Crossing Midnight, Vol. 2: A Map of Midnight

Crossing Midnight #2

by Mike Carey, Jim Fern (Illustrator), Eric Nguyen (Illustrato)

A fantasy/horror series set in the heart of present-day Nagakaki, Japan where a set of extraordinary twins are born -- one just before midnight and the other just after. They discover the huge impact this minor difference has on their destinies when the after-midnight twin, Toshi, is inducted into a world of supernatural beings and events that intersects with our own world. Now Toshi and her brother, Kai, desperately try to stay one step ahead of their terrifying fates while they learn how far their new world of terror intersects with their own. In this volume, Toshi must choose her weapons and begin her hazardous training through a fairy- tale-gone-wrong world like nothing anyone has ever experienced. Plus, Kai falls in with the enjokosai -- middle- to high-school-age girls who go on dates for money. It's legal in Japan, but a supernatural slasher is voicing disapproval in the bloodiest ways imaginable.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Mythology

168 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.

Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.

Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.

Reviews

[Kathryn]

Wow. I am smugly proud of myself for caving and buying Volume 2 of this series. I said it about Volume 1, that Carey is simply a slow starter and I was correct. A Map of Midnight blew away Cut Here. Anything I disliked in the first was removed and anything I loved or thought held promise, was included and emphasized. The characters read so alive and relatable. I was rooting for the good guys and feeling sickened by the bad guys, which makes great horror. The fantasy aspects of the story were unlike anything else I have ever read.

This volume largely focused on the loss of innocence, from the two main perspectives of the twins, and the different take Japanese culture has on the subject, namely involving reward dating or enjokosai. I especially appreciated Carey's added explanation at the end.

So, now I am sad that the series is only 3 volumes long but it might be a great starting place for someone wanting a taste of Carey's writing without taking on one of his longer runs.

[47Time]

The twins are separated and forced to use their wits and skills to survive, one in a god's service, and the other allied with a ronin creature. The links between the creatures of the other world are detailed here and the complexity is quite welcome. No detail seems to be left behind as there are references to each in later pages. It feels like this book can be enjoyed best if read in one sitting since the story arcs.

Toshi is being manipulated and tested by Kishimo, one of Aratsu's servants. Her memories are being changed and she must be chosen by a tool. Uso-Tsuki, a pair of scissors chooses her. They're more than they seem, since they can 'lie' to the world around them, changing it in such ways to help Toshi. It can also cut away a person's dreams to be stored in a box for the castellan.

While gathering dreams Toshi prevents one of the Gleamer's servants from sinking hooks into a baby's soul. During the fight she loses the key that enables her to return to Aratsu, so she tries to hide while also realising that she is flesh and blood again. She ends up in a park under Mimi Oguno's protection, a former pornographic star now inhabited by a demon Toshi cuts away. The Gleamer then steps in and, in retaliation for fighting her servant, offers Toshi to save her own mother's soul, even though Toshi has forgotten the woman is her mother. She uses her wits and anger to defeat the Gleamer who revives the dog she had in the real world.

Toshi returns to Aratsu and demands to receive a task worthy of her skills. She get promoted to assassin and demonstrates her fighting skills by killing Kishimo. She is given the task of killing Kai while the memories of her family are still taken from her,bso she doesn't know he is her brother.

Nidoru offers to fight Aratsu alongside the god Rinjin. She intends to train Kai into becoming Rinjin's general. Until that happens Kai learn a great deal about the gods from a couple of dangerous encounters that interestingly leave him unscathed. Kai discovers from another former blade of Asirosamiro, now a human called Yamada, that Aratsu has usurped Asirosamiro's lordship over blades. Aratsu was a perfect sword created at Asirosamiro's orders, whose aim for perfection led him to betray and kill his master. Nidoru also called Asirosamiro master and, instead of swearing fealty to Aratsu, chose the way of the ronin.

Kai tries to help some enjokosai or date girls who are seemingly random victims of a character from children's stories called Tarimoku. While helping Loretta, one of the date girls, Kai figures out that he can dispel magic with his touch. Tarimoku is upset at the enjokosai because they are selling their innocence. He is killed by Loretta after Kai's touch dispels his magic resulting in him shrinking to Capuchin monkey size.

[Krishnakumar Mohanasundaram]

The lord of the sword, who himself is not the rightful lord, takes Toshi, the sister, to his realm, wipes of her memories and puts her to collect people's dreams.
While in the real world, her brother begins his search for his sister - soon to be contacted by other super natural beings who are against the lord of the sword.

But unlike the first album, here, the narrative loses its cohesiveness. Many storylines and characters interrupt the main arc, divert us with small short stories and back stories, and at one point the main arc seems to have been forgotten completely, before we are taken to it again at the end.

[Quentin Wallace]

This is a very underrated series. In this volume the stories of the twins continue as we get glimpse into the world of teenage prostitution in Japan and what happens when mystical beings disapprove.

A really great series with great art. This is a hidden gem so if you think this sounds like something you'd like, you probably will.

[Michelle]

This was a good continuation to the series, it introduced new characters and situations and there were lots of twists and surprises. It is a little violent but it is a horror comic so that is to be expected. The twins are "growing" up but the fates are against them as forces conspire to have them fight against each other and there are hints that they both have powerful supernatural powers and will be fighting in the last book. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it and am looking forward to what happens next.

[Colin Oaten]

In 2 tales, the twins continue their separate journeys, Toshi learning about her new abilities and Kai hunting for his sister in Tokyo, both coming across more figures from Japanese folklore as their abilities become more refined.

[Derek]

Review pending...

[Highland G]

This is a slow read if you really want to take everything in but its very enjoyable despite its few flaws.

[David]

Waaaaauuuuuuggh!!!

That's what I shouted when I came to the end of "Crossing Midnight: Cut Here". Because it was only volume ONE of a story-arc that cuts (no pun intended) through several graphic novels- "A Map Of Midnight" was no exception, either! Spectacular!!

I had to read them all.

Yes, HAD TO.

This story was REALLY well written, amazingly illustrated, and it carried me forward through the storyline with surprising ease. I was instantly invested with the Hara family and the twins problems and perils.

I can tell you very little about this story, without spoiling it. That it has to do with the supernatural, is obvious- the Kami, spirits of /things/ we use or make- like swords, or needles for sewing. That they have investment in the human world is not surprising... but watching them reach into it, and USE that investment. Well now. That is another thing entirely!

I loved this book, and am now on the prowl for the 'rest' of the story- before I go half crazy imagining the myriad of ways it could turn out.

Save yourself! Buy or check out all three, before you start reading...

[Jen]

This is the 2nd book in the Crossing Midnight series, and we pick up the story of Toshi and Kai. Toshi has by now had all of her past memories removed by Aratsu, and she is in training to be his scrape grace, stealing images from people's dreams while they sleep. She also has a new name, Hasharito, and doesn't remember her old name. Kai leaves home to try and find her. He knows she disappeared with Aratsu into another world, so he begins by seeking information on the spirit world, and then he sees her on the street, disappearing through a window into Tokyo. So he travels to Tokyo and gets distracted saving some "phone girls" his age from a yokai who has been tricking and killing them. Hasharito (formerly Toshi) gets into some trouble by insulting one of the faces of death, and plays a game with death and wins. She returns to Aratsu and demands a higher position. Again, the artwork is gorgeous, and I was so wrapped up in the story that I couldn't put it down!

[Cale]

Volume 2 continues the story, shifting what little focus had been on the parents entirely over to Kai and Toshi. Toshi becomes the antagonist as she serves as a scrape-grace and assassin for Aratsu, while Kai tries to find her, finding himself involved in the date-girl scene. Some of the concepts are more disturbing than the Kami themselves, but the story approaches them with a fairly balanced view. Threads get pulled together, but the overall weave doesn't appear in this volume. Art is strong, carrying a sense of Eastern style in the art without getting too far from western sensibilities.

[Elizabeth A]

This volume collects issues #6-12.

Twins Toshi and Kai continue down their separate paths, each with a different objective. Toshi starts training to serve her new master, and Kai gets enmeshed with the enjokosai - middle to high school age girls who go on dates for money. It's legal in Japan, but a supernatural slasher is voicing disapproval in the bloodiest ways imaginable.

This is an interesting story with Japanese cultural aspects that I find fascinating, and I look forward to finishing the trilogy with the next installment.

[Stacey]

I liked this one better than the first volume. The world was more concrete, more merged than in Cut Here as there was less exposition to cover. Ultimately, it was kind of predictable in where Toshi ends up but I was intrigued by where Kai seems to be going.

[Stephanie]

One of the subplots in this story is the loss of innocence - specifically, enjokosai; middle- to high-school-age girls who go on dates for money in Japan. I really like the incorporation of supernatural crossing with the real world. Can't wait to read the third one.

[Ben]

Arguably even darker and more suspenseful than the first volume, but with a few more splashes of black humour. I'm now eagerly awaiting the final volume at the end of the year to see how it all ties together.

[Lara]

Hmmmm...I dunno. This one seemed a lot more...scattered than the first volume did. Kai and Toshi both have a variety of encounters with yokai, but there doesn't seem to be much that really advances the story until the very end. Still an enjoyable read though.

[Annji]

Yelped for joy when I found volume 2 of this series at a different library. I was surprised to read on Wikipedia that this book didn't sell well in floppy format. Only 19 issues in total so there's only 1 more TPB. Please, oh, please let my library have it on their shelves!

[Trisha]

Family has been torn apart. Brother searches for his sister. He finds date girls with their own set of problems instead. Sister is bound under work with no memory of her past. Both become powerful in unexpected situations.

[robomatey]

The story develops nicely in this installment: Kai and Toshi both have to fulfill their separate stories and the art seems to get a bit better. Not as much of a cliffhanger at the end of this one.

[Erica Crockett]

I like the idea of spirits in everything. Very animist

[C.]

Volume two kept my interest and more -- I think I'll be adding this to my subscription at midtown and start collecting . . .

[Darrell]

the art shifts between stories

[Deborah]

Love it! Can't wait to find out what happens next!

[Marc]

To hear my review go to V for Vertigo at http://vforvertigo.blogspot.com and listen to episode 61 or on iTunes.

[Krystl Louwagie]

A high 3, good intelligent plot and writing. Still like the whimsical fairy tale elements, for sure. Interesting read.

[Lauri]

Ülihea.

[Shannon Appelcline]

A great continuation of the story, with intriguing looks at both Japanese mysticism and (depraved) Tokyo culture.

[Vi]

Pretty good but kind of hard to follow - many sub-plots.

[Sarah]

Continues to develop the world established in the first TPB well. I disagree with e library shelving it under YA because there is some graphic sex talk in here. (Page 65, I'm looking at you.)

[Stacie]

The story sure got weirder, enough said.