I'm the Goddamn Nightwyrm

Imagine, if you will, the London of an alternate world. A world very similar to our own, but for a secret underworld of mystical avatars and magical practitioners, all powered through embracing the nature of music. This is the world of the Phonomancer, where music is magic, where a song can save a life or end it. This is the world of Phonogram. Created in 2006 by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie, Phonogram was an six-issue indie title, published through Image Comics, that grew to become a critically-acclaimed and Eagle-nominated mini-series. The following year, Image collected the issues into the trade paperback titled Phonogram: Rue Britannia. […]

The story of the journey is one of the more classic of the traditional plot devices used in literature and media. The journey takes a character on a mission or quest that he (or she) must accomplish, whilst growing along the way. The story structure most commonly puts the protagonist through some form of gauntlet, undergoing trials and overcoming obstacles. When the journey is combined with the supernatural, the story inevitably becomes one of a quest for redemption. This is the premise behind Midnight Nation, originally published as a 12-issue limited series in 2000-2002 by the now-defunct Joe’s Comics imprint, and now being reprinted as a trade paperback by Top Cow Productions. […]

I’m a sufferer of event fatigue. With some of the big name companies pumping out event series and spin-offs every year like rabbits popping out litters of kits, it is hard not to get jaded with the near-constant barrage. When I heard that Top Cow was entering this market with their own event series, it was with some trepidation that I approached the first issue. Thankfully, Artifacts #1 was quick to calm my fears and even left me excited with anticipation. […]