The Nightmare Brigade Volume 1: The Girl From Deja Vu collects the first two (oversized) issues of a French comic that was recently translated into English and released in February of 2022. The Nightmare Brigade itself consists of Professor Angus, Elisa (who is passionate about her job at the Sleep Study Center of Greater Lille), and two teens: Tristan (his son) and Esteban (of mysterious origins, who has become more or less Angus’s foster child).
The goal of the Nightmare Brigade is to help people defeat their worst nightmares. Each member of the team has a set of unique skills that enables the crew to literally transport themselves into a nightmare in order to determine its cause. Things seem to be going well enough for the Brigade until a young girl named Sarah–who looks eerily familiar–shows up, and an insomniac responsible for the disappearance of Angus’s wife/Tristan’s mother wreaks havoc.
The premise of The Nightmare Brigade, while not necessarily original, feels unique due its interesting, youthful cast, emphasis on actual “real-world” fears, and the fact that it doesn’t shy away from the horror simply because it’s intended for younger audiences. The star of the show is undoubtedly Tristan, who is in a wheelchair, but he’s simply portrayed as just another teenage guy–with all the hormones and insecurities that involves–and his humor keeps the narrative from being too heavy for young readers. Additionally, despite it being a translated work, the script and pacing of the story move along beautifully, and the art is gorgeous and weird, and I’m 110% here for it.
Overall, The Nightmare Brigade thoughtfully explores the importance of facing our fears despite the power that nightmares can hold over us, and the end of this first volume makes me eager to continue on with Professor Angus and his mysterious cohort.
The Nightmare Brigade Volume 1: The Girl From Deja Vu
Credits
- Writer: Franck Thilliez
- Artist: Yomgui Dumont
- Colorist: Drac
- Publisher: Papercutz
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