Written by Adam McGovern with art by Paolo Leandri and colors by Dom Regan, Nightworld #1 begins the four issue miniseries about a demon trying to awaken his lover. I just read it and I’m still not sure what to make of it. So, um… is it good?
Nightworld #1 (Image Comics)
One of the benefits of being able to review comics for Adventures in Poor Taste—you know, aside from the fame and fortune—is the opportunity to read things that I probably wouldn’t have known about otherwise, let alone pick up and read. Such is the case with Nightworld, a brand new series that isn’t based on any previously established media entity, nor had I heard of the creators behind it. But the art looked cool, and it came with a recommendation from one of my favorite writers of books without pictures, Junot Diaz (his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, is a must-read, especially for comic book readers), so I decided to give Nightworld a shot.
And I’m glad I did.
That said, as I mentioned before, I did find the story difficult to follow. I’m not entirely sure why, and it’s entirely possible that other most readers won’t have the same difficulty I did, but it ultimately mattered less than one would think it would. Normally it would be a death sentence upon my enjoyment of a comic if I can’t understand what’s going on in it, but in this case, I just let the tone and the language wash over me, like a good poem. And like any poem, you don’t try to decipher meaning on your first reading. You can attempt that in your second or third or fourth reading. The first reading is about the experience, about the sounds of the words and the shapes of the form. I chose to write this review without giving the comic a second reading because I want this review to reflect my sense of pure discovery that I had while reading it.
Speaking of discovery: Paolo Leandri’s art, which reminds me of Mike Allred (check the smooth, thick lines) with touches of Jack Kirby (Check out those Kirby Dots!). Of course, despite the influences that he wears on his sleeve, Leandri’s art retains its own unique shape. He’s the real reason to pick up this book. I hope to see more of this guy in the future.
Is It Good?
It may not be very accessible, but Nightworld provides a uniquely dark, romantic experience unlike anything else on the stands right now.
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