The All-Nighter #6-7: ‘Yes, Vlad. I shall become a Nightshock.’

As creatives, fans, and critics have become more vocal about comics in modern discourse, the medium has adopted the label of “modern mythology” to add legitimacy to the form. Nowadays, it seems like it’s an inescapable soundbite whenever fans of comics try to give comics gravitas in conversations about literature and pop culture. It’s a move that feels exclusive to the medium, with canons like film and television (which arose in a similar period) not working to justify their place at the table. The spectrum of this label can be explicitly seen in the recent works of Chip Zdarsky. On one hand, his new series, Public Domain, makes a joke at the expense of the notion. On the other, his returning series, The All-Nighter, incorporates the idea into the book’s narrative and gives power to it. 

The All-Nighter #6 and 7, written by Zdarsky with art by Jason Loo, colors from Paris Alleyne, and letters by Aditya Bidikar, picks up a few months after the events of the first volume, with the family of vampires turned superheroes trying to balance their all-night dinner and crime-fighting while keeping a low profile in the neighborhood. In the wake of the first arc’s climactic battle, more and more superheroes and vigilantes have begun to pop up across town, inspired by the actions of Alex (Nightshock). While Alex works to fight crime as a series of mysterious disappearances begin to occur, he’s also working to build a relationship with a local police officer and patron Andrea, who could be stepping into the role of Commissioner Gordon for Nightshock. The tension between Cyn and Frankenstein is simmering on the backburner as well, and Joy begins to deal with the life she gave up. 

Zdarsky’s script works to give each member of the makeshift family an interesting angle, letting them come in and out of the diner except Ian, who’s still at the mercy of Dracula in issue six. If the first arc of this series was establishing these characters who’ve lived longer lifespans thanks to their condition as vampires, then this arc seems to set up how the past catches up with them all. Alex, our leading hero is the one with seemingly the least focus on the past and is actively looking to the future of heroics, hoping that Andrea can join the team, and it takes a swift reminder from Cyn that the cop is a mortal. The dynamic is already on thin ice with the officer/vigilante relationship, and throwing in creatures of the night may tip the scales. That moment is also a great place where Zdarsky can infuse moments of sadness and regret into these characters and offers a great reminder of just how long Cyn has had to learn the harsh lessons of their reality. 

That, paired with her later discussion with Frankenstein, hones in the thematic backbone of this story, that the myth of Nightshock is altering the fabric of this world. As more people believe in these heroes, the more they become real, in the same way that the monsters like Frankenstein have. That element of belief manifesting myth and monster is a recurring theme in fantasy and stories dealing with gods, demons, and everything in between, and Zdarsky’s use of it makes the book feel more resonant in a climate of comic vying for gravitas or exterior validation. Instead of trying to cling to that power, the book reinforces the idea that validation comes from the belief the audience and fans have for the work, and that as long as you’re willing to engage and be excited for what you’re reading, then it can take root in the world. 

Zdarsky’s power messaging and strong character work is enchanted thanks to the amazing work of Loo’s art and Alleyne’s colors. The art style calls to mind a cross between David Mazzuchelli’s and The Batman Animated series, working a little less in the realism of the famed artist while blending those more fantastical elements of the animated series. Loo’s art is a perfect match for the series, rending fun superheroics in one panel, to handling an emotionally charged discussion in the kitchen of a greasy spoon of a diner the next. With these issues, however, Alleyne’s colors have had a chance to shine, especially in the use of blacks and shadows as Nightshock has been working to investigate disappearances. The color palette is open enough to have explosions and fire give pops of color to the page, and the use of purples still channels that classic pulpy spirit, but the blacks and shadows work to infuse the vigilante/detective angle to the issues. The last page cliffhanger from issue seven is one of these moments where that darkness gets to shine and will leave you wanting more, now.