NYX #1 – Review

In NYX #1, available from Dynamite Comics on November 10th, 2021, the half-human/half-demon powerhouse looks to live a life of peace and solitude when dissent among her father’s demon ranks spells impending trouble.

The Details

• Written By: Christos Gage
• Art By: Marc Borstel
• Colors By: Jordi Escuin Llorach
• Letters By: Taylor Esposito
• Cover Art By: Lucio Parrillo (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: November 10, 2021

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Was It Good?

Spinning out of the Sacred Six series from Dynamite, we get a chance to dig into Nyx’s background, how she mixes and mingles with humans now that’ she’s distanced herself from her demonic origins, and what it all means for the immortal half-demon going forward. As a first issue, the story was well-paced, sets itself as an accessible jumping-on point for readers who are new to the character, and drops breadcrumbs about a brewing conflict that may force the titular character to choose sides.

I like this story about one of the lesser-explored characters in the Vampirella/Chaos catalog. You get a very clear sense of tension from Nyx as a character caught between two worlds – too dangerous to be accepted as human and too repulsed by the sheer malignancy of her demon brethren. Without adding any external pressures, Nyx is already in a state of compelling conflict.

However, external pressures do come. Gage does a wonderful job briefly and efficiently relaying Nyx’s origins, and the information given out perfectly dovetails into the conflict hinted at for the coming issues. It’s effective storytelling of a high caliber and it works well enough to be satisfying for both existing and new readers.

This is our first exposure to Marc Bostrel’s art on any title, and the work in this issue is quite good. The linework is excellent and the character designs get the job done well. To be fair, most of the issue is focused on humans talking to each other, so there wasn’t much room to flex creative muscle, but there’s enough her to be satisfied with the visuals and anticipate what good things might be coming up in the series.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

We begin with an introduction to Nyx as she crashes a cartel drug exchange in-process. The nature of her cursed existence requires her to feed on the life force of humans by transference through her magic scepter. Fortunately, there are plenty of deserving souls present. Unfortunatley, she has to drain them first if they would just stop dying so easily.

After a meal that satisfies her hunger enough for the time being. Nyx heads out into the city’s nightlife for amusing diversions of the romantic variety. Nyx happens to meet a man, Scott, getting back into the dating scene after a divorce, and Nyx finds herself unexpectedly engaging in a meaningful relationship with this man. The two find a kinship that goes deeper than the physical, and Nyx finds herself starting to like being in a relationship.

One evening, Nyx wakes up to destructive sounds coming from the kitchen. She finds a small group of demons mucking up the housewares when they greet her with a proposal. The Mad God, Nyx’s demonic father, is no longer the strong leader he once was, and the demons have come to enlist Nyx as an ally to take over her father’s kingdom.

We conclude the issue with Nyx’s response to the offer, a nasty kitchen fire, and Scott’s acknowledgment that Nyx is worth the effort.

Final Thoughts

NYX #1 is a fantastic jumping-on point to get to know the half-human/half-demon with a cursed hunger for life energy. Gage paints a surprisingly nuanced and complex version of the character that tells you everything you want to know about her origins and motivations. While the central conflict of the arc is only teased, there’s plenty of story to build curiosity and anticipation for what’s to come.

Score: 9/10

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