From the darkened garage of it’s creator’s the minds comes new vehicle of comic entertainment, Midnight Highway. With a second issue now on kickstarter, we check out this sci-fi/horror about a man and his car finding their way along a very unsettling road. But will it start readers engines or find its way to the scrapheap?

Publisher: Mike Tener Comics
Writer: Mike Tener, Alex Maday, Dave Kent (Editor)
Artist: Alexander Malyshev (Art), Hedwin Zaldivar (Colours), Dave Kent (Letters), Alex Monik (Cover Art)
Price: Currently funding on Kickstarter

Midnight Highway tells the story of Alex Tomlin, who after a night out with his girlfriend, Kelly, sets off for home and a good night’s sleep. However, as he makes the trip and contemplates the future with Kelly, Alex encounters strange goings on including a mysterious radio station and a creepy stag as it blocks the road home. Unfortunately for Alex, neither is as it seems as the Stag attacks, wishing to take his car for itself, chasing Alex to a ghostly and unearthly place which comes with only one ominous statement; You’re on the Midnight Highway!

Mike Tener and Alex Maday have written a deeply intriguing, enjoyable and engrossing story with Midnight Highway. The plot has this real clichéd, American horror feel to it that is part Stranger Things, part Wraith (the film starring Charlie Sheen), and part Jeepers Creepers. However, it also imbues (mainly thanks to it’s opening pages) this almost Twilight Zone vibe, in a similar manner to Ice-Cream Man as it has you wondering if this is Alex’s story or the horror’s and every issue will provide a new victim. In fact, this question is just one of a host that Tener and Maday insert into your mind as you read as there is so much packed in between these covers but only enough to keep the nice pace moving that you will find yourself eager to know more.

Meanwhile, Alexander Malyshev provides some truly breathtaking artwork. His art style utilises pencils which are very reminiscent of Matteo Scalara’s work on Black Science which fits the horror, otherworldly vibe perfectly. Meanwhile, Hedwin Zaldivar’s colours are absolutely perfect for this comic, with them looking very Middlewest in their vibrancy, Archie (the Waid/Staples run) in their shading and Limbo in their colours. This combination of the pencils and colours results in a world where the action scenes feel frentic, the creatures and environment come across as very creepy in a Thing/Slither way and the issue’s final page offers up an Annihilation level of intrigue as to what comes next.

Running on equal parts horror, terror and beauty, Midnight Highway is a ride which is fantastically tricked out by Tener, Maday, Malyshev and co. With an opening issue which hits the road at top speed and doesn’t look like it’ll slow down, it is certain to leave readers unwilling to hit the breaks with this series.