Q&A with LUCIFER VOL. 1: COLD HEAVEN Author Holly Black

With DC Comics' Vertigo recently releasing the trade paperback version of Lucifer Vol. 1: Cold Heaven, we caught up with author Holly Black to discuss the otherworldly settings and noir style of the comic book series' first six issues. 

Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us today, Holly, and congratulations on the recent release of Lucifer Vol. 1: Cold Heaven. Were you a fan of this character and this world before you started working on this comic book series?

Holly Black: I’ve loved Lucifer since Sandman and through his run with Mike Carey. In fact, I am not sure any other character would have been as tempting for me. I was on the phone with Shelley Bond, who called me about potentially pitching some ideas and she casually mentioned that maybe I might be interested in Lucifer. I had a lot of projects on my plate then and no time, but I couldn’t say no to the Devil.

This story takes the noir genre to some otherworldly locations. Was it fun for you to combine that “whodunit” structure with epic realms like Heaven and Hell?

Holly Black: The fact that Lucifer’s piano bar was in Los Angeles gave an opportunity to dig into sunlit noir. In noir, all power structures are corrupt, which fits perfectly with what we know of this world’s Heaven and Hell. The traditional noir detective is disillusioned, often has come back from a warno war is bigger than the war between Heaven and Hell and no one more disillusioned than Lucifer. It was a lot of fun.

Following Vertigo's August 23rd release of Lucifer Vol. 1: Cold Heaven, what can you tease about the future of Lucifer and where you’ll take readers next?

Holly Black: If the first six issues were about digging into the sins of the past, the next six are about the fate of the future. And we get to learn who has been telling the tale all along.

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Synopsis: "The #1 NEW YORK TIMES best-selling author of THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES Holly Black picks up the thread from legendary creators Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey, and Peter Gross, as she and artist Lee Garbett resurrect an iconic VERTIGO antihero in LUCIFER VOL. 1: COLD HEAVEN.

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

Once he was the Morningstar, first and most beautiful of the heavenly host. Then he ruled over Hell, until he gave up his kingdom to pursue his absent Father. Finally, after tracking down and confronting the Alpha and Omega, he left our universe behind—apparently forever.

But now Lucifer is back—wounded and weakened, but suave and savvy as ever. And he’s about to be handed the biggest mystery in the history of Creation: God has been found dead, and the Lightbringer is the prime suspect in His murder.

To clear his name and reclaim his throne, Lucifer must solve the Deicide himself. But even with help from the disgraced archangel Gabriel, the task is daunting. To maintain the status quo in both Heaven and Hell, angels and demons alike are determined to pin the crime upon the First of the Fallen—but it will be a cold day in either realm before the Devil fails to get his due.

Collects issues #1-6 of LUCIFER, the new ongoing series."