Review – Nightmare Fuel #1
Review – Nightmare Fuel #1
Writer: Fraser Campbell
Artist: Norrie Millar
Logo: Faye Stacey
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Script Editor: Heather Palmer
Publisher: Cabal Comics
Available: Late November on Kickstarter
Kickstarter
Nightmare Fuel #1 is a 28-page supernatural action comic book coming to Kickstarter in November 2021 from Cabal Comics and is part one of a six-issue series.
Nightmare Fuel is written by Fraser Campbell, with art by Norrie Millar, lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, logo design from Faye Stacey and script editing by Heather Palmer.
The Kickstarter will offer backers the chance to buy digital and print versions of the comic, as well as the chance to grab unique rewards, such as commissions, exclusive prints and variant covers.
BGCP reviewed Fraser’s previous award-winning series Alex Automic earlier this year as well as chatting to him on our Podcast.
Story
Every big company these days seems to be trying to sell you on their vision for saving the environment through good old consumer capitalism. From Amazon to Mercedes, Carlsberg to Octopus Energy, they all seem to be trying to reassure us that we can spend our way to a bright new tomorrow.
But what would a World “saved” by big corporations look like?
Nightmare Fuel is about a team of monster hunters and a young executive who discover that their employer’s carefully managed ethical image is a cynical lie.
It’s about 10 years since global conglomerate EctoCo patented Thaumic Mass Extraction, a technique that allows them to drain the supernatural essence of monsters and turn it into biofuels, synthetic foods, plastics, medicines, fabrics and a wide range of other essentials. It’s a discovery that has made EctoCo the biggest corporation on the planet, allowing them an unprecedented level of influence in Government and over lawmaking throughout the World.
Writer: Fraser Campbell
Fraser takes the bull by the horns asking the question of what would happen if Ghostbusters had become a multinational company taking the monster hunting to its corporate greediest?
EctoCo introduces itself with an eco-friendly advert showing its soft belly to consumers. Meanwhile, in Northern Canada, a crack team of monster hunters track down a nest of water vampires to convert to fuel and products.
Along with the team is a conscripted Emerson Quick, who is our eyes to the process of capturing and extracting monsters.
Campbell’s sarcastic and dry-humoured script takes a shot straight at the heart of corporate culture, showing consumers how green they are while not giving a damn. The hunting action has vibes of Lost Boys, Predator and Aliens cutting into that deep, rich vein of 80s Sci-fi action movies.
Artwork and Lettering: Norrie Millar & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Millers’ artwork has an instantly recognisable silver ago styling. Of all the characters the most intriguing is Arlo McTeague who seems to be the sleeping giant in the comic. I’m giving nothing away and you’ll have to buy a copy to find out what makes him the most interesting character in the book. The best artwork though is the capture of the Canadian Water Vampires below the surface, I mean what could ever go wrong? The escape from the cave (see our preview) is a masterclass in rock contours and shifting perspectives as we move up and out through the mouth of the cave.
Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering is, as ever, perfect for the script and the onomatopoeic effects during the monster hunt again show his Eisner winning talents.
Overall Thoughts
On the eve of COP26, when the world is about to hopefully address its issues with climate change, it’s refreshing to see a cynical comic that calls out the amount of corporate bullshit that so many companies are hiding behind these days. If ghosts and monsters did exist how long before a Zuckerberg or Bezos turned it into a tax-dodging empire? This is definitely one to get in on the ground floor with.
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If you enjoyed our review, look out for Nightmare Fuel #1 on Kickstarter
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Enjoy our three-page sneak preview of the issue before you commit to buy
