*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*



At first I thought that this book will be all about metaphors and having a strong message about society. In the end, it still was, but it was shown in an interesting story which isn't finished yet and still continues. Honestly, even though I had a somewhat idea what I would see in this book I was a bit confused at the start what is going on, but I think that this was done on purpose as the whole atmosphere while reading isn't just eerie but also mysterious. One starts wondering sooner or later: What is going on in the midnight school? And I liked this, as I was really trying to find out with the characters in the story what is happening and how to change it.

The art style really fitted the whole concept and I also really liked the bigger creatures and how one even had more than just two eyes. The protagonist is relatable on many ways and no matter how much life experience one has, I think everyone feels somewhat connected to the story and not just to the relatable characters but also moments.

This story isn't just about depression and school stress, but also about friendship and following your own path instead of following someone else's.



Thank you IDW Publishing for the advanced reader copy of Shadowplay (Book 1): Midnight School by Sam Fonseca

My thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for an advance copy of this graphic novel that builds on the fears we have of being controlled, being manipulated and being educated, told in a black and white dreamscape filled with unsettling images.

The older I get the more I realise that my dislike of school is something that is shared universally. I learned this years ago, I like to learn, I hate to be taught. School for me was never something I look back on with fondness. Especially in our small town. Everything seemed designed to get us in and out, with the least amount of work and effort. Sure some teachers cared, but they cared in that sense of the nail that sticks up should be hammered into place. I had no interest in anything outside of what I needed to be in school for. At the time I thought I was alone, but I find that there was a lot more of us than I thought. And creative types at that. Hmm, I am sure that means something. As arts are phased out in school in favor of propaganda, coding for jobs that will be lost to AI, and complacency, comics like this stand out, for what they say, what they show, and the way we feel. Unsettled. Shadowplay (Book 1): Midnight School by artist and writer Sam Fonseca is a modern work of horror about students in a school the darkness around them, and what forces are trying to educate them, and why.

The book begins in a classroom with a student losing his mind. Maybe. There is a lack of identity in the class, one the character we begin to follow shares. Somehow he can remember he has a dog, maybe a family, but names are unimportant. The school days goes on and the student finds he can't trust anything around him. Not his peer group, not the guy who was nice, to him but talks about making good and getting out. And the girl who he knows something, but can't remember. At one point he sees his dog, and earns punishment trying to save it from beng killed. He thinks. At one point he is sure the school day ends, but while waiting for a bus, the bell rings and everyone reenters the school. As he deals with hazing, and increased punishment, including a loss of voice, the student begins to remember something from the past, something that might help him now.

A story told in darkness, about control and the hardship of being a teen. The story roams freely in a landscape of horrors, shadows, voices, punishments, blades, a day that never seems to end. And people who seem trustworthy, but betray. One could imagine that this is what life must be like for children who are medicated for being over-and or under-excited, a Ritalin fog that makes everything seemed removed. The story is horror, but more disturbing than jump scares, and does take its time setting up the narrative. Though this does add to the feeling of being trapped in a place that one can't wake up from. The art is really, really good. Dark, nerve racking shadows, images that float on the page, images that remind me of school events, that I couldn't have cared less about. Words without bodies, and words that say something but don't reach the person they are for. There is much about being a teen in here. Finding oneself in the machine that wants bodies for the system, being taught what Texan educators want taught which might not be the truth, but that is the school system we have, which seems to be only getting worse.

A mix of Lovecraft, Pink Floyd's The Wall, the movie If..., and maybe a touch of Breakfast Club. One might get confused, but the art really does a great job of sharing the story, and showing what is going on. And a story I want to know more about.

While I love the art here I ended up not really caring much about the story going on around it. This art is really freaking good though and I hope the artist continues with his work there.

Sometimes a graphic novel's illustrations can elevate a good book to an awesome book. That is exactly what is happening here with Shadowplay (Book 1): Midnight School. Sam Fonseca, a graphic novelists out of Brazil, takes you on a surreal and absolutely bonkers at times trip into a school that is not what it seems. Without giving too much away, just know that not everything is at it seems and the journey you take with the MC will open your eyes to a world that lives just underneath the surface of a reality that is, at times, all too similar to our current reality.

I went into this graphic novel with incredibly low expectations. It was by a person I have never heard of before and the blurb didn't really sell it to me, but I went in with an open mind. I started the book and before I knew it, I had finished it in one sitting because I had to know where the story was going. The journey of these schoolmates and the sinister undertones that bleed through in every image absolutely blew me away. The only downside to finishing the book was that part 2 isn't available to see where this series is going.

If you enjoy dark graphic novels or horror in general, you will find a lot to like here. The attention to detail, even down to the protagonist's difficulty with language and simple commands, just flies off the pages and into your own psyche. There were times where I was questioning what I was reading and seeing on the page based on the unreliable narrator, which only added to the thrill of this book.

I can say confidently that I will be looking for additional books in this series and Sam Fonseca as officially made my list of can't miss authors.

Thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for providing me this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of this book caught my attention, but after reading some reviews, I worried it might be too complex. In my opinion, it wasn't at all and I loved this thing. I enjoy a bit of strangeness in my books and movies, so this is far from the weirdest thing I’ve encountered. The story had more action than expected, with some really creative ideas (a unique magic system?) and lovable main characters. I'd recommend it to fans of horror, YA, and Kafka, which is a unique combo, but it fits.

Much appreciation to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC copy.

We follow three students as we enter a dystopian and dark school full of nightmares brought to life in dark charcoal sketchesque style.

Whilst the story was slightly disjointed and harder to follow I still enjoyed it and really loved the artwork.

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the review copy. The following opinions are my own.

4.25 stars

Reading Shadowplay Midnight School feels like being a kid who's just stumbled upon some bizarre, violent anime on a late-night block, leaving you thinking, "What am I watching? Should I even be watching this?" You're confused at first, but the sheer coolness draws you in, and you can't look away. That was my exact reaction to this graphic novel! There's horror, nonsense, over-the-top fight scenes... It really does feel like an anime at times, which isn't so strange if you think about it: there's an actual anime inside the story (as a "cartoon," but Arcadia is definitely an anime, with an OP, cheesy lyrics, and everything!). 
As the plot unfolds, things start to make more sense, but the author doesn't make it easy... I think this could be a real treat for those who enjoy "peeling back layers of symbolism" in media (not my forte, but I definitely figured some out—fun stuff). I would say that if you like quirky, mind-bending stories, you need to give it a try. However, those who prefer something more straightforward might want to look elsewhere!

Sam Fonseca has been drawing comics since he discovered that the anime he watched on TV as a child came from manga—and that it was possible to create all that stuff by himself using paper and pencil (still his tools of choice). Nowadays, he alternates duties between art direction, storyboard art, script writing for animation and TV projects, and creating comics. His comic project Age of Rust was nominated three times for the HQMix Prize, and his other title, Dynamite & Laser Beam, won in the “best webcomic” category. Sam also has the strange hobby of creating soundtracks for his comics. His newest collection is the dystopian nightmare, Shadowplay.

Shadowplay focuses on three students who are simply trying to survive a brutal school. One could easily describe this world as Kafka-esque, in that students are routinely tortured, insulted, assaulted, and punished, seeming meaninglessly and randomly. There are students in the classrooms that seem to have the system figured out, but our three protagonists struggle and simply want to escape the daily nightmare of the education and classrooms. By night, they are trapped in small prison cells, seemingly at the whim of the school. This graphic novel is a dark nihilistic struggle for freedom.

What makes the book even more spectacular is the artwork. The opening is a near monochrome, and hints and bits of color come sneaking in, slowly and surely, as the tale proceeds. Everything is extremely stylized and distorted, almost tapping into early expressionism and magical realist painting techniques, which further intensifies the extreme plot and surreal narrative.

Samuel Fonseca’s Shadowplay is a really intense read. While not exactly torture porn, the physical and mental abuse the students in this graphic novel face are extreme and violent. This violence only escalated by the contorted and hyperstylized illustrations. As a whole, this book is a dystopian nightmare critiquing both the modern education system as well contemporary power structures, one that any horror reader will want to read immediately.

I really liked this comic, even though I don't think I've understood everything. Even so I liked the main character, he seems like a good guy and I wanted to be his friend lol. I also loved the dragon ball Z reference something I wasn't expecting.

Just... wow!

I love when a book makes me feel like I'm piecing something together. Often, it's about solving clues to murders or kidnappings, but in this case, I felt like finding clues to the characters' psyches.

This graphic novel tells the story of three students trying to escape from this horrible school where there seems to be a time loop that keeps them trapped inside. There are also weird teachers and instruments of torture that certainly shouldn't be part of a healthy school environment.

But what intrigued me most about this book was Fonseca's subtext and his unorthodox approach to storytelling. The black-and-white horror parts of the school are mixed with colorful sessions full of surrealism and symbolism. These were my favorite parts because they're packed with several elements that delve into the minds and pasts of the characters, and I had a blast unraveling these.

The artwork is also very interesting. It's expressive, but different from what I normally see in this type of book.

I don't want to spoil anything about this graphic novel, but I have to say: the ending left me wondering, “Okay, what happens now?!” 

Shadowplay Midnight School is one of my favorite graphic novels of 2024 so far, and I'm looking forward to the sequel!

I thank IDW publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

Yikes. What in the world did I just read? I actually have no clue. This graphic novel feels incredibly disjointed. For the vast majority of the book, I had no idea what was happening and I felt no ties to any of the characters. Because of this, the horror aspect just didn't convey at all. Yes, there was gore and "scary" scenes, but I felt none of it because I couldn't connect to anything.

The artwork is equal parts beautiful and eerie. It's almost charcoal sketch-like. I adored the art style and the perfectly added pops of color to add impact to the scenes.

Overall, this was very much a miss for me. I'd love to see the storyline honed in and some better character development.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advance copy of this graphic novel.

*When I tried to read the ARC on my laptop (Adobe Digital Edition), the book wasn't displayed in full. However, the file has no problems in the NetGalley app and I was able to finish my reading*


This was such a pleasant surprise!

Honestly, based on the publisher’s description, I was expecting some mindless “torture p*rn” in a school—which sounds fun, ngl —but this book turned out to be something else (I'll try to avoid spolier territory by focusing on the technical side).

The pace and character development gave me major manga feels, but the mood was dreamy and surreal. I really liked how the author mixed these elements together. I also loved how some details are hinted at the beginning and take on unexpected proportions at the end.
The main characters (the power trio) are very likable and I rooted for them, but I did have some issues with the girl in the group.
Her backstory didn’t get as much attention as the guys’, which was a letdown. She clearly has a significant role and some secrets, but her development felt unfinished.

Then, I realized this book is the start of a series—I’d overlooked “book 1” in the title, and that might explain it. I hope the author dives deeper into the girl’s story in the sequel! (okay, maybe I'm a little obsessed with her).

Overall, I’m super impressed, especially since this is a debut. There's a lot to love here, and I wanted to know more about that world after finishing, which is certainly a good sign.

I'll keep an eye on this series.

Thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!

First of all, I gotta say the art is amazing! It's not your typical art style, I don't think I've ever seen an art style quite like Sam's and the "rough pencil" look it has really fits the scary vibe of the comic, especially the earliest parts of it. And it makes the colors pop more whenever there are colorful details.

I also like what the story was trying to tell, and I wholeheartedly, 100% agree with the sentiment, but personally, more than scared at the comic, I was confused for the most part at why things were happening. I don't think the comic quite fits the "psycological horror" descriptor because it has too much physical violence for that, imo. Psychological Horror is more about what's left unsaid, about what you can't see, what you think and ruminate, that ends up eating you from the inside. This comic didn't really gave me that.

I'm also a bit disappointed because I expected an horror comic through and through and by the end of it it turned into a fighting comic? I'm not against fighting comics, I love me some fantasy and a good fight, but it's not what I came here looking for, and I feel like the change was a bit abrupt. It sort of just happened in a couple of pages.

I think I will give a chance to future books but I'll be sure to come with a different mindset lol.

Thank you to NetGalley and IDW publishing for providing an ARC copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I'm not sure I can put into words just how much I loved this graphic novel, but I'll certainly try.

Shadowplay: midnight school follows the story of 3 students seemingly trapped in an endless cycle of school. Our lead, a wannabee composer who loves a children's cartoon, an inspiring author with a secret to hide, and a student striving for a scholarship for the best university. The bell rings to signal the end of the day and the students turn back around and go back to classes never leaving the premises. To make things worse this school has violent teachers, barbed wire fences, torture devices and gruesome suspensions, reminiscent of crucifixions. Can the trio escape?

It is difficult to talk much about the plot without spoiling it too much. The story and the artwork are masterfully blended together to create such an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. I read this in pitch black darkness and found myself genuinely creeped out and disturbed. Whilst nothing overtly gory is depicted on page the true horror is psychological.

"How can someone be so sure of the 'sunny days that will come again' when shadows endure?"

The main themes of the story are depression, anxiety, oppression, bullying, self doubt and endurance. All three of our main characters as well as a myriad of other faces in this graphic novel face these issues. The lead in particular constantly believing they are not good enough and seemingly having that confirmed by the 'school'.The book challenges the train of thought that academic intelligence and achievements are superior to creative pursuits. Why can't our lead be a good composer just because they're dyslexic?

"If I still believe in love it's 'cause I've got friends that pull me from the dark and together we stand"

Our 3 main characters friendship develops nicely during this book. Including flashbacks with previous interactions that really add to the characters and makes their relationships believable. Life truly is better with friends.

This book starts like a bit a fever dream, it takes a bit to really understand what is going on... But I would highly recommend to any lovers of horror and graphic novels.

"Stop being conducted and become a conductor"