Review: He-Man’s Nightmares Take Shape In ‘Lords Of The Cosmos’

The worlds of magic and technology collide on the far off planet of Aiden as the dread Umex wages a never-ending war. Joined by his fierce and monstrous allies, the battle rages on in scenes that would make He-Man blush.

Lords of the Cosmos is big and bold. Its mythos runs deep as shown through these first three issues. Writers Dennis Fallon and Jason Malmatier dig into the history of this world, its warriors, and their constant struggle. While this is interesting, it comes through as rather dry in execution, reading more like the cards on the backs of action figures than playing with the toys themselves.
This is unfortunate as Jason Lenox’s artwork shines through brilliantly. It’s full of glorious details, showcasing the horrifying nature of these characters. They’re like twisted versions of the Masters of the Universe with elements of zombies, monsters, and aliens all blended together. We’re introduced to all of them in an extensive list in Lords of Chaos #1, which reads more like a Who’s Who entry than a story.

That’s the part that really bums me out about this book. There is clearly so much potential and it takes too much time explaining it instead of furthering the story. By the time it really gets going, it’s rather bland, contrasting with the impressive and dynamic artwork. Letterer Dave Sharpe has the unenviable job of guiding us through all this information and it’s quite a lot to dig into.
D.F. Marin’s inks highlight all the amazing details in Lenox’s artwork. The lines are crisp and clean, accentuating the monstrous qualities of each character. I have to wonder what Lords of the Cosmos would look like with even a smattering of color to bring these folks alive even further.

Lords of the Cosmos is like a love letter to Saturday morning cartoons and classic action figures. While the intention is there, it lacks the passion to get you interested in these characters and their lives. It’s worth flipping through to check out the amazing artwork alone.
Lords of the Cosmos #1 – #3 are currently available digitally on ComiXology.