While reading The Midnight: Shadows, I couldn’t help but realize the amount of irony involved – some of it intentional, and some of it definitely not.
It’s ironic that I’d pick up this new graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics, since I’d never even heard of the band The Midnight before learning about this comic based on their music. And I’m definitely not a fan of the synthwave style they’re famous for. So, I guess this is kind of a little test to see if someone with no former knowledge of The Midnight can still enjoy a graphic novel inspired by both their lyrical themes and visual styles.
Although, maybe it’s not all that ironic and not much of a test, because I’ve been a big fan of writer Zack Kaplan for a few years now. As such – whether or not the inspiration came from The Midnight’s music – I recognized quite a few themes and elements from some of Kaplan’s other recent work also showing up in The Midnight: Shadows.
Courtesy of Dark Horse
The story opens with twenty-something Jason struggling through the day-to-day responsibilities of adult life, working long shifts as his pregnant wife waits patiently for him to finish work on the nursery at home. When he finds his old favorite console game – naturally titled “The Midnight” – while cleaning out his old things, he decides to escape into the simple joys of childhood. When the game doesn’t work, his longing for nostalgia leads him to an arcade in a mostly abandoned mall, where he’s suddenly transported into the world of the video game. Strangely, the people he meets there think he’s the long-lost hero of that universe, finally come back to defeat the shadow-monsters.
If it sounds a little like Tron, well, that’s obviously intentional. But Kaplan was also clearly inspired by stories like The Wizard of Oz and, more appropriately, The Matrix, as Jason must question which universe is actually his reality and which one is pure escapism – a central theme in Kaplan’s recent Beyond Real miniseries. Kaplan also uses the symbolism of the video game universe – battling against shadows and other monsters – to explore how Jason reacts to the real-world struggles and relationships he deals with as a young adult and expecting father.
Courtesy of Dark Horse
Interestingly, Jason’s two different universes are illustrated by two different artists – another element that appeared in Beyond Real. Ironically, main artist Stephen Thompson draws the video game universe with more dramatic, realistic detail than the real-world scenes drawn by Jahnoy Lindsay. Again, which world is supposed to be reality?
I really love Thompson’s art which gives everything an action-packed, cinematic feel. It reminds me of Jim Lee’s iconic style – bold, dynamically posed figures in poster-ready panels, with lots of crosshatching. Thompson’s use of this style is obviously intentional, tying back to the theme of late ’80s, early ’90s nostalgia which I’ll get into in a moment. The electric blues and neon pinks in an otherwise dark, midnight world by colorist Thiago Rocha work perfectly with the art to recreate the aesthetics of synthwave music.
In contrast, Lindsay draws the real-world scenes in a more minimalistic, almost cartoon-like style. There isn’t a huge amount of these scenes, but they work best in establishing the relationships and making each character recognizable in both universes.
The two artists also worked really well together to make us question reality. Each uses images drawn by the other, either in the background, in posters or in video game and TV screens. It may be a well-known technique, but it’s also an effective visual way to blur the lines between the realities.
Courtesy of Dark Horse
Moving on, it’s ironic to address and even criticize escapism and nostalgia in a comic. The medium is mostly built upon selling nostalgia and escapism. I mean, I know escapism is at least one of the reasons I read comics.
And it’s ironic how much The Midnight: Shadows uses nostalgia while critiquing it. Jason and the heroes of the video game universe ride around in flying DeLoreans – basically taken right out of Back to the Future – that talk and have light features like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider. Visiting the arcade in the shopping mall brings back memories of childhood in the ’80s and ’90s. And everything from the plot, to the costumes, to the scenery look and feel like standard sci-fi adventure from the era. And, you know what? I love it. On a surface level, The Midnight: Shadows is very entertaining, nostalgia-soaked, sci-fi escapism.
But then, Kaplan uses all of these elements to explore why we dream of the ‘good ole days’ and look for escape in nostalgia. It’s an honest study of the struggles of adulthood and the longing to escape back into the thrill of adolescence. Ironically, it also asks whether the hero of a video game – if the game were reality – would dream of escaping his constant dangers in favor of a mundane life in real-world suburbia. For a full run-down on all the themes Kaplan had in mind, check out this interview.
Courtesy of Dark Horse
And you know what’s very ironic? Just how deep these themes hit me. I mean, why is this repackaged Tron story – the graphic novel equivalent of a fun, sci-fi popcorn flick – making me reflect on my own life so much? But here I am, wondering what the shadow-monsters represent in my own life. And I’m sure I’d find even more themes to digest with a slower, more thorough re-reading. Even if Kaplan’s dialogue gets a little preachy in the final pages, the message got me thinking.
In conclusion, I’d say The Midnight: Shadows passes the test. I’m sure fans of The Midnight’s music will find even more allusions and layers of symbolism than I did. This graphic novel is definitely a must buy for them. But I’d also recommend The Midnight: Shadows for non-fans like me who love cinematic sci-fi adventure loaded with awesome visuals, good character work, plenty of nostalgia and thought-provoking themes.
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