First published back in March of 1993, issue twenty-five of Epic Comics’ serial adaptation of Clive Barker’s ‘Nightbreed’ sported the subtitle ‘A New Midian Part Two: Here Be Monsters?!’.
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 second part in the ‘A New Midian’ two-part mini-series to conclude the graphic novel series with.
DLS Synopsis:
Steve Marvant had seen the Nightbreed and survived to tell the tale. And now that tale was splashed all over the pages of America Today. His accidental meeting with the monsters. How the Nightbreed might already be mingling with mankind. The moral conflict. The ingrained uncertainty. The pure sensationalism of it all.
Despite the local rag running with their biggest story to date, the Nightbreed still had plans for their new home. Cabal had set his eyes on New York. The vast city where they might blend in and be lost amongst the shadows.
And tonight was the night for them to take to their new home. It was Halloween and so the streets were already awash with party goers, all dressed up in grotesque and ghastly costumes of beasts, monsters and ghastly demons. Tonight, the Nightbreed could walk amongst the naturals with ease. Camouflaged by the costumes around them.
But for Cabal tonight would involve more than just finding a new sanctuary for the Nightbreed. Tonight, he knows he will need to face the abomination that will undoubtedly kill him. Ismael is out there somewhere and seeking its vengeance.
The time for the final showdown is finally upon them…
DLS Review:
Author and Chatterer Cenobite – Nicholas Vince – delivers the final instalment into the long-running Nightbreed comic series. Here we see him wrapping the whole journey up – or at least attempting to by taking the Nightbreed to their new home, hidden in the shadows and underground tunnels of New York City.
However, before all of that kicks off, the comic starts off with three pages taken from the latest edition of America Today. Through these three pages we get to read the columns that the journalist, Steve Marvant, wrote after his brief encounter with the Nightbreed.
The fictional newspaper excerpts are wonderfully written and carefully crafted to feel like real sections from the tabloid itself. It’s an ingenious device used to pull these last two comics together, and also to open up the visibility of the Nightbreed to humankind.
After this we’re flung straight into the story as it stands, whereby Vince puts much of the focus onto the backstory of Shuna Sassi, before paving the way for the final confrontation with the weird mutation dubbed Ismael.
To be honest, the whole wrapping up and final showdown feels somewhat sloppy and almost a last-minute thought. There’s not a huge amount of substance behind the end sequence, despite the comic trying its hardest to portray there being this big dramatic conclusion.
For this reviewer at least, the Nightbreed comic series kind of whimpered out within this final instalment, rather than ending with the decisive drama you’d hope and expect it to deliver. As a whole, the comic series definitely had its high points as well as its lows. Some instalments were far weaker than others. Perhaps too much emphasis was often put towards adding to character backstories and fleshing out the Nightbreed mythos and lore?!
Either way, it was a fun and unexpected journey along the way. And with this final comic it all comes to an end. For now at least.
The comic runs for a total of 28 pages (plus an additional page for the usual ‘Breeding Ground’ readers’ letters).
© DLS Reviews
