NIGHT STALKER #.5
Orlando Harding – Writer
David Miller – Art
Steve Cobb – Colors
Kelly Nuttall – Lettering
Dyana is back in full effect, and I couldn’t be happier. Back in 2012, I wrote a review of Night Stalker #1 back when it was published through Revolution Comics and I was utterly in love. I’ve been waiting a year to get my hand on the new issue and it doesn’t disappoint.
Writer and Creator Orlando Harding is back, but this time with First Comics. Despite this change, this supernatural comic featuring battles between devils and devils, angels, hellions, and the unfortunate humans just trying to avoid being dragged between them, is still as strong as ever.
This new issue was different for me, but not in a bad way. Issue #1 was very revelatory and explained much about the Dyana and her purpose as the bane of demons whose collective luck has run out. She hunts them down mercilessly and seriously kicks their asses. It also explained her friendship with Michelle, a bounty hunter from Heaven (aka one of the good guys) and cherub. Michelle also saw a fair share of anti-demon action in that issue as well, so readers were treated to two ultra deadly assassins/bounty hunters.
Issue #.5 of Night Stalker will yield different results depending on whether or not you’ve read last year’s issue. The emphasis on Dyana is minimal, as the story focuses on another demon who is on the run (in the body of some poor guy). He finds no quarter, no assistance from secretive entities behind closed doors. His flesh is literally falling apart. He’s running for someone or something, eventually finding a place. Unfortunately, nobody can get away from Dyana. Normally, things go Dyana’s way, but this particular demon is more resilient, or at least more determined to keep existing in the human world. Before he escapes, however, he warns Dyana about “him”. It’s not God they’re talking about either. As in the last comic, Dyana’s relationship with the Devil is tenuous at best. This is why it’s good to catch up by getting your hands on the first issue. It lays the foundation for the story. You don’t need to read it (it’s highly recommended), but to understand the extent of how difficult it is to be in the Devil’s employ, it would help.
He manages to get away, finding his way to a Catholic Church where he regales a priest about following, stalking, and eventually sexually assaulting an object of his affection. I won’t give it away. I won’t rob you of that. He does manage to find an unwilling host who has no choice but to go along with his devious plans.
This is the part of the comic that I found the most exciting. I’m curious to find out what’s going to happen in this new host and what Dyana will ultimately do about it. In addition, I want to know what changes she’s going to go through, because believe me they are a-comin’.
The writing was strong as usual, and really enjoyed the story. Harding has a way of adding humor, horror, and gravity to make the story really well-balanced and complete. The last few pages of the book were rife with that type of humor that’s so wrong, it’s freaking right.
I felt the characters were well drawn, with some great details added. For example, a look at the flesh of the demon’s host peeling off and exposing the muscle beneath made my skin crawl. With that said, I felt the colors were a bit washed out in parts, or rather, they were a bit too muted in some areas. Overall, the art was good, especially towards the end where one guy’s sporting a mean shiner. My eye hurt just looking at it.
In any case, I’m glad to see Dyana back and I am really anxious for the next issue to drop. Harding has a good comic on his hands, and with the right push, it could go very far.