Written by Marv Wolfman
Illustrated by Tom MandrakeMarv Wolfman reimagines his classic adventure series for the new millennium!There’s a conspiracy under way that’s been going on for hundreds of years. One determined cop has unknowingly scratched the surface and suddenly finds himself summoned to Wintersgate Manor. But this chilling menace may prove to be too big even for Baron Winters.
I have never read either of the previous volumes of “Night Force,” but I do greatly respect Marv Wolfman for creating two of the most influential superhero comics of the 80’s: “The New Teen Titans” and “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Luckily, this is an entirely new Night Force, in accordance with the relaunch, and thus completely open to new readers.
Follow the cut for my thoughts on this series that sounds like the name of an 80’s hair band.
This first issue presents a rather mixed bag of potential. On the plus side, the matter that seems to be the main conflict of the series – the conspiracy involving what appears to demonic or otherwise otherworldly possession of public figures – is promising. Every scene centering on this is well-written and suspenseful, kindling an interest in the reader and while only giving just enough information to ensure the reader’s return. At least, the return would be ensured, if the rest of the issue – that is, the majority – was handled just as well. There’s still an air of mystery invoking the uniting of the characters, but it isn’t quit as enticing. There’s a difference between being mysterious and being vague, and when it comes to the cast, Marv Wolfman leans more to the latter. Things just happen, and information is “revealed,” but the reader is left thinking “So what?” That’s one of the difficulties of working in a serialized format; I’m almost certain that this would read better with its second issue, but as is, it should have been amended a bit to give the reader enough information to hold them over for the month.
Part of the reason why it’s difficult to get attached to the mystery surrounding these characters is because it’s difficult to get attached to the characters themselves. The actual mystery is only half of what’s intriguing about a story wrapped in a mystery; the other half is the psychological effect of said mystery on the characters involved. To use an example from television, would House be as interesting if the various characters involved didn’t get stressed out while trying to figure out what ails their patients? Answer: They’d be about as flat as the characters in this comic. Policeman Jim Duffy is given a humanizing element by the pictures in his house, but his dialogue rings so hollow that it’s hard to believe he’s a real person. Zoe is the stereotypical mysterious girl: she has no defining characteristics or mannerisms, beyond being shrouded in shadows. Finally, Baron Winters is, I think, supposed to come off as enigmatic, but is honestly more annoying than anything else. The pompous type that seems to know exactly what’s going on when no one else does is popular, because it’s a great character when done well, but it is rarely done well; you certainly wouldn’t expect such a character to use tired lines such as “He’s harmless. Mostly.”
Tom Mandrake is not a bad artist, but he is at an unfair disadvantage. When most people hear the name “Night Force” they think of two things: the first, and most common, is “Huh?” while the second is the late Gene Colan, defining artist of the original series. As I said, this is unfair. Gene Colan was a true master of the comics medium to whom few people will ever compare. Mandrake tries to honor that signature Colan look, not by imitating his line work in any derivative way, but in not straying away from heavy use of inks. The only problem, though, is that it comes off as a bit sloppy in this issue. There are a few great pages in this book, like the very well composed opening page, but some of the other pages lay the ink on a bit too thick, or with a lack of precision. Mandrake is an artist who has done plenty of great work before, in “Martian Manhunter” and “The Spectre,” and I am hoping he can step up to the precedent he set for himself in those runs by the next issue.
I don’t want to go so far as to call this a bad comic, but it certainly isn’t a good one. Perhaps it will be more entertaining to those who read the previous two volumes of “Night Force,” but I do not have any personal nostalgia riding on this series. I might end up coming back for the second issue, but if I do, it will be more from a respect for Marv Wolfman as one of the most influential writers of the 80’s than from any particularly positive quality of this issue.
Final Verdict: 4.5 – Browse. Maybe.
