Book Of The Month – November
The Nightly News
Written & Drawn by Jonathan Hickman
I’d love to brag about being Jonathan Hickman’s biggest fan since the beginning, but sadly it would be nothing more than a boldface lie. I actually first discovered Hickman when I read his second series Pax Romana (also from Image), and I remember just being so blown away by both the story and art. Soon enough, it seemed like every podcast I was listening to at the time couldn’t stop talking about the guy, and highly encouraged all individuals to check-out his first comic series The Nightly News if they were digging his work on Pax Romana.
Funny enough, it wasn’t until I was finished reading his other works of Transhuman and Red Mass For Mars when I finally decided to scope-out and read The Nightly News. I don’t know what my reasoning was, but perhaps deep down I knew it was going to be one of the best comics I’ve ever read, so I was subconsciously saving it for last.
I distinctly remember how I felt after reading it in one sitting; inspired, creative, angry, blown-away, and much more. I was kicking myself for not reading this comic first, but at the same time almost shedding a tear because I was so happy with what I had just read.
In a nutshell, The Nightly News focuses on the big corporate media we Americans all know and love. While they claim to be “fair and balanced”, their real agenda is making a profit and going to bed on piles of money. It’s easier to sensationalize something than it is to check the facts. Hell, some newspapers and news channels barely check the facts nowadays, and constantly get away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
One terrorist cult lead by a disembodied voice known as The Voice is tired of seeing the innocent get screwed while the media gets awards, and decide to do something about it. Made-up of a group of men and women who have had their lives destroyed by the media, they go on a massive killing spree, hunting everyone from journalists to reporters on the street. No one in news is safe, and they begin to force the stations to start reporting the facts rather than the fluff-pieces.
I don’t believe I mentioned it before, but Jonathan Hickman not only writes all six issues, but he also does the art, layouts, colors, everything. This is 100% his baby, and does quite the remarkable job of bringing it all together in one beautiful comic miniseries. The art in the book is a glorious mixture of both gritty drawings and crisp clean graphics, all brought together with an eye-candy color palate. Myself wanting to be a Graphic Design major, I find myself salivating for hours as I slowly flip each page, just getting lost in the art and absorbing all the awesomeness that is Hickman.
If I were to teach a college course on comic books, The Nightly News without a doubt would be required reading. It’s one of those series that revolutionizes how comics can be made, and if you know the rules well enough, how you can break them and still make it look beautiful.
Because of this series, I will forever be a fan of Mr. Hickman, and look forward to more of his creator-owned stories when he’s done at Marvel. Then again while I’m waiting, I can always go and read his Secret Warriors and Fantastic Four stuff!
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Book Of The Month – June – LOCAL
Book Of The Month – July – Sub-Mariner: The Depths
