Nocterra #12

Major Spoilers

Nocterra #12 brings us back into the nightmare at full throttle and effortless ramps up to full intensity. The introduction is just enough to bring us back up to speed, or to let someone jump in at this point and not feel lost.

Lyles Movie Files

Writer Scott Snyder has pared the cast down enough so the convoy itself is running on fumes. It’d be nice for a few more cast additions to supplement the ranks a bit especially with Blacktop Bill still a major threat. Artist Tony S. Daniel hasn’t suffered with the hiatus as his expressive characters and dramatic intense action sequences are just as riveting as ever. Colorist Marcelo Maiolo balances dark blacks with striking contrasting bright colors. Nocterra has been a fun read and this new arc, with a focused Em, a new role for Val and the constant threat of a Blacktop Bill, the thrills don’t look like they’re gonna end anytime soon.

The Super Powered Fancast

The Story: Snyder crafts a story that not only brilliantly attracts new readers, but continues the story from a new perspective while keeping the same adrenaline fueled action and stakes that make me enjoy this series. The story is filled with great action and thrills as well as heart. I love both the reunion of the characters and the odds they are facing. The story has a fantastic narrative build up that culminates in an awesome surprise cliffhanger that has me excited for what’s next. The Art: Tony S. Daniel delivers some beautifully detailed and exciting art that gives the reader the sense of the movement and action of the characters as well as brilliantly crafts a visual environment that I loved.

ComicBook.com

Passing along here, so I can go sleep – Scott Snyder, Tony Daniel, and Marcelo Maiolo return to the world of Nocterra for the first new issue in a while (the Val one-shot notwithstanding), and it's a strong return to form. The arc is called "No Brakes," and the issue fulfills that promise. Told mostly in large panels, the issue barrels forward at high speed, filled with kinetic panels, motion lines, and ragged sound effects lettering that all tell the story of people who are more panicked and frantic than they were last time we saw them. Even when it slows down for a backstory dump, it's a quick one that leans heavily on action in the flashbacks. Such an issue could get exhausting if it wasn't paced right, but the aforementioned large panels and the accompanying page layouts keep it moving just fast enough that you're left on a cliffhanger wanting more before you can get sensory overload from the 20-page sprint.

Comic Watch

The characters in this issue are constantly on their feet as they slowly run out of time to save the world. The action set pieces are balanced out by small moments that keep the pace moving and reinforce the danger of all the violence occurring. There is never a dull moment in this issue; Snyder is willing to let blockbuster action shine in fascinating ways. Bill’s genetic evolution is an example of this, growing into an even more significant and lousy ass threat. Tony S. Daniel and Marcelo Maiolo continue to be a visual dream team unlike any other on the stands right now and utilize the lighting-based plot setup in so many fantastic ways, not just throughout the series but in this issue specifically. (...) While NOCTERRA #12 undercuts its potential character drama for the sake of plot, everything turns out solid in the end as Scott Snyder continues to prove himself as a master of momentous and exciting narratives that fall nowhere short of pulse-pounding.