First published back in January of 1992, issue thirteen of Epic Comics’ serial adaptation of Clive Barker’s ‘Nightbreed’ sported the subtitle ‘The Wickedest Man In The World’.
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 continued on with the Nightbreed legacy – creating whole new spin-off storylines that would eventually bring in aspects from some of Barker’s other work.
This issue formed the first instalment in the ‘Nightbreed vs Rawhead Rex’ four part series.
DLS Synopsis:
Leah Qlipoth had been doing it all for him. Algernon Kinder wanted a son to carry on with the grand traditions. And so she searched the past, present and future for a son who could complete his deviant legacy. Something she knew all too well she was unable to offer herself. Her inability to bare a child still tore at her.
Meanwhile, whilst the fusion between Cabal and Baphomet took place, Kinski, Peloquin and Gallows were out enjoying their time in one of Florida’s shopping plazas. But where Peloquin goes, trouble invariably follows, and it’s not long before the trio are racing off in a fog of smoke with the shopping mall’s bruised and beaten security left wondering what the hell just happened.
But it’s not just any other day for the Nightbreed. That very night, deep in the Everglades, the child Maximillian Bloodybones was to be baptised in the way of the breed. And to celebrate the occasion, a gathering of the tribes of the moon has converged.
But something is in the air that could very well threaten the Nightbreed. In a moment of uncharacteristic frailty, Leah Qlipoth finally finds a son worthy of adoption into Algernon Kinder’s family. Dug out from under a vast rock by the farmer Thomas Garrow. It was the one. The unrelenting havoc that ensued. The bloodshed. The vengeance. The slaughter.
The beast may have succumbed to man in the end, but its resurrection would not be out of the great Algernon’s reach. Finally, a truly fitting son had been found for the great beast…
DLS Review:
Kick-starting his next four part series, writer Daniel Chichester spends the vast majority of this first instalment establishing the plot that will form the mini-series’ principal storyline. Here we’re introduced to an Aleister Crowley type of character (in the form of Algernon Kinder) and his devoted lover Leah Qlipoth. And through these characters Chichester has crafted his story so that he is able to bring back to life the much-loved ferocious beast-god that is Rawhead Rex.
On the other hand, somewhat loosely wrapped around this main storyline we have a rather bland substory (if indeed you can even call it that) which is undoubtedly there simply to maintain the ‘Nightbreed’ element in the comic. Obviously as the comics progress the inclusion of the Nightbreed will form a more critical part in the story, however in this first instalment it has to be said that their presence thus far in the story has pretty much been irrelevant.
Interestingly, the first book in the two-part ‘Jihad’ (1991) graphic novel series saw its publication just prior to this particular instalment; and so Chichester has decided to incorporate aspects from the Nightbreed story told within the ‘Jihad’ (1991) storyline into this comic book series.
However, what really makes this new instalment stand out is the superb artwork by Mark Texeira. Instead of your usual pen and ink art that has then been coloured; Texeira has hand painted each and every frame. The end result is a comic that screams quality just as much as it drags you into the storyline.
The artwork depicting the great Rawhead Rex in particular is utterly breath-taking. Indeed, the imagery is powerful and perfectly suggestive of a truly untameable beast. Mark Texeira nailed it!
This is undoubtedly going to turn out to be one hell of a story.
The comic runs for a total of 28 pages (plus an additional two pages for the ‘Breeding Ground’ which once again comprises of a readers’ letters page).
© DLS Reviews
