Nocterra #13: God Is Here

This is a pretty solid issue. It’s essential to the overall story of Nocterra, showcasing the first full visual reveals for Nox and Eos, as well as some of Tony S. Daniels’s best art. However, the story itself in this issue is pretty thin. It tries to hide its lack of any actual development at a character level through, at this point, repetitive and fluffy narration that runs through the issue as Em narrates over the first time he goes to meet his biological parents. That story runs up thematically against Sundog finally making it to Eos, both about discovering something once thought of as a fantasy. Holding out hope for something potentially disappointing is worth more than never hoping at all. It works, but the storytelling device has become well-worn for this series. As we near the conclusion of Sundog’s original mission, it drags down some excitement. However, there’s still so much surface level-goodness to be had here. For starters, Daniels is killing the page with every line of ink he lays:

This is the most straight-up big, bombastic, and Michael Bay this series has been thus far, and it’s all tasteful. The story moves grippingly, giving us some great moments of tension mixed with well-done visual reveals. Nox, a literal god of Lovecraftian design, is beyond cool and sets up this series’ main draw. Seeing regular people fight against the wills of those larger than life itself and that against all odds, the fight against the dark is worth it, no matter the end, is precisely what this book has done best. Seeing that realized here with Nox and the minefield of shadows that must be crossed to make it to Eos is the epitome of what Nocterra has come to be about. Is this issue very slim in depth and story? Sure, but it’s still highly entertaining and always moving forward.