- Writer: Scott Snyder
- Artist: Tony S. Daniel
- Colorist: Tomeu Morey
- Letterer: AndWorld Design
- Graphic Designer: Emma Price
- Editor: Will Dennis
- Assistant Editor: Tyler Jennes
Thanks to Image Comics for the review copy!
The post apocalyptic genre is one of my favorites, even though it often struggles to bring something new to the table. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading NOCTERRA, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. In the first few pages, we learned what the nature of this series’ cataclysm is – darkness. There’s a reason why movies such as PITCH BLACK and BIRD BOX are so effective. The idea of being unable to see is scary. NOCTERRA takes that concept and builds an interesting world around it.
NOCTERRA’s main character is Val, who walks us through the basics of what happened and what the new ‘rules of the game’ are. She’s a typical tough as nails heroine, but as the story goes on, we learn more about the motivation behind her decisions. The writing is excellent as Val delivers a lot of exposition without rendering the issue too talky. In addition to introducing us to the world, this issue finds the time to set up an interesting plot MacGuffin (the thing that the characters must go find that drives the story) and raise questions about what caused the situation in the first place.
The art makes effective use of colors to depict the survivors attempts to use artificial light. The main characters are given distinct designs that allow us to easily tell them apart. The action use varied angles and viewpoints to deliver some thrilling sequences. There are some fairly violent scenes, so parental discretion is advised.
Fans of movies like PITCH BLACK, I AM LEGEND, A QUIET PLACE, BIRD BOX and even WATERWORLD (hey, I liked it!) as well as the post apocalyptic genre will want to pick up the first issue of NOCTERRA. While I see great potential in the story moving forward, I’m equally interested in learning how the world got to the point where it starts.
NOCTERRA #1 is set for release on March 3rd, 2021.
Check back in a few weeks for my review of the 2nd issue of the series.
Check out the interview that An Englishman in San Diego did with Scott Snyder below.
Are you going to pick up the issue? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.