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Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniel’s Nocterra Vol. 1 lights up the apocalypse with a blend of sci-fi, mythology and daring thrills.
What would happen if the sun went out? In the world of Nocterra by Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniel, a mysterious event causes the sun to vanish, leaving the world overtaken by a darkness that mutates anything caught in its path. Now available in a six-issue collection, Nocterra is a gripping thriller that blends sci-fi, horror and mythology elements to make for perfect reading during the spookiest season of the year.
Nocterra Vol. 1 follows Val, a young woman who guides people between towns. In the blacked out landscape of Nocterra, Ferrymen like Val are the only way to travel long distances without being eaten alive by the mutated Shades that haunt the darkness. One day, Val is approached by a man named Gus to escort him and his granddaughter Bailey to a sanctuary that doesn’t exist on any map, where sunlight still shines. Val agrees, taking her brother Emory with her, in the hopes of curing his growing Shade infection. But when the group leaves, they get word that somebody is chasing them. Who is Blacktop Bill, and why does he want to stop Gus from reaching sanctuary?
Fresh off of the success of Dark Nights: Death Metal, Snyder uses Nocterra blends science and mythology to create a unique lore for the characters and their surroundings. Terminology and thoroughly conceived concepts like Shades, Smudges and the healing properties of light help provide the foundation for the text, allowing for the character’s complex dynamics to give readers something to root for. Val is an engaging lead with an incredible backstory, and her complicated relationship with brother Emory informs everything she does. As the real world still deals with the impact of COVID-19, there is an added layer of tragedy and dread whenever Snyder delves into the reactions society had to their first contact with Shades when the lights went out. This helps endear the core cast of the book to the readers, since the narrative of Val and Emory is more relatable now than ever before.
Daniel delivers some of his best work in years for Nocterra. The series is filled with massive monsters and mayhem, giving Daniel ample opportunity to depict dark creatures in action. The Shades themselves look they’ve been burned to a crisp and then had their insides boil outward to the surface, with bubbling bulges covered in flakes and ash. Val is a strong visual contrast to these monstrosities, with a slick design and an inventive helmet that has dynamic flourishes that only apply when she’s in action.
Beyond this, the landscape of Nocterra is responsible for much of the book’s success. Daniel and colorist Tomeu Morey could have chosen to take the easy way out and filled the pages with giant patches of pure black. Instead, Nocterra feels fleshed out and real, just hidden in darkness. Morey’s colors are vital in this regard, because Daniel still gives his pages all of the detail of a well-lit world. Morey carefully uses the in-text light sources to illuminate the scenes, and the resulting shadows are beautifully rendered so as to never undermine the depth of Daniel’s linework. Since light is such an important part of this series, Morey’s talents are absolutely invaluable and completely transform the story.
For fans looking to get in on the ground level with Scott Snyder’s new Best Jackett Press titles, Nocterra is an absolute must. The series is a surprisingly optimistic look at the end of the world that balances the line between high-concept sci-fi and spirituality. Snyder, Daniel, Morey and the entire creative team are firing on all cylinders, and it’s clear that they’re having the time of their lives. While it’s completely okay to be afraid of the dark, Nocterra Vol. 1 reminds readers that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
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