Denys Cowan delivers some beautiful visuals throughout the issue. The art style is perfect for the type of story being told and its bold imagery is stunning. Read Full Review

Nocterra: Blacktop Bill Special doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't have. It's a well-put-together, entertaining story that grabs the reader from the word go and doesn't let go. Snyder, Daniel, Cowan, and company craft a great little comic that every fan of Nocterra should pick up. Read Full Review

Nocterra: Blacktop Bill Special #1 peels back the layers of the series' antagonist, revealing just how much of a terrifying figure he really is. With Nocterra's success and its upcoming adaptation into a Netflix series, I look forward to more specials that flesh out this dark and horrifying world. Read Full Review

Nocterra: Blacktop Bill is the awful origin story you didn't know you needed. It's horrifying, it's brutal, and it fits him perfectly. We may not understand his obsession, but we do get how it drives him. Read Full Review

As for the art, Denys Cowan and Kent Williams provide a much different vibe from Daniel's work on the main line. Now, I didn't expect a carbon copy of Daniel's work, but the texture of Nocterra: Blacktop Bill Special caught me off guard at first. It was gritty and rough, but that's what Blacktop Bill is all about, making this tandem a great fit. Read Full Review

Blacktop Bill's origin shows he was an insidious, dangerous creature of the night long before the lights went out. It's a nice side story to tide over Nocterra fans until the start of the second arc. Read Full Review

Nocterra: Blacktop Bill Special #1 gives an inside look into the nature of Blacktop Bill. It doesn't give any big answers for Nocterra's main story, it just shows what makes Blacktop Bill tick. The pacing, dialogue, and narration mixed with the art makes this book a rough but fun ride to read as it highlights what kind of character Blacktop Bill is and what fans can expect in the main series. Read Full Review

BUY THIS BOOK! It is the perfect compliment to fleshing out (pun intended) the Nocterra storyline. In fact, buy the Trade Paperback Why would you even do that? Get in on this story now as we are almost to a crescendo in it! If you are not hooked yet, here is a link to the first issue. Read Full Review

The always-reliable Denys Cowan's heavy inks and knack for visual storytelling makes Nocterra's "Blacktop Bill" special a fascinating book to look at. His very analog style clashes with the sleek, digital feel of the comic to create a Nocterra book that is unlike anything we have seen yet from Tony S. Daniel. Read Full Review

Nocterra: Blacktop Bill Special takes some of the mystery of the character away and adds little in its place. It's an issue we don't really need and feels like material you'd find and as a backup story throughout a few issues. This is one for the hardcore Nocterra fans but be prepared to have the real questions not answered. Read Full Review