REVIEW: ‘Midnight Radio’ Delivers An Emotional and Hopeful Tale

Midnight Radio, written, illustrated, and lettered by Iolanda Zanfardino (Hecate’s Will) and published by Oni Press, follows four individuals whose lives are changed when an unexpected radio broadcast delivers a hopeful message that strikes a chord in each of them.

Pain is a universal constant. In a world filled with bigotry, greed, and hate, no one seems capable of avoiding the sins that plague our lives. But even as these pains often feel pervasive and inescapable, there is still hope. And sometimes, all we have to do is reach out our hands to seize it.

Midnight Radio follows four individuals, each struggling with unique problems. However, unlike many stories that would front-load exactly what each character is going through, Zanfrandino withholds much of what weighs on her cast, letting the reader absorb their pain first so she can fill in their origins later on. This slow unveiling not only makes the final reveal more powerful but also adds an extra layer of interest to each character as the reader ponders where the cast is coming from.

Those characters provide such a wide range of personalities and problems that it’s hard to believe somebody could read Midnight Radio and not find a character to connect with on some level. From Mike, who left his dream of being a game dev with his friends to run a website for a corrupt corporation, to Steph/Instaking, who constantly has their phone in hand, checking the likes and comments on their social media posts, each brings a moving tale that speaks to the struggles we all face.

While they each deliver on their emotional moments, the standout of the cast is Joanne. Initially introduced standing on the ledge of the restaurant she works at’s roof, Joanne’s story goes the hardest and is the most obfuscated at the start. Each time the core of what is pushing Joanne towards that ledge seems to surface, Zanfardino reveals another element to the character that brings a deeper level to her woes.

But while Midnight Radio contains much pain, the story is not hopeless. Zanfardino uses her cast’s emotional tribulations excellently, making their final scenes true joy when they crack open their shells and let the sunshine in. If you can binge this book and not have tears in your eyes as the resolutions play out, you should probably check your pulse and make sure you are still alive.

The opening sections are a bit slow, as Zanfardino sets up the cast, but this slowness pays off as it helps create the sense of perceived permanence of each character’s problems. The reader better appreciates the fact that each situation didn’t begin with the first page of the book. It stretches out before that, making the weight of the story that much greater.

Zanfardino’s art brings her cast to life and works wonderfully to enhance the story’s emotional core. Each character’s sequence is rendered in a single, persistent color, allowing immediate recognition of whose story you are jumping. The line work is dramatic and emotive, bringing to life mundane moments of quiet pain and outbursts of explosive emotions. The art particularly does a great job with the subjects’ eyes. If eyes are the “windows to the soul,” then the art utilizes these windows to their fullest.

The only spot where it feels like the presentation could’ve done a bit more for the story’s emotional strength is the lettering. While the dialogue placement is great and always provides a clear flow for the story, it feels like it could’ve been used better in some of the more dramatic moments. Larger fonts when characters yell and other tricks could have layered even more emotion into a story’s dialogue.

Midnight Radio crafts an emotionally powerful set of narratives that speak to the often crushing pain, despair, and fear we all feel. Zanfardino’s use of thematic ties to bring them to hopeful conclusions feels natural and strong. It is a powerful piece about hope for anyone who needs it.

Midnight Radio is available December 10th wherever comics are sold.