NOCTURNALS Celebrate Two Decades in 2014

By Alan Belfast-

That's right crew- the first issue of a NOCTURNALS comic book hit the stands in late 1994, a little more than a year after work on the art for the issue had begun. The book sold well, garnering praise from the likes of Alex Ross and Mike Mignola, earned an Eisner Nomination for Best Painter (a category that no longer exists, incidentally) and sparked an entire sub-genre of 'Monster Noir' (as author and one-time NOCTURNALS contributing writer, Christopher Golden, described it)

Before NOCTURNALS, little heroic girls, especially spooky little heroic girls, were virtually unheard of in mainstream comics. In fact, creator Dan Brereton, has often stated he was sure "fans would hate Halloween Girl," and was happily surprised when young Evening Horror turned out to be one of the most popular characters in the title, as well as the entire creator-owned BRAVURA line-up(published by the late Malibu Comics). Eve, her father Doc Horror, the silent revenant, Gunwitch, as well as the rest of the varied and original cast of characters, not only survived the BRAVURA implosion, but went on to appear in several mini-series and one-shot specials over the next 20 years.

Next year, the title celebrates those years of existence in a mercurial comics industry, one dominated by super-heroes, manga and corporate-owned franchises. while it hasn't been as consistently published as its creator would like, Brereton has managed to keep them out there in one form or another, from comic books, hardbound collections,trade paperbacks, calendars, prints, even a hardcover handbook and guide, NOCTURNALS: THE MIDNIGHT COMPANION ( which won no less than three Gaming Industry awards.

But all this is immaterial next to the real good news in all this- which is what every fan of the series wants to hear:

More NOCTURNALS are coming.

New projects are in the works, some cannot yet be discussed, but one book, NOCTURNALS ILLUSTRATED, set for release later in 2014, will explore 20 years oF illustrated history and anecdotes, character insights and a ton of ART most of us have NEVER laid eyes on.

This, Dan tells us, is the start of only more items to be announced as the new year progresses...including a possibly Kickstarter drive for a new comic. As Brereton explains, the property is owned solely by him, and therefore funding for the production of the illustrating of these tales is not forthcoming from a publisher who will not share in the proceeds or ancillary items the property may generate, "most creator-owned characters out there generating any kind of sales or profits are shared with the publisher. I've never had that deal and likely never will. These are my babies, and I work much too hard to let anyone else control their destiny."

As a result, fans and readers, those who have developed an affinity for the characters, will be invited to help fund further stories and reap the benefits of new Nocturnals exploits. "I have a hundred stories down on paper and running around in my head," Dan explains, "and it kills me that I cant do more with them. I have two families- my dear, flesh-and-blood wife and children, whom I love and work hard to provide for in a very unsteady industry, and I have another family of night creatures waiting to run free and have their stories told."

2014 is shaping up to be the year the NOCTURNALS are again loosed upon the world!

Check with us here at www.nocturnals.com for updates, and on Dan Brereton's Nocturnals page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dan-Breretons-Nocturnals/229401970427635

Alan Belfast

Vice President/Historian
Local 23 Monster Society.

NOCTURNALS Celebrate Two Decades in 2014