Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
It's not often that a character comes over from a TV series to the pages of DC Comics and makes a massive impact. The most notable up until now has, of course, been the wonderful Harley Quinn, but she's no longer alone in holding that honor. With the creation of Nia Nal, Nicole Maines has translated her groundbreaking trans CW hero to the page in an utterly unique fashion because Maines doesn't just play the character, but she writes her too. In Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story, she and artist Rye Hickman craft a stunning origin story for the dynamic alien heroine that speaks to the best of what DC and superhero comics can be.
THE PREMISE
In the classic tradition of the DC coming-of-age origin story, Bad Dream introduces us to a young Nia Nal who is struggling to find her way in the small town alien sanctuary that she and her family call home. Although her sister Maeve is expected to inherit the family precognition powers, when Nia has her nose broken, she suddenly begins to foresee the future, understandably freaking out as she heads into the big city of Metropolis where she finds new family, comes to terms with her fate, and deals with the reality of being a young trans woman alone in the world. This is the kind of emotional big swing storytelling that has always defined DC from the earliest days of Siegel and Shuster imagining a man could fly.
LET’S TALK TALENT
Nicole Maines is once again at the helm of this enchantingly impactful tale, bringing her vibrant voice and sense of character to the page. She packs every line with emotion and loves the DC Universe, filling the world with delightful Easter eggs, including a hilarious running joke that'll have Super-Family fans chuckling at its dark humor.
She's joined here by artist Rye Hickman, whose charming linework and dynamic characters make this feel more like an indie book than your average superhero story. Hickman also excels in balancing the mundane and everyday with the alien and beautiful, a vital part of making the book work.
Colorist Bex Glendening has been making her stamp on the DC YA line with work on Static: Up All Night and Nubia: Real One, and she now brings her unique sensibilities to this gorgeous book that showcases her lovely colorwork and artistic choices. Last but absolutely not least is Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, a fantastic letterer who breathes so much life into Maines' script and knows exactly how to bring the energy of a young superhero's voice to the page.
A FEW REASONS TO READ
- A gorgeous queer coming-of-age story: While this is very much a superhero story, it's also a tale about a young trans woman trying to find her place in the world. Nia's journey of self-discovery and found family is a powerful one that made this writer tear up more than once. There's something so vibrant and real about Nia's journey that balances perfectly with the analogous nature of comic book storytelling. Maines and Hickman aren't afraid to tell a truly queer story that isn't afraid of being loud and proud.
- The kind of comic you can read in one sitting: If you don't have a ton of time to sit down and catch up with your favorite DC heroes, then this graphic novel is the perfect story to read in one sitting (or one weekend). It'll keep you hooked and you don't have to know anything going in other than that you want to read a great comic.
- A great introduction to one of the best new characters in years: Although you might not know Dreamer A.K.A. Nia Nal, you should. And Bad Dream is a great way to familiarize yourself with one of the best and most interesting DC heroes of the past decade. Nia is funny, smart, sarcastic, brave and she loves to draw. And that's before we even get to her powers and epic alien origin story, so read this and find out why she's this writer's favorite new hero.
WHY IT’S WORTH YOUR TIME
Look, I know I bang this drum often, but that doesn't make it any less true: DC’s YA line is regularly putting out some of the best comics in the business and Bad Dream raises that standard even higher. Whether you're a DC fan, a CW lover, or just want a great comic to read, you've got to pick up this lovely, lovely book.
Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story by Nicole Maines and Rye Hickman is available in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.
Rosie Knight is an award-winning journalist and author who loves Swamp Thing, the DC Cosmic and writing the monthly gossip column here at DC.com. You can also listen to her waxing lyrical about comics, movies and more each week as she co-hosts Crooked Media's pop-culture podcast, X-Ray Vision.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Rosie Knight and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
