Crossing Midnight Volume 1

Crossing Midnight Vol:1
(Cut Here)
By: Mike Carey
Illustrated By: Jim Fern & Jose Villarrubia
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Vetrtigo
Language: English
June 2007, $9.99
Genre: Graphic Novel/Comic


In Nagasaki, Japan, a twin brother and sister – Toshi and Kai Hara – are born on either side of midnight only a few minutes apart, but those few minutes will lead their lives down two very different paths. It’s clear as she grows up that Toshi, the female twin, is something out of the ordinary. Nothing with a point or an edge can harm her: knives will snap or bend rather than break her skin. And when she reaches her teens, a mysterious figure who calls himself Aratsu, the lord of the knives, comes to claim her as his servant.

If Toshi agrees, she will have to leave Japan and the human world behind and cross into the world of the kami, the spirits who live in and rule over the everyday objects we make and use. If she refuses, the consequences for her and for her family will be terrible beyond imagining. That is, unless her brother Kai can figure out what kind of hold the kami world has on Toshi – and on the rest of the Haras. But Aratsu is only going to ask three times…

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For those of you who have been reading Confessions for a while, you will know that I have recently renewed my love for Mike Carey after falling in adoration with his Felix Castor series of novels and the Lucifer series. I have been picking up what I can and have even thought about revisiting some Hellblazer comics just for kicks. So it should hardly be a surprise, I am fairly predictable that way, that I picked up Crossing Midnight. It looked fairly interesting, and yes sometimes I am drawn in by interesting and pretty covers.

The narrative flows fairly well, the story interesting, and its something new which I can always appreciate. And its not light on the horror aspect of things. Maybe that’s why I like it. No one is safe and that’s life because sometimes bad things happen to good people. I also like the potential story and conflict between the two siblings. For as spirited as Toshi is, her impudence can make for some great storytelling as well especially considering how this first volume ended.

The artwork itself was just a tad stiff compared to some of the artists Carey has worked with in the past, but it did have some moments. Its not my favorite of Carey’s, but I still enjoyed it enough that I look forward to reading the next one.

3.5 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks

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