Written by: Marco Andreyko
Art by: Piotr Kowalski & Emmanuel Xerx Javier
Publisher: BOOM!
We’re in a bit of a reinvigorated time for Clive Barker’s Nightbreed. Due to a big push by fans of the cult classic, there’s going to be a full on release of the director’s cut of the film soon. On the comic side of things BOOM! has been going full steam ahead with Barker’s properties, and Nightbreed is no exception.
Issue 5 continues with the same format we’ve had, acting as a sort of prequel to the film itself. Set in the moments when Boone has descended into Midian, we see him being given the back stories for many of the other monsters from the film and beyond. In this chapter, Boone has Lude and Annastasjia-both minor characters from the film-filling him in on the tragic pasts that have led them to Midian. Lude’s being about his demonic conception and birth, and Annastasjia’s detailing her transformation from film star into monster.
Andreyko gives each character’s tale it’s own individual vibe. Lude is presented here as a trickster character with a comedic flair, so his story, despite being tragic, has a bit of that in it. Annastasjia, meanwhile, is more dour and volatile, and this carries over into her narrative. Boone is a cipher at this stage in the series, acting as our perspective character. Treating him in this manner leaves a gap where there should be a character for readers to latch onto.This could be problematic, if it continues, especially for anyone that hasn’t seen the film and can’t fill in that gap with information from it. I’m looking forward to the point when things move into new territory, we find out how he’s going to be handled as the protagonist, and the narrative breaks free a bit from the confines of the film. In the meantime, I’m enjoying watching Andreyko expand this world in a way that should give him numerous options in the future.
The art duties are split, with Kowalski handling the present day and Lude’s story and Javier doing the art for Annastasjia’s. The two artists do not have styles that are very divergent from one another, so the change isn’t jarring. Javier’s slightly sketchier lines do work well with the 1920s setting, giving the switch just enough context with the narrative to work as an effect. For some odd reason Juan Manuel Tumburus has made the odd choice with his coloring to give each character a splotchy filter for their complexion. I initially noticed it during Annastasjia’s segment, thinking it was meant to give an indication that she was, in fact, a monster. Then I realized that it covers all the characters. Then I went back and realized it’s been that way in each issue. So, it’s an odd choice to make with the digital color, but it’s obviously not so glaring an issue that I noticed it before being five issues in.
Nightbreed definitely feels like it’s building up to a larger narrative that could be a great continuation for fans of the property. Readers that have not seen the movie nor read Barker’s original story, however, may be left scratching their heads about what’s going on.
