An exciting follow-up, “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #2 continues to expose readers to a vivid nightmare filled with exotic creatures and terrifying monsters. Based on Clive Barker’s “Cabal” novella, this spinoff comic explores the inhabitants that live in the subterranean city of Midian. Just like with the “Hellraiser” series, there is so much potential here to tell original stories that could make “Nightbreed” a real winner to horror fans.
WRITTEN BY: Clive Barker and Marc Andreyko
ART BY: Piotr Kowalski
PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 25, 2014
Reviewed by: Jorge Solis
Down in the bayou swamps of Louisiana, Lizzy was paddling through the murky waters, hoping to find salvation from the racist murderers. Her rescuer is the disfigured and violent stranger, known as Peloquin. After being turned, Lizzy wants sweet revenge against those hurt her. Elsewhere, a politician steps into a secret brothel, meeting a mysterious girl who will fulfill his every sexual desire. Temptation has led him to Shuna and lust won’t let him leave from her private quarters.
Importantly, Barker keeps the essential themes from the novella, such as monsters seen as outcasts and the never-ending horrors of humanity, in the comic book series. Co-writer Marc Andreyko gives larger roles to minor characters and develops their back-story. Peloquin is really a reluctant anti-hero but because of his hideous skin, others see him as the villain. Andreyko has a lot to say about racism through Peloquin’s tragic misunderstanding.
Andreyko splits the plot between Peloquin’s revenge story and Senator Emery’s descent into madness. The pacing is much different this time around because both subplots seem to gain momentum right from the start. Shuna represents the intrigue of unbridled sexuality and the brutal force of male domination. Interestingly, Senator Emery’s thirst for power means treating Shuna any way he wants.
Artist Piotr Kowalski doesn’t shy away from the graphic violence in his gritty illustrations. In just one panel, Kowalski captures the unforgiving brutality of slavery. The whipping is shown from the point-of-view of Peloquin’s frightened perspective. It’s almost like he has seen this before, from a different time period. Peloquin’s rugged wardrobe suggests he might have been a chained-up prisoner and managed to escape.
Kowalski is able to portray Shuna as a seductress and a naive little girl. In close-ups, Shuna is more teasing and in control of the senator. But when Kowalski cuts to a wide shot, Shuna’s nudity isn’t meant to be alluring. Everything that was exotic about her will be tainted by the near-rape scene. There is a lot of symbolism and interpretation in Kowalski’s artwork that readers will instantly pick up on.
Horror fans are definitely going to get a kick out of the last page of “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #2. Just reading the “Nightbreed” comic makes me want to reread Clive Barker’s novella and check up on “The Cabal Cut.”
