Captain Midnight #0
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Victor Ibáñez and Pere Pérez
Colored by EGO
Lettered by Nate Piekos of Blambot
Covers by Raymond Swanland and Steve Rude
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: June 19, 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

Captain Midnight, the war hero first introduced through a radio broadcast show in the late 1930s, has returned once again in a new ongoing comic book series from Dark Horse. In Captain Midnight #0, writer Joshua Williamson and artists Victor Ibáñez and Pere Pérez pull the Captain straight out of 1944 into the 21st century. Prepare yourself for a thrilling adventure that spans generations!

Jim Albright, the legendary Captain Midnight “” costumed hero of World War II “” has emerged in present time via a storm at the Bermuda Triangle. Almost crashing into a military plane on a routine run, the Captain bursts forth from his own plane, leaps onto the stranger’s plane, and forces the United States pilot to land on a Navy ship. Taken into custody but quickly escaping, Captain Midnight is now on the loose, apparently trying to complete his final mission from almost seventy years before. Hot on his trail are two U.S. Agents “” one a supporter who seems to have a familial tie to Albright and the other a clear skeptic “” trying to uncover the missing pieces to his last assignment, his disappearance, and who else may have been transported to 2013 as well.

Having done a little research on the history of Captain Midnight before reading this issue, I think Williamson’s done a great job at reinventing the hero for our modern age and giving the story a fresh and relevant first impression. His tale is both intriguing and exciting. Williamson excels at making you care for the title character along with even the military unbelievers.

Ibáñez and Pérez both find success in bringing this tale-out-of-time to life. Stylistically, the art includes modern lines with increasing hints of vintage faded tones; it feels almost like you are looking at a long-lost comic found in the attic on yellowed paper. The plane crash sequence pays homage to Roy Lichtenstein’s “Whaam!” (1963), recalling archetypal images which have long been ingrained in our cultural consciousness.

Captain Midnight #0 is a worthy start to what will hopefully become an outstanding series. Intertwining the past with the present, this series has quite a bit of potential and could really take a dive into fascinating territory. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for issue one next month!