Review: Nightfall: Michael’s Awakening

NIGHTFALL: MICHAEL’S AWAKENING created by Dwayne Robinson and published by A.C.E. LLC is the story of Michael Vash, a college football quarterback, who suddenly finds he comes from a legacy-line of werewolves. Micheal is thrust into a world of magic and mythical creatures as war is quickly brewing between Michael’s estranged grandfather and a small band of werewolves and witches trying to protect the world of humans.

Issue 1 & part of issue 2 takes place on Michael’s birthday as his powers “awaken”. Taking a cue from The Wizard of Oz, the story begins in black and white, and as Michael realizes his powers the book transitions to full color. The transition to color makes for a neat experience while reading and really drove home the awakening of Michael as a Lycan.

The art is great. Robinson wrote, drew, lettered, and colored the book himself, no small task, and really speaks to Robinson’s talent as a comic creator. Nightfall is also full of Easter eggs for A.C.E.’s other current title, Salvation. If you don’t look, you’ll miss them, but again, the pretense of the tie-ins adds to the reading experience.

My only critiques, which are often the case in a creator’s first book, is the dialogue feels a little forced at times and the pacing and introduction of new characters is a little off at times. These, I feel confident, will improve as Robinson continues to write the series. The two issues are well-edited, and the electronic editions are crisp and clear to read. 

All in all, this is a good read and a new, fresh take on an old story. Seeing a fantasy-horror realm that is, at least at this point, solely populated by black people is a refreshing perspective and could provide for a wealth of new stories in a genre that could use more diversity!

You can get digital copies of issues 1 & 2 for $3 each at A.C.E.’s website https://www.animationcomicsent.com/

More about A.C.E.:

Animation Comics & Entertainment LLC (A.C.E.) was created by Dwayne Robinson Jr. and Terence Young in 2017. Together they wanted to create a black-owned company known throughout the world for having unique and compelling stories while using different platforms.