REVIEW: 30 Days of Night #1

Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Tom B. Long
Review: Will "Identity Crisis" Dubbeld

Originally crafted by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, 30 Days of Night ought to be a well-known property by now.
The original miniseries has spawned numerous spinoffs and 2 movies of better than average B-grade horror fare. Ironically, at that, considering 30 Days... was originally a screenplay that couldn’t get off the ground.

In any case, the gods of comicdom have deemed it worthy that 30 Days of Night be granted a reboot.
For some reason.
Perhaps it’s because Niles left parts of the original story untold, perhaps he’s possessed of some urge to reinvent the comic, or perhaps his tortoise needed a new pair of shoes.
I’ve not heard, any which way you cut it.

Seriously, though, Steve Niles has a tortoise named Gil.
He has adventures on Twitter. It’s adorable.

I impulse-bought the first issue of the 2002 30 Days of Night off the shelf. Templesmith’s art intrigued (and quite frankly, confused) me and, after reading, the story sealed the deal.
I’m always in for a good vampire story.   

Without delving too deeply into the plot, vampires descend onto the remote Alaskan town of Barrow during the polar night.
The polar night, of course, being a phenomena occurring in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles wherein the night lasts more than 24 hours.
Sometimes even close to a month.
30 Days or so, some might say...
I did some homework on the polar night, but the science of axial tilts and refraction and elliptical horizon phenomena were a subject for another time.

Science is bitchin’, you guys.

The core premise wasn’t unfamiliar to me, having seen a similar plot in an episode of Tales From the Crypt, but it was well executed.
The newest incarnation promises to continue the trend, albeit from a different angle. All the components are there, Eben and Stella, Barrow, a bleak Arctic backdrop, but there’s no inkling of supernatural evil. None blatant, anyway.
Either Steve Niles is approaching 30 Days... from an UTTERLY new perspective or we’re just playing the long game, but there’s no creepy vampires or scummy Renfield characters.
Either way, it’s fine. We’re focused on interpersonal relationships in this first issue rather than what weird lurks in the Alaskan wilds.

Piotr Kowalski’s pencils are as crisp as ever. I first became aware of his work from Joe Casey’s Sex book and was greatly impressed.
Aside from Sex being the best X-rated Batman book that never was, it boasts some sharp art.
Kowalski certainly hasn’t missed a step in 30 Days of Night, as his level of detail still displays fine detail without becoming overly busy.

All in all, this first issue is well-crafted from top to bottom, however it may disappoint some readers who expected hot, vampire action right out of the gate.
That said, those familiar with Niles’ work will stick around for the long haul and, I’m sure, reap the rewards.
Having read the original 30 Days... and numerous successors, I’m curious as to how this new comic differs from the original and to revisit some familiar ground.