Aftershock Comics 2020
Written by Inaki Miranda & Roy Miranda
Illustrated by Inaki Miranda
Coloured by Eva De La Cruz
Lettered by Dave Sharpe
The encounter with the Bengal Ripper puts the group’s survival to the test. Their lives now rest on Simon’s shoulders, but in the Broken Lands every wrong step comes with a consequence. Tala and Hototo, now joined by their new friends, Humbo and Alice, find themselves dragged onto a new and unsafe path. Reaching the train to Mother Megalopolis Nine is becoming an uncertain milestone.
Oh my stars and garters this is amazing! I have to say that I really thought that things would progress a tad differently but there is certainly a huge wow factor here. From the concept alone and then how the first issue got us underway there were a million and one (plus) directions this could have gone and to see this one well it’s rather extraordinary. This is why Aftershock is one of today’s best publishing houses, and they have that knack for finding creators whose stories showcase a wide array of skill and talent. For me this is one that I would love to see as an animated feature once it’s completed as the creativity and imagination of what we see would inherently render itself to that kind of vehicle.
I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is extremely well presented. I adore the fact that what you think is going to happen, doesn’t and that you are constantly surprised as the story moves forward. The character development is interesting to me. I say this because I wanted to learn more about the guide and even more so after the opening here though it does show us regardless of what era it may be humans shoot first and don’t question ever. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way we are treated to this unexpected adventure.
I like the way that we see this being structured and how the layering within the story continue to drive forward still create this electrifying atmosphere. I love how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow and how seamlessly it all appears to be, it really is rather lovely.
The interiors are utterly beautiful. The linework is sensational and how we see the varying weights being utilised to create such vivid detail work is extraordinary. I also get this Giffen vibe from the work which is rather comforting in an odd way. Though it’s how the panels are filled and the utilisation of the backgrounds comes into play. They enhance the moments, provide this depth perception and the overall sense of size and scope to the story while showcasing this new world full of exotic creatures. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling. The colour work here is vibrant and full of verve and whether we see them solid or through the various hues and tones within the colours creates this gorgeous shading, highlights and shadow work. This really showcases what colour is capable of and with the right creativity and imagination you can change someone’s day through how we use and see colour.
This is the kind of book that you encounter and think it’s going to be interesting and it’s Aftershock so you know it’ll be good but nothing will prepare you for what is inside. This is somewhere between a roller coaster ride and a journey through The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. So given a choice what kind of experience do you want to have.