Nocturnals Volume 1: Black Planet (v. 1) (Paperback)

~ Dan Brereton (Author, Artist)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Doc Horror knows there are sinister forces at work trying to bring the downfall of the human race. They have already ravaged his home planet, and now he has traveled to Earth to try and stop them once and for all. Once here, however, he finds that this world's inhabitants aren't all sweetness and light themselves. Some of them are busy creating freakish mutations out of their fellow man, and others are helping the invaders in their quest for domination. An outcast, Doc Horror is forced to live by the dark of night, and there he finds compatriots who must also shun the light of day. Polychrome, The Gunwitch, Starfish, Firelion, Komodo, and The Raccoon have all their share of knocks from humanity, but they want to save their homeworld anyway, and they don't care how many monsters stand in their way.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Oni Press; 1st edition (December 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966712706
• ISBN-13: 978-0966712704
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #821,141 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, violent, creepy horror graphic novel, May 24, 2004

By	Andrew Byers (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews

"Nocturnals: Black Planet" was my first exposure to the Nocturnals, and I'd recommend it as a good place to start the series (in fact this book collects the first six issues of the Nocturnals).

The Nocturnals are essentially a bunch of misfits and freaks (I won't spoil any of their origins or specific abilities here, that's part of the fun in reading Black Planet) who have run-ins with both the mob and a strange alien menace. Outcasts from society, they band together and seem to form a real family, even though they are what most would consider to be "monsters." The action, pacing, and violence are all intense, and the main characters are truly well-conceived and have some neat abilities. The book is plotted pretty tightly and flowed nicely; I found myself having to reread the beginning a bit just to make sure I understood what was going on and who the characters all were, but that wasn't a big deal.

The book isn't illustrated in a traditional "comic book" fashion. Instead, each panel in the book is essentially a painting, and most are extremely well done. I don't know a lot about art, but I'd kind of describe them as looking a little like watercolors, as there's a lot of color blending and few sharp edges. They look very nice. In addition to the six issues collected in this book, there is a pin-up gallery in the back that has all the covers as well as full-page color art by a variety of artists inspired by the series.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror comics, gunplay and mobster violence, pulpy action (of the more the violent persuasion, like the Spider), and Lovecraftian critters and weirdnesses. I definitely plan on picking up the other Nocturnals graphic novels.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Just a Brilliant Illustrator, July 5, 2000

By	Joeybird (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews

Dan Brereton is nothing short of a genius. I actually picked up one of the individual comics of this collection several years ago, intrigued by the art. Then I fell in love with the characters and story line, searching all of the local comic shops for years to get the whole story. Halloween is, without a doubt, my favourite time of the year and Dan Brereton has made it into a believable year 'round exisitence. The symbolism and imagination is all there, with the D.B. added magic. Everytime I hear that Mr. Brereton is putting out another story I anxiously await its release. I would recommend this, or any other Nocturnals story, to any lover of the great "graphic novel" or art, as the art is what really sets this apart from the pack. For any "Halloween Girl" (or Boy), it is a must have in your collection!

4.0 out of 5 stars Exellent art, November 11, 2007

By	Kenneth Magerman "Ken Magerman" (Kalamazoo MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was pleasently surprised that the story line is fairly unique and interesting. I expected it to be a bit cheesy and bought it as a guilty pleasure but the characters and story stand up quite well.....it's no Alan Moore.....but definately enjoyable