My Rating
“Convergence – Part 02 of 04”
On the run from the mystical dimension of Gemworld, Prince Topaz desperately searches for someone powerful enough to stop the coming invasion. Earth certainly has no shortage of mystics, sorcerers, and supernatural heroes, but finding one willing—or able—to help is another matter entirely.
Jared Stevens, better known as Fate, was no help in stopping Queen Amethyst’s plans. With the Conclave dissolved and Sentinel currently off-world, Topaz is quickly running out of options. If Gemworld’s invasion force crosses into our dimension, who remains powerful enough to sabotage their plans?
Can you say Night Force?
Welcome to Wintersgate Manor.
Release the leopard!
Baron Winters is no amateur when it comes to time travel, magic, demons, or things that go bump in the night. The mysterious Baron has spent more years than anyone can count manipulating supernatural events from behind the safety of Wintersgate Manor. Unfortunately, even Winters may be slightly out of his element when technology from another dimension comes knocking at his front door.
Topaz soon discovers that entering Wintersgate Manor is considerably easier than understanding its master. Baron Winters rarely reveals everything he knows, and even his allies tend to become pieces in whatever supernatural chess match he happens to be playing. If Queen Amethyst intends to invade Earth, however, she may have just wandered onto the wrong man’s chessboard.
Then there is Merlin.
The Baron’s faithful leopard knows something isn’t right. Someone—or something—has entered Wintersgate Manor, and Merlin intends to find it.
What exactly does Queen Amethyst have planned for Earth? Who are the mysterious Gem Children? Can Baron Winters unravel technology created in another dimension? Will Prince Topaz finally find the ally he needs? And can Merlin sniff out the intruder before Wintersgate Manor becomes ground zero for an invasion?
Collect the series to find out!
Review
Well, this certainly wasn’t what I expected from Night Force. Issue #8 throws Baron Winters and company directly into a larger DC Comics crossover involving Gemworld, Prince Topaz, Fate, Sentinel, and Queen Amethyst. Normally I prefer Night Force when it stays buried in its own strange little corner of the DC Universe, but I have to admit this crossover works surprisingly well.
The artwork also immediately caught my attention. Something about it looked incredibly familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it at first. Then it dawned on me.
Hellboy!
Matthew Smith handles the pencils for this issue, and his darker, heavily shadowed approach fits Night Force perfectly. There is a rougher and moodier quality to the characters and environments that works particularly well inside Wintersgate Manor. If you’re a fan of that Hellboy-type visual atmosphere, there is plenty to enjoy here.
I also like seeing Baron Winters confronted with something slightly outside his usual wheelhouse. Magic, demons, psychic phenomena, and time manipulation? No problem. Advanced technology from another dimension? Now things get interesting. Throw Prince Topaz, Queen Amethyst, some mysterious Gem Children, and one very suspicious leopard into the mix, and you have my attention.
I’m giving Night Force Vol. 2 #8 four out of five stars. The crossover temporarily takes the series away from traditional horror, but the mystery, artwork, and supernatural science-fiction elements make this a welcome change of pace.