Nights #7 Review: Mysteries and Musicals

Nights #7

Review

Rating

9

Good

Writer: Wyatt Kennedy

Artist: Luigi Formisano

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: May 29, 2024

Page Count: 32

Format: Single-issue

Nights kicks off its second story arc with a bloody romp that delves deeper into the oddities lurking in the shadows of Santo Pedro. With so much intrigue and mystery introduced about the comic’s strange world, this issue sets the stage for the comic’s big second story arc.

Nights #7

Review

Writer: Wyatt Kennedy

Artist: Luigi Formisano

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: May 29, 2024

Page Count: 32

Format: Single-issue

Nights kicks off its second story arc with a bloody romp that delves deeper into the oddities lurking in the shadows of Santo Pedro. With so much intrigue and mystery introduced about the comic’s strange world, this issue sets the stage for the comic’s big second story arc.

Rating

9

Good

After the massive ending of its first story arc, Nights is back for the next chapter in its peculiar tale filled with love, vampires, and oddities. I’ve gushed a lot about this series, as it was easily among my favorite new comics from last year. There is just something about its unique blend of comedy, romance, and the supernatural that really hits the spot for me. It’s clear how much fun creators Wyatt Kennedy and Luigi Formisano are having while making this wonderfully odd and stylish comic book–and I can’t get enough of their infectious energy. Now that the comic series is heading into its second story arc bigger and weirder than ever, I’m giddy to hit the streets of Santo Pedro again and discover new and intriguing mysteries lurking in the shadows. So, with all that preamble out of the way, it’s time to buckle up for my review of Nights #7!

Overview

Gray and Matt attend Vince’s high school performance as Sweeney Todd. The night would have been perfect had Ivory not gone missing. In reality, Ivory gets stuck in a much bloodier situation. After waking up from being trapped in the trunk of a car for weeks, Ivory gets pulled into doing a dangerous heist job by someone he thought he killed. But little does Ivory know that the item he’s being asked to snag has a deep connection to his past and the horrors that creep within the darkest corners of his being. Sounds like the perfect Saturday night, doesn’t it?

Image: Image Comics

Review

With Gray and Vince officially in a relationship and Ivory finally getting more screen time, this issue wastes no time setting the stage for the new story arc. In a way, Nights #7 feels like popping on the second season of your favorite supernatural sitcom. The vibes are fun and immaculate, even as the story teases more about the horrors of Santo Pedro’s dark and mysterious history. But while most of this issue focuses on Ivory’s unexpectedly bloody mission in the home of Ernest Hemmingway, the comic also shows how the rest of the cast has something interesting going on coming into the new arc. Once I finished reading the issue, I was amazed by how much new story and character developments were packed into 32 pages. It reminded me of the feeling I got from reading the first issue with its extended page count. With so much intrigue swirling around the characters and the world, I’m more excited than ever to see the story unfold.

This issue is also a great example of what makes Nights one of the most fun series from Image these days. This comic book has a little bit of everything, from scenes with stylishly bloody action to plenty of hilarious and romantic moments. So, even though the story is setting up a much bigger and darker journey on the horizon, the distinct charm of the world and characters is always present and the quirkiness never feels out of place. As compelling as the supernatural and horror elements are in the story, the slice-of-life parts are just as fun. It’s rare to see a book juggle so many different things at once and make it all work beautifully together. 

Image: Image Comics

With a comic that is as tonally varied as Nights, it’s impressive how Luigi Formisano’s art perfectly brings every side of it to life. Whether moments in the story are dark and violent or wholesome and romantic, the art in Nights makes everything mesh so well together. It’s wild how the comic can go from panels filled with adorable cats on one page, then a pile of blood and corpses on the next. Issues like #7 are reminders of how this series is always so filled with surprises, and that you’ll never truly know what sort of insanity you’ll see next. 

Image: Image Comics

Final Thoughts

Nights continues to be one of my favorite indie comics out today. I can't get enough of the comic's fascinating world with its unique blend of romance, slice-of-life, and supernatural elements. This issue was so dense with new story developments and teases that I’m excited to see how the rest of this second story arc unfolds from here. Even though it may sometimes feel like a lot is going on at once, everything together makes for a fun read with plenty of surprises at every turn. Now that the story is gearing toward a much darker path, the second story arc of Nights looks like it will be a big turning point for Vince, Gray, Ivory, and the rest of the gang. If you haven’t already started reading, I suggest you stop what you’re doing and pick this series up right now. You don’t want to miss out on this incredibly charming and underrated comic book!

Why You Should Read Nights

• The second story arc is primed to go down a very dark path.
• The series offers a great mix of different genres that work well together.
• Wyatt Kennedy and Luigi Formisano perfectly match each other’s freak (when it comes to making comics).