Little Nightmares #1 Review

Little Nightmares #1 (Of 4)

Writers: John Shackleford, Alex Paknadel, Dan Watters
Artist: Aaron Alexovich
Colourist: Thiago Riebeiro
Letterer: Jim Campbell

A review by Hafsa Alkhudairi

Little Nightmares is a comic mini-series that is based on the 2017 game of the same name. The story is about Six, a character who we are told is a young girl. The fact that she is a girl is not apparent in this issue and may become pertinent, but it’s cool that the protagonist is female!

Six is trying to navigate a horrifying world filled with larger monstrous beings, in the world of the Maw. This issue explores the importance of memory and how certain memories are hurtful. The idea is that there are some memories that people choose not to remember, yet these are the memories that pushes people to survive. In this story, the memories are horrifying and interesting. It could open conversations about the effects of war on children and the creation of orphans, at least it prompted such thoughts from me.

The art of Little Nightmares shows a disregard to traditional paneling in the most amazing way. It represents how the narrative flows and the imagery created reflected the ethereal nature of memories and the way a memory can be in the eye of the beholder. The choice of putting Six in a yellow raincoat made the character stand out and the reader is able to distinguish her from the other characters, especially when another character with the same physical characteristics started exploring their previous experience. The bright yellow contrasts well with the dirty pastel with which the rest of the comic is adorned. The art, colouring, and lettering together made this issue very dynamic and cool to read, as well as very creepy.

The Verdict
Buy it! The first issue of Little Nightmares is intriguing, makes me curious about the next issue, and feels like a game’s introduction. The last point is perfect for such a comic because it’s based on a game. This is further supported by the lack of traditional paneling and the use of a kind of dirty pastel colouring in contrast to the bright yellow coat Six wears. Overall, this issue has promise and I’m looking forward to the next one!