Aftershock Comics 2017
Written by Donny Cates
Illustrated by Garry Brown
Coloured by Mark Englert
Lettered by Taylor Esposito
Well this issue doesn’t bring us the crazy secret order or anyone trying to kill anyone today which is kind of both joyful and disappointing at the same time. Nope it’s time to see more of Clark after he was born and how Sadie came to realise he drinks blood. It’s all well and good because the more we learn about how this started and got to the point where the series opened the better for me anyway.
This issue kind of spotlights Aunt Heather. We get a real good look at through Sadie’s eyes. It isn’t sugar coated or seen through that whole big sister filter I mean we get the whole kit and kaboodle. She’s violent, has major issues (more issues than The American Journal of Science) and is one scary ass chick but she’s also Sadie’s sister and she’s loving, caring and would, will, do anything for her.
I will admit the characterisation that Donny brings here is pretty amazing. I mean did Heather quit using when she discovered her sister was pregnant? Or was there another reason why? Makes you wonder all things considered. I like that Donny can write this and make you think about things other than what’s straight up on the page so that it engages the reader’s mind and imagination.
Garry’s interiors are dark, brooding and moody which fits perfectly well within the story itself. I’m not even going to complain about no backgrounds because of the oft nighttime dark atmosphere we are supposed to have. His faces though are a treasure and they are expressive and give off emotions and feelings so very well. The use of page layouts there are nicely done with their angles and perspective. Oh and what Clark called through the rift he created is utterly cute!
I like that Heather tries to bring up what happened when Clark was born and Sadie wants no part of that discussion. I mean the world kind of went to hell and it’s no coincidence though at this point Sadie doesn’t want to fully commit to the idea of what her son is. Though we do learn the identity of the baby’s supposed father this issue. So now that we know his identity hopefully we’ll learn more about him and why he and his seed are well whatever it is.
So is Clark the devil incarnate or just some kind of demonspawn? Ironically named after Superman he’s going to be the Lex Luthor of his world instead and that should be interesting to see unfold if he lives that long. I’m still not sure how long after he was born that Sadie began this video diary of his birth but that’s okay because it means there’s still time and plenty of issues to go to get there.
Not like other stories of it’s ilk it’s got a fresh, new and original feel to it. I like that we are constantly on the run in that we have no idea what’s happening so we have no choice but to just enjoy the ride. In some ways it feels like the Munsters or the Addams Family mixed with a little Rosemary’s Baby and that it works is exciting in its own right.