Review – Midnight Society: The Black Lake TP (Dark Horse Comics)

January 15, 2016

2–3 minutes

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer/Artist: Drew Edward Johnson
Colorist: Lizzy John
Release Date: 20th January, 2016

Midnight Society: The Black Lake is along the lines of how I imagine the film adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen should have turned out. Especially if the creative master of creature-features himself, Guillermo de Toro, was involved. The series inserts its own twists on traditional lore and creatures, from the Loch Ness Monster to pixies to experiments that enable the members of a secret society to alter their anatomy in order to scientifically analyse magical or mythical creatures.

Beginning with a prologue set 40 years before, cryptozoologists Arcturus Finn and Kevin Kaycee part ways when Kaycee chooses to further his career at the expense of a magical creature’s life. In the present day, Arcturus heads the cryptozoological Midnight Society, assigning his protégé Special Agent Matilda Finn to the case when Kaycee and his team disappear while hunting the Loch Ness monster.

Matilda Finn, as is quickly established, has talents that exceed her human capability. She is a mystery from the outset, as her seemingly adopted surname indicates, and she battles with memory loss from before her time with the Midnight Society. It isn’t hard to hazard a guess at her main secret from the flashbacks of her initial meeting with Arcturus Finn and, when her true nature is revealed in the second issue, the reader fully appreciates the scientific and detailed approach to her character. These slight variations are a unique product of Drew Edward Johnson’s dual roles as writer and artist.

Johnson’s creative control produces a cohesive work that feels both meticulous and complete. The artwork is gorgeous, with characters and creatures seemingly sculpted on the page, in Johnson’s distinctly detailed style. On top of this, colourist Lizzy John seemingly paints with light in the first issue. Daniele Rudini’s colouring in the remaining instalments uses a darker, flatter palate that strikes a nostalgic tone in its resemblance to the Weird Fantasy EC Comics line from the 1950s.

As an action-adventure story, Midnight Society is paced perfectly. The scenes in which the rescue team delve into the depths of the lake in search of Kevin Kaycee and his team are full of anticipation. The pages cut between the control room monitoring the rescue mission, to the marine personnel operating the searchlights, to Matilda and an unassuming Lieutenant Billy Weatherell as they dive deeper into the lake. Not only are the latter not alone but Matilda is simultaneously trying to control herself as she transitions, much to Weatherell’s horror. Little does he know, things are about to become a whole lot worse as he caught between two monsters of the deep.

The series is a magical introduction to the underground world of the Midnight Society, providing a balanced offering of just enough contextual information against threads of unanswered questions. The Midnight Society retains its mystery at the end of the book, and as Matilda Finn continues her search for answers as to her past, this reader very much wanted to continue the adventure with her.

Rating: 4/5.

PREVIEW ARTWORK
[Click to Enlarge]