The last 5 issues, I've gone on and on about how I think Keith Giffen is doing an incredible job with this story. To me, it seems very well thought out and structured. I absolutely love the amount of detail that he's put into every part of this story. This issue we find out, not that it's really a surprise, but . . . Satanus and Blaze's attempt at conquering Hell has all been a bit of misdirection. Not that they don't want the ultimate seat of power, but . . the spreading of the word "Hope" . . the attacks on Neron's forces and all the various battles throughout the many dominions and provinces . . they've all been a misdirection on Satanus' part. His real goal has been to draw out Neron. His agent of change? A drug that he used on Earth once before. "DMN . . . my meld of science and sorcery . . men were transformed into demons . . . demons into men. The drug was an anagogic mutagen, sorcery-based. Once the mutagenetic factor was isolated, it was simplicity itself to conjure it's properties from chemical composition to airborne viral particles. Borne by an army of carriers, spread throughout the infernal realm under the guise of war. Misdirection, beloved sister, much the same as our message of 'hope'." But, Satanus lets his guard down enough that Neron can spy on his conversation when he's talking to his sister. When Neron does finally come out . . he thinks the war is a rout, and Satanus' forces have been defeated . . Satanus, himself a carrier, uses said pathogen to infect Neron and he rips him apart during the transformation. The trigger? The magic word . . . Shazam! It appears now that he and his sister are ready to assume the seat of power. Earlier, Fate learns a little more about his power as he's battling Blaze. Zatanna seems to have made a new enemy in Lobo. It seems that the 'real' Lobo has been a captive of Hell for quite a while, while they've sent a doppelganger to the DC Universe to take his place. But as he's released, by Blue Devil and Etrigans fight, he ends up killing Zatarra. For good. Zatanna is pissed, and she's taking it out on Lobo. Blue Devil, finally recovering from his injuries, is consigning himself to the fact that maybe this is where he deserves to be. And Doctor Occult, after fighting beside Rose and Yellow Peri, his spirit guide, has finally realized that Rose is serious about not wanting to go back. "I died and wound up here! If I go back, I'm just delaying the inevitable! When I die . . again, I wind up back here because it's already been decided! That's time lost Richard! Time I could put to better use! By trying!" On their way back to Purgatory, they come across a fallen angel. It's the angel of . . . Supergirl. Do you remember her from the last series? I always wondered what happened to her. I just assumed that she was incorporated back into Supergirl. Rose won't follow them into Purgatory, and Yellow Peri can't. So it looks like the next part is up to Doctor Occult, and . . . Supergirl. Again, a fantastic issue by Keith with art by Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewicz. It really is a fantastic looking book. Chad Hardin does the art on the Doctor Occult part of the story. And Justiniano provides the fantastic cover. Unfortunately . . only 2 issues to go.
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