DigitalRob reviewed Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski
Review of 'Midnight Nation' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I collected this series when it came out and have it in storage somewhere, but I didn’t remember the whole story or how it ended. I love Straczynski’s work, and after following him on Twitter, started revisiting his comics.
I agree with other reviews that this story could be expanded to include more stories of the places they visited while on the road. The issue numbered ½ is a good example. That might be my favorite story. I love the ideas of “what could have been,” and Straczynski does a nice job of providing a few samples in this issue.
The concept of the in-between has a lot of potential. What happens to forgotten things and people who are briefly remembered and sought out of nostalgia? I can see a poignant cross-over with the characters of Toy Story. And, twenty years after the publication, society has many, many more lost …
I collected this series when it came out and have it in storage somewhere, but I didn’t remember the whole story or how it ended. I love Straczynski’s work, and after following him on Twitter, started revisiting his comics.
I agree with other reviews that this story could be expanded to include more stories of the places they visited while on the road. The issue numbered ½ is a good example. That might be my favorite story. I love the ideas of “what could have been,” and Straczynski does a nice job of providing a few samples in this issue.
The concept of the in-between has a lot of potential. What happens to forgotten things and people who are briefly remembered and sought out of nostalgia? I can see a poignant cross-over with the characters of Toy Story. And, twenty years after the publication, society has many, many more lost souls. Kids, teens, and adults all falling in-between, dropping out of society but staying lightly connected to the real world through social media and the internet, with many of those lost souls going the direction of The Walkers, but we call them Trolls.
I like the overt religious overtones and the fact that the story isn’t tied to one faith. Straczynski adds elements of several modern religions and also some older. The story of Pandora’s Box plays a large role in the end, and complements the concept of Hell’s gate’s: “Abandon all hope ye who enter here.” Does David become the embodiment of hope?
I read the author’s note where Straczynski explains how walking became an important part of his life. The note makes me want to read his autobiography as well as his “Grounded” Superman graphic novels.
Finally, while I love the art in this book, I have to wonder if it would be drawn this way today, particularly Laurel and David’s wife. When I read this in 2002, I didn’t think anything about the oversexualized female characters, but today it seemed unavoidably noticeable and the reason for the four instead of five stars. That said, all of the characters are drawn beautifully, and I think my favorite character in both personality and presentation is Lazarus.
