Midnight Nation
Paperback
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Art by Gary Frank, Jonathan Sibal, Jason Gorder
Colors by Matt Milla
Top Cow Productions
Release Date: January 4, 2005

Every now and then a story comes along that makes you think and wonder where the writer comes up with things, these ideas that make a story what it is, and what it is to become. J. Michael Straczynski has become one of my favorite writers over the last three years since I got back into comics, and what he does with this story is pretty cool.

Midnight Nation, is the story of a man named David Grey. A Lieutenant for the Los Angeles police department, who is dispatched to the scene of a murder. Following a couple of kids, he comes across some strange men. To me they almost resemble The Gentlemen from the season four episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer titled “Hush.” When he is attacked by these creatures he is knocked unconscious and awakes in the hospital. While everybody looks as almost a shadow passing in the night, it is discovered that they cannot see him at all. A mysterious woman shows up and explains to him that the creatures, otherwise known as “The Men,” have taken his soul and he is trapped in a different realm so to speak that runs right beside our own.

David is then told that he must endure what is known as the “Long Walk” to New York City, to get his soul back from a man known as “The Other Guy.” If he does not regain his soul he will end up becoming a creature like the ones that attacked him. Although this does not prove as easy as one might think. With many tests along the way the way David must overcome anything that stands before him and anything that happens to him along this journey. Finally arriving in New York, David meets the other guy and is lectured on many different things before being put through something that takes a toll on him, and if he is not careful he can not return from it.

Will David succeed in everything he has set out to do, or will he become that which many people fear? To find out I highly recommend checking this book out. If your local library has it you can get it from there. If not, Amazon is selling the entire 12 issue series which is collected in the Oversized Deluxe Edition.

J. Michael Straczynski (Supreme Power, The Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Rising Stars, and Thor) writes along with penciler Gary Frank (Action Comics, Batman, Supergirl, The Incredible Hulk, and Supreme Power) to bring you this unique story with a religious theme to it. My favorite thing comic book wise that J. Michael Straczynski has written is Thor. He brings an interesting view to the Asgardian.

Among writing comic books he has also been involved with television shows such as Murder, She Wrote, Walker: Texas Ranger, Babylon 5 and many others.