First published back in November of 1990, the sixth issue of Epic Comics’ serial adaptation of Clive Barker’s ‘Nightbreed’ sported the subtitle ‘The Blasphemers Part One – The Body & Blood’.
The first four issues of the ‘Nightbreed’ comics closely followed the storyline of the film, only slightly veering away from it with minor details. The twenty-one issues that followed these merely continued on with the Nightbreed legacy – creating a whole new spin-off storyline that would eventually bring in aspects from some of Barker’s other work.
DLS Synopsis:
Boone and Lori had found Nana Nickneven. Her guidance was something that Boone knew deep down he had to follow. But first, he had to accept his destiny. Boone had to accept the voice of Baphomet. He was the key to their salvation. He was their saviour. And his name was Cabal.
But Nana Nickneven had other ways in which she would assist with Boone’s mission. She would instigate Lori’s own admittance into the breed by simple trickery. And through that she would gain abilities outside that of the naturals. Her strength would help Boone’s mission to succeed.
Meanwhile, Mulciber, Aello, Oral, Fachan, Dagon and Piglet were loose and causing mayhem. A visit to the ‘Barney’s Beef & Bun’ roadside diner would end with bloodshed, death and meat. However with the consumption of human flesh, this feral pack of the nightbreed had broken the law of their entire race. They had started down a path that would lead them away from the rest of their kind. And once Cabal had found a new gathering place, and once Baphomet had been reformed, their crimes would undoubtedly come back to haunt them.
And the blasphemers’ actions were already known to others…
DLS Review:
Following on from ‘Nightbreed – Issue 5’ (1990), writer Daniel Chichester carries on with his ‘feral-nightbreed-on-the-loose’ storyline, with Mulciber et al causing more carnage in a similar vein to how the previous instalment had started out.
In fact, the predominant storyline of this issue is undoubtedly following these nightbreed misfits as they go against the law set down by their god; embarking upon a rampant spree of murder and mayhem. In fact, the ‘larger story’ involving Boone (aka Cabal)’s mission to find a safe place for the nightbreed to come together again, and for Baphomet to be remade, seems only secondary in this instalment.
However, unlike the last comic, what is clear from this next instalment is that the story is now clearly underway and on a set course. Where issue five was a bit of a mishmash in stories without any clear direction being evident, this next comic has a purpose, and it’s clear from the outset that it’s got an eventual goal that it’s setting out for.
Interestingly, Narcisse appears to have somehow been resurrected following his decapitation in ‘Nightbreed – Issue Four’ (1990). Not that the return of this character is in anyway a bad thing. However, without any hint of how he came to survive his head being lopped off, it’s just a tad strange, and (at this stage at least) feels like there’s been quite a major oversight with the continuity in the story.
Art-wise, Brett Blevins has taken over the job of the artwork, with Joe Chiodo doing the colouring. The change in artists is instantly obvious, with Blevins’ style being much more rough & ready. That’s not to say that it’s a definite step backwards. It’s just that the drawing style is far sketchier and more dependent on the loose vibrancy of the line work.
All in all I have to say that it’s somewhat of a relief to see a storyline which is more akin to Barker’s original concept now gradually rising out from the tale. In fact, appetite is starting to become whetted by the promise of a larger story evolving. Ultimately, from the collective chaos formed from issue five, this next instalment seems to have brought the Nigtbreed story back on track.
The comic runs for a total of 28 pages.
© DLS Reviews
