The world of Spawn has slowly been expanding over the past few years, with series dedicated to the hellish antihero’s friends and foes alike. In the case of Black Ritual: The Book of Nyx #1, the focus shifts to the young witch Nyx, who’s been friend and foe to Spawn and currently serves as the queen of Hell. Following her defeat of the demon Mammon in Spawn #184, Nyx travels to New York City, and is hit with a disturbing vision of the future. On top of that, a mysterious being called the Puritan is hunting witches, and Nyx might be on his list.
The Book of Nyx #1 has a superstar writer in the form of Thomas Healy, who currently serves as the editor in chief of the Spawn titles. This means that he’s one of the few people other than Todd McFarlane who knows the ins and out of Spawn’s mythology, and he puts it to good use, especially in a sequence where Nyx witnesses the future. This sequence is packed full of hints at what’s to come in Nyx’s timeline, weaving a story that’s laced with tragedy.
The sequences in The Book of Nyx #1 wouldn’t hit as hard without Nat Jones’ artwork. Jones previously illustrated Nyx’s adventures when he boarded the main Spawn title in 2004; two decades later, his art remains as haunting and atmospheric as ever. Shadows fall over buildings and people, lending an air of menace to the setting. The symbols etched into the ground glow with arcane power, hinting at the world of magic that lies beyond mortal reach. But the most compelling figures are Nyx and the Puritan, who stand out thanks to his lanky figure and red-tinted glasses and her purple-streaked hair and all-black ensemble, respectively.
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The artwork is completed by Andworld Design’s lettering, which shifts colors based on who’s talking. The narration takes on a golden hue and its lack of borders immediately draws the eye, as does the jet black captions surrounding Nyx’s inner thoughts. One amazing touch is that whenever Nyx or other witches speak spells, their word balloons grow dark and laced with mysterious symbols. It’s a reminder that even though readers are far away from the war between Heaven and Hell that drives Spawn‘s main conflict, this is still a world full of supernatural ongoings.
While The Book of Nyx will definitely appeal to Spawn fans, newcomers to the book may be a bit lost due to the lore from previous Spawn stories. But in a way, that shows that Spawn has grown enough to the point where his world is as intricate as Marvel or DC’s universes, and for a creator-owned character that’s pretty damn amazing.
Black Ritual: The Book of Nyx #1 expands upon Spawn’s world by going back to the past and expanding upon Nyx’s life. The end result is a dark, captivating tale that will hook Spawn fans and offers a deeper look into the Queen of Hell’s life.
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