Rising comic writer Zack Kaplan and one of the world’s top synthwave bands, The Midnight, team-up to transport us to a neon-soaked world in The Midnight Shadows, an electrifying and original sci-fi graphic novel.
Jason has spent his life running from his problems, but now he and his childhood sweetheart are on the precipice of parenthood, and he’s struggling with the loss of his adolescence. Then he re-discovers his favorite old video game, The Midnight, a nostalgic 1980s fantasy adventure about a helmeted hero who travels to a cyberpunk world to save the people from eternal darkness. Seeking to repair his broken game, Jason ends up at a mysterious arcade in an abandoned 1980s mall, where he plays the old arcade game of The Midnight and suddenly he’s transported to…
…a post-apocalyptic Neverland in the year 2085. A world of perpetual night where time stands still. A final bastion of humanity in a glistening futuristic city. And a shocking reveal – they know him as the hero who once vanquished the shadow monsters, and they believe he’s returned to his true reality to do it again. More surprising, his wife is here, but only with a memory of Jason as this world’s hero. As this lost boy tries to embrace his new hero powers, with the help of his true love and her cyberpunk warriors, he must face the responsibility of protecting an entire world from danger and discover which world he truly belongs to.
Zack Kaplan has once again nailed it. His ability to weave together a captivating tale that blends themes of The Midnight‘s music along with an original sci-fi story is a true work of art. Jason’s character feels well-developed and his dialogue with other characters in the story feels authentic and engaging. Kaplan’s collaboration with The Midnight brings a unique energy to the story, drawing inspiration from their music to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
While Kaplan tells a fantastic tale in his script the true star of this show is the fantastic artwork from illustrators Stephen Thompson, Jahnoy Lindsay, and Elisabetta D’Amico as well as colorist Thiago Rocha. Zack gives us a wonderful narrative while allowing the artwork to shine in a way that is truly impressive. From the use of different styles to portray different timelines to the level of detail in each page and panel the entire graphic novel is truly breathtaking. The art team allows us to be fully immersed in the world of The Midnight in a way that is hard to even explain.
The overall appearance of The Midnight Shadows is something to experience. In addition to the top-notch artwork, the lettering by DC Hopkins as well as the design and layout of the book is something special. The level of detail put into the visual experience of The Midnight Shadows shows that each person on the creative team really put their heart and soul into this project to give us the best possible finished product.
As someone who appreciates out-of-the-box collaborations, having worked in the brewery industry for many years, I was thrilled to see Kaplan and his team’s collaboration with The Midnight on this project. The synergy between the creative team and the band has resulted in a comic book that not only pays homage to the music of Tyler Lyle and Tim McEwan, but also stands on its own as a compelling work of art.
The Midnight Shadows is an immersive, neon-soaked, visual masterpiece that transcends comics into the world of art as a whole. Zack Kaplan and The Midnight as well as the artist talent on this comic have created a seamless blend of storytelling and visuals that had me in awe. Whether you are a fan of The Midnight or are new to these creative minds, The Midnight Shadows is a must-have graphic novel.
The Midnight Shadows hits bookstores everywhere on October 1, 2024 and local comic shops on October 2 from Dark Horse.
The Midnight Shadows Cover
