Writer Steve Orlando bring us an amusing interlude between arcs with “Midnighter” #8. Guest artist David Messina, along with inker Gaetano Carlucci and colorist Romulo Fajardo, Jr., add an effective understated quality.
Written by Steve Orlando
Illustrated by David MessinaAs he recovers from an assault that hit him harder than he ever could have imagined, Midnighter finds himself back in the sights of Spyral…but this time, they want him on their side!
Steve Orlando seems to effortlessly bring many qualities to “Midnighter” #8 that can mistakenly be overlooked from first read. After last issue’s ending of the title’s first arc, Orlando is able to quickly catch people up on what transpired before while also demonstrating why Midnighter is such a unique and compelling character. Despite having an awesome power, Midnighter is relatable despite his enigmatic history and penchant for controlled violence. That violence, however, is well deserved for the villain involved in this issue and we get to cheer on someone whose actions we would never think of doing ourselves.
That villain is not the main thrust of “Midnighter” #8. Orlando’s grasp of the DC Universe and even its most obscure characters is grin-inducing for those in the know. Those who are aware of the obscure character that Midnighter teams up with will get a certain excitement from how Orlando handles him while newer readers will be introduced to yet another intriguing character. Hopefully this won’t be the last we see of this particular animalistic ally.
Orlando is as adept at writing big action set pieces as he is with character interactions. The action is brought to life by guest artist David Messina and his simplistic pencils are apt for the monster movie scenes that transpire in “Midnighter” #8. Although Aco’s more intricate pencils are missing from this issue, his influence on Messina is obvious in certain instances. A scene of an animal amalgamation is disturbingly tactile and the use of smaller panels to highlight certain reactions in an action scene are reminiscent of Aco’s style. However, Messina doesn’t ape Aco’s style, but instead lends the issue a consistency from the book’s usual art with a combination of his own style.
Messina’s polished style gives “Midnighter” #8 a classically superheroic look. The characters and background have a sleek and chiseled quality. When a giant menace comes on the scene, Messina imbues the creature with that much more of a combination of the realistic and the fantastical. It’s frightening, but in a Silver Age manner. Messina also balances humanity and levity with the expected darkness that comes with a character like Midnighter.
Gaetano Carlucci’s inks embellish Messina’s pencils just enough to allow that smooth quality to stay consistent throughout the issue. The lack of heavy inking and the scarcity of darkness and shadow only highlight Messina’s understated artistic technique. The role of the inker is crucial to the overall success of a comic book and Carlucci’s work enhances “Midnighter” #8’s effectiveness.
Colorist Romulo Fajardo, Jr.’s vibrant and simple palette hews to Messina’s simple yet detailed pencils. The heavy use of yellow, orange, and blue bring the characters (and creatures) to life in a unique way. By comparing his color work on Aco’s pencils and the pencils in “Midnighter” #8, the evidence is there that Fajardo has a singular coloring technique. Like any of the best colorists, he takes the work of others and adds his own personal artistic flourishes in order to make a book even better with his contributions.
“Midnighter” #8 continues to prove this title’s unique place on the comic racks. Steve Orlando has a focused vision, a love of the character, and the ability to gradually and successfully build a world. With the last page promising an exciting confrontation, Orlando promises to yet again balance his love of the DC Universe with his own artistic vision.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – “Midnighter” #8 is a nice segue to the next chapter in the ongoing saga of one of DC’s most exciting characters.
