Review by Frank Plowright

The October Faction concerns a family of monster hunters, once forceful and fêted, but no longer a cohesive unit. To all intents and purposes Frederick and Dolores Allen lead separate lives in the same spooky home, while their children Geoff and Vivian have aspirations to join the family business now they’ve left school. Frederick is against this, not least because he believes their inexperience would make them targets for his old enemies. Why this wouldn’t be the case as long as they stay away from the family business isn’t ever explained, and it’s not long before it happens anyway.

For all his good ideas about various monsters, every success Steve Niles has generated has a human heart, and by bringing the Allen family under the spotlight he takes that as his starting point. Some history is shown in flashback explaining the threats the Allens have dealt with, and the primary cast is rounded out by Lucas a partner from the past harbouring a secret in the present. Everyone is shown as flawed in some respect, supplying an interesting departure from the usual heroic figures.

Despite the characters being strongly conceived, artist Damien Worm contributes so greatly to the atmosphere with creepy designs and constant darkness. He’s responsible for the colour in addition to the drawing, and just how much that enhances the mood can be seen by comparing the pages of black and white inked art supplied as process material with their colour counterparts. His jagged style isn’t quite the suggestive wispiness of Niles’ best known artistic collaborators, but it’s essential to the ongoing ambiance.

This is very much the scene-setting opening volume, supplying intrigue and mood, and some logical questions readers might have are given logical answers before the end. The threats are out there, and they’ll surely move nearer in Volume Two. Alternatively, all five volumes will shortly be combined in IDW’s Classic Collection format, bargain priced, but smaller sized.

It should also be mentioned that The October Faction was subsequently a short run TV show, not well received and not renewed for a second season. The graphic novel is a different beast and worth your time.