Tag Archives: Gene Colan

Wolfman splits the issue–an “epilogue” to the first arc (which is really just the last chapter) and then the beginning of a new arc.

None of the regular cast appear in the second story, except Baron Winters, and it seems like Wolfman made the readers suffer through his bad characterizations for nothing. It’s additionally frustrating because second story is engaging. The writing isn’t great–Wolfman overcooks the narration–but it’s okay.

Actually, even the first story isn’t too bad. There’s still Winters and his fear of big government (it’s amazing how seriously Wolfman takes himself), but the storyline wraps up with a nice tidy bow and an amusing finish.

Colan’s art is a lot stronger on the second story than the first, maybe because there’s actual mood and action. The art’s decidedly okay.

I wonder if Wolfman split the issue to force readers to buy into the next arc.

Marv Wolfman’s understanding of the American legal system is amazing. Baron Winters escapes arrest because his lawyer says they have a restraining order against the cops who are questioning him.

Not sure that tactic is possible.

It’s a really lazy issue of Night Force, both for Wolfman and Colan. Wolfman has a bunch of terrible dialogue exchanges from a demon and then his protagonist reporter guy. But the demon’s dialogue is almost all monologue, which takes up a lot of pages. And the demon is just a shadowy red figure in an otherwise yellow sky. So Colan didn’t have to do any work and the colorist did it all.

Very lazy.

The issue’s action is often incomprehensible. Wolfman writes some more James Bond action scenes and Colan’s lost illustrating them.

It’s not just the action, however. The art is often poorly paced or confusing.

The series’s dearth of quality resumes.

Night Force quickly plummets from its high point last issue. Wolfman splits the story into two parts–one in Russia, which plays like Raiders of the Lost Ark again, and the other in Maryland, with Baron Winters playing hide and seek in his house.

Now, Wolfman clearly thinks he’s being subtle in his writing–though his bad English is sometimes hilarious, since he’s trying to be so writerly–but it’s pretty obvious Baron Winters can’t leave the house. Wolfman’s been hinting at it for maybe three issues (maybe six) and he’s never just explained it. It’s not an interesting detail. The idea Winters might strand all the cops in medieval France so they get the Plague? More interesting.

Colan puts some work into the art this issue. The first four pages have better art, technically, than the rest of the series so far in total.

At least it reads fast.

This issue of Night Force should be the pits. I mean, it opens with a Russian science fortress. Why Wolfman–who’d been working with Colan for almost ten years at that point–would give him a boring Russian fortress to draw is beyond understanding. Colan and Smith do a competent job, but it’s excruciatingly dull.

And then there’s more stuff with Baron Winters being scared of the cops and Wolfman relies heavily on evil Soviets so he doesn’t have to write actual characters….

And there’s a lengthy bromance sequence between the white guy and the Blade stand-in as they cross the Siberian wastes.

But it’s somehow the best issue of the series. Wolfman doesn’t try to hide anything. The bad Soviet scientist just explains it all and then action plays out. There’s no work for the reader, which is good, because Night Force isn’t worth it.

It’s nearly okay.

Well, Wolfman certainly didn’t try too hard with this issue’s cliffhanger. The good guys are about to be run over by a boat, or whatever that situation is called. For a comic book about the supernatural, most of Wolfman’s Night Force action is pedestrian. And when it is supernatural… the scenes never last very long.

This issue opens with Baron Winters talking to his pet tiger. The tiger (or leopard) doesn’t respond, which makes Winters sound like some kind of a lunatic. The comic would have been a lot better if the pet were just some doped up wild animal and Winters was a rich nutcase.

Sadly, that turn of events is unlikely.

The only amusing part of the comic is the black guy looking different than in the last couple issues.

Wolfman’s recycling the action set pieces (this issue ends with the first issue’s opening one). It’s a bore.

The second issue is a little better. Colan’s art isn’t as concentrated on creating Tomb of Dracula stand-ins and Wolfman doesn’t have anywhere near as much exposition. Plus, Baron Winter has a far reduced presence, which seems to help.

But Wolfman does have his “hero,” reporter Jack Gold, knock boots with a twenty year-old girl whose spent her life in institutions. Sure, the “Blade as college professor” guy is upset about it for those reasons, but the reader’s supposed to sympathize with Gold.

Hey, wait a second, if Wolfman’s got me remembering characters names, I guess he’s doing something right.

Something, but not a lot.

There’s still a lot of undefined supernatural nonsense and a mystery villain or two. Wolfman’s trying too hard and flopping, which seems like a shame given the Colan art.

But it’s possible the series could improve… But it’s got a steep climb ahead.

It’s all so mysterious! Marv Wolfman finishes the issue with a letter to readers, maybe to convince them they haven’t just read a knock-off of Tomb of Dracula. Damage control, I guess.

Wolfman isn’t doing too much of a rip-off, I suppose, he’s just setting Gene Colan up with Dracula-like situations and characters. Whether it’s the white dude or Blade or Dracula himself, there are visual analogs galore in The Night Force. There just isn’t a lot of content. The issue goes on forever setting up the characters, but they’re all weak. Whether it’s the divorced reporter who’s down on his luck (but drives a Porsche) or the scientist working for the Pentagon, Wolfman doesn’t introduce anything original. He does try to be grown-up–the issue opens with talk of open marriages–but it comes off desperate.

It’s a cash grab and not a good one.