“Oh, he is going to be so surprised…”
The Night Man #4
Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (January, 1994)
“Who Is The Night Man”
WRITER: Steve Englehart
PENCILER: Kyle Holtz
INKER: Thomas Florimonte
COLORING: Tim Divar & Foodhammer!
LETTERER: Dave Lanphear
EDITOR: Roland Mann
The Night Man has started a pirate radio station discussing things he’s seen. Meanwhile, Johnny is convinced to return to jazz for a benefit performance. He meets his employer’s boyfriend (fiance?) and has a run-in with the guy trying to take his dad’s amusement park, though on better terms than their last encounter. Suddenly the lights go out and Johnny’s night vision allows him to see a strangely garbed hooded figure kidnap two women under everyone’s noses. Night Man pursues, avoiding traps in the old mansion, and learn that his benefactor is the one behind the party, looking to use the women’s adrenaline for her immortality. Night Man manages to chase her off and save the girls, but he’s got a new enemy as he tries to figure out just who he is.
What they got right: Johnny is still upset about Ginger’s death, and that motivates him to save these other two women. The reveal of the villain is well done.
What they got wrong: Why did Johnny start a pirate radio broadcast as his alter ego?
What I think overall: If this is the direction the series is going with, dealing with bad science that goes bump in the night creating freaks of science, I may be here for it. Too bad the TV series didn’t take this route. It might have been interesting.
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