NIGHT #0, available now from Anywhere But Here Komics, tells the story of brutal conflict during the Jim Crow era in the American South and the shadowy spirits of vengeance that give rise to the first black superhero.
The Details
- Written By: Deian Akande, Julian Clay
- Art By: João Bosco
- Letters By: Luís Carlos Sousa
- Cover Price: Free at NightRises.com
- Release Date: January 2021
Was It Good?
It wasn’t good. It was impressive.
The art, the dialog, the panel layouts, the pacing, the storytelling, and the overall quality of this #0 exceeds what most of the big publishers are putting out right now. This reviewer was blown away by how well-crafted this book is. Night #0 takes a dark period in American history and uses the setting to create a story within the story that’s wholly unique.
To be fair, it’s not perfect. The main protagonist hears voices… lots of voices, and sometimes it was hard to tell which voice was speaking and who the voice was talking about. It’s unclear if that’s due to the lettering or if the voices are intended to be ambiguous and confusing, but if it’s the former, there’s nothing that can’t be simplified in future issues.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
The town of Jubilee’s leadership has a problem. Elections are coming up and the town’s black residents are organizing to exercise their voting rights. The leaders of Jubilee feel obliged to take steps to preserve their way of life. Violent, brutal steps.
Emmet is a black man living in Jubilee. A dead, black man lynched for a crime he didn’t commit. A man raised from the dead by his Nana, his Obeah, a witch. The spirits of the dead agreed to bring Emmet back so that he could be their vessel to avenge those who were lynched and murdered as he was.
The voices of the dead constantly urge Emmet to kill and destroy. They want to be set free to take bloody revenge, and Emmet suffers through the dead’s cravings, weighing him with guilt over becoming a killer.
Jubilee’s main threat starts with the mayor and his son. They organize gangs to break up voter meetings that don’t align with the mayor’s re-election. Under cover of night, they harass, beat, and murder anyone who opposes the mayor. Most of the men involved with the mayor’s secret coercion were part of the mob that lynched Emmet.
The mayor’s men are tasked with finding where the voters are meeting to organize and to eliminate them, including Ms. Freeman (a white woman determined to fight for voters’ rights) and Maddie (Emmet’s daughter).
When the night comes and the voter meeting place is discovered, Emmet succumbs to the anguish of the dead and exacts bloody terror on those who’ve killed and will kill again.
How Does It End?
The swamp runs red. The expert hunter can’t kill a shadow. “…hold it tight to you.”
Final Thoughts
NIGHT #0, available now from Anywhere But Here Komics, does what good historical fiction does best — find the story within the story. Expertly crafted and impressively written, this is one of the best indie outings to come out in a long time.
Score: 9/10
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