Comics / Manga

Dark Moon Diary: Volume 1

By Leroy Douresseaux
August 28, 2007 - 17:31

Dark Moon Dairy is a new OEL manga written and created by Che Gilson and drawn by Brett Uher.  DMD follows the troubles of Priscilla, an American teen who moves to the apparently Eastern European kingdom of Nachtwald to live with relatives after her parents die.

Nachtwald is populated by various supernatural beings:  ghosts (Priscilla’s homeroom teacher is a Casper-like ghost), werewolves, witches, and zombies.  Priscilla moves into the castle of her aunt, Countess Lilith Moriarity, and Uncle Wolfgar and their petulant daughter, Kitten.  Kitten despises Priscilla from the moment they meet - often referring to Priscilla by using names for food, such as entrée.

Although her parents request it, Kitten refuses to help Priscilla assimilate into teen society at Vlad Tapesh Memorial High School.  She begins to make friends on her own, including the young witch, Isabel, who helps Priscilla find her way around.  Priscilla finds comfort by keeping a daily diary of her new life and exchanging instant messages with her pal, Claire, from back home.  When a prank by Kitten goes awry, however, Priscilla is ready to call it quits.

[This volume includes previews of the manga, Dramacon, Vol. 3 and D.J. Milky’s upcoming prose novel, Karma Club.]

THE LOWDOWN:  In the “Sketchbook” section that acts as an “extra’ at the back of the book, Che Gilson writes that she went with the Goth look for some of the characters, in order to stay away from “Addams Family/Munsters territory.”  However, the influence of famed cartoonist Charles Addams’ unique brand of black humor and macabre characters is evident.  At least, that comes through in Brett Uher’s art, which while stylish, is also simple and clear in the way that it communicates story, atmosphere, and characterization.

Possible influences aside, Dark Moon Diary is basically a Young Adult graphic novel set in a cartoon ghoulish environment not so different from the quirky pop gothic style of filmmaker Tim Burton’s work, in particularly The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Setting it in such a fantastic other world is a clever way to create an extreme environment in which Gilson may depict how tremendously difficult it is for the new girl to fit in.  This is especially true for a teenager who finds her old life suddenly ended because of death in the family, which subsequently forces her to relocate to a new home and school.  I pity her, but find myself enjoying Priscilla’s story.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  I have a weakness for comics and cartoons that are comic macabre and pop gothic such as the work of Richard Sala.  Some of the audience that enjoyed another pop gothic OEL manga, Eric Wight’s My Dead Girlfriend (TOKYOPOP, 2006), might also like this.

B+

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Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51