lot of characters have no speaking parts, but two really stand out - Hawkman, who (according to WordOfGod) is mute, since he's very anthropomorphised, and TheFlash, who was (again according to WordOfGod) only meant to be audible to Superman, but ended up simply without speaking lines.