Clive Barker’s Nightbreed #9 Retro Review

Battles and Retrospection dominate the Fourth chapter of the Blasphemers story.  Brett Blevins returns from his Alien Abduction (see last issue) to share Art Duties with Ricardo Villagran.  D.G. Chichester continues to write.  The cover of this issue is the Oral picture I referenced a few posts ago.

Our story begins where the last one left off.  The Blasphemers, along with the Natural,  Allen Ritegrig, attacking the Breed at Nickneven’s cabin.  Or more appropriately, they are attacking Narcisse and Nickneven, who are visiting her still.  There is a great sequence here where Nickneven is making a Molotov Cocktail, and Narcisse thinks it is some kind of Dark Magic she is invoking.

The fight follows them to the cabin where the rest of the Breed (Cabal, Kinski, Lori, Guido, and Tater) are actually having a relaxing moment.  In all out team vs team comic book brawl breaks out.    The Blasphemers are have a lot more firepower in this situation, so the Breed have to retreat.  Nickneven has to pop her head off in order to escape!  During this fight, it seems like Boone is becoming more accepting of his role as Cabal. 

The Breed retreat into Nickneven’s Chicken Coop, where they are now trapped.  The Blasphemers decide to just wait until the sun comes up, and their jobs will be so much easier.  I found it weird during this part that Boone still doesn’t seem to be happy with his role as Cabal, considering what happened earlier.  The book then takes a time out from the action.  First we see Ritegrig having some flashbacks to his childhood and his motivations for wanting to become a Breed.  Basically, his Dad had told him that his mom left them.  Then one day, Lil Allen was digging in the backyard, and found what was left of his mother, so he killed his dad.  Not sure what that has to do with why he wants to be Breed, but there you have it.

The Breed themselves also have some moments of reflection.  Nickneven has everybody crack open an egg.  Inside each Egg is  something that causes each Breed to reflect….Kinski sees how he got his Moonface, Narcisse sees what lead him on the path to find Midian, Guido relives a scene that causes him great guilt, and Lori, who earlier was questioning if she will change and/or develop an ability of some sort,  relives a scene where she gave up a promising career in Archeology to pursure her music.  Cabal sees nothing.  Nickneven tells him it is because he has been remade as Cabal, he has no past, only a future. 

When Daybreak hits, the Blasphemers attack.  Cabal has made his decision, and a leader emerges!  He understands the purpose of everybody’s visions, and tells Lori that her ability is tied to her music, so she needs to start playing her guitar.  The Music raises the dead!  Why Nickneven has so many skeletons on her property is not my place to speculate.

Next issue concludes this story.  This issue works as a calm before the storm of sorts.  Boone and Lori both discover their purpose.  We learn motivations/Origins of Ritegrig, Kinski, Narcisse, and Guido.  The art still bothers me a little.  At times, I have to do a double take to figure out of I am looking ar Ritegrig or Cabal.  Sometimes Cabal’s glowing eyes is the only real indicator.  But if that is my only complaint with the art this issue, then things have improved.  Maybe that Alien Abduction did some good!

Next time, we will conclude the Blasphemers story with Clive Barker’s Nightbreed #10!  Join me, or be Meat for the Beast!