Aftershock Comics 2018
Written by Sean Lewis
Illustrated by Antonio Fuso
Coloured by Stefano Simeone
Lettered by Dave Sharpe
Finola has a problem—her father is losing his mind. All the old king cares about is power...and Finola thinks power is stupid. Finola thinks her vicious older sisters are stupid. Finola thinks the royal court is stupid, and above all she thinks the clans across the country are stupid. So she makes a plan with her good friend Cillian: Let's kill all the clans. And then, we go for dad.
There is always room for another supernaturally driven book with mad kings controlled by an even worse Goddess in Balor. I mean heck it’s almost like in the Lord of the Rings when they came across the controlled King Theodon. This is the kind of adult story that we crave and not because there is goddess booby or anything like that, though hello naked women galore were are the men who should be equally as naked.
The way Sean has this structured so the opening is as dramatic and impressionable as it is and then leads into the youngest of the Kings daughters is extremely well done. Finola and her friend and trusted confidant Cillian are on one of the adventures only this one is different from those in the past. I like how we see them and in the middle of something unexpected, well at least by me. Sean really has found a way to tell this story so that there seem to be surprises around every corner. The way the book the flows, the release of information and the characterisation here is full of wonder and fuels the imagination.
So it’s interesting to see the mix of characters that we see and meet in this first issue. I like that it has this way of introducing so many without it feeling crowded or having them thrust upon us. This just has this almost perfect way about it that it flows so that it just doesn’t seem to have enough pages to it. I.E. it leaves you wanting so much more. It is amazing to me that Sean is able to create something that leaves so much past unexplored and merely hinted at that is so utterly intriguing and makes you want to know more. Ireland is rife with history of monsters, druids, fey and the invasion of the Church not to mention the animosity with England all of it permeates the pages here.
The interior artwork here is amazing to see. Antonio is a superb artist and illustrator and that he manages to create such a mix of stylized versus attention to detail that is so good! I mean to see the way he brings these characters to life is stunning and the atmosphere he creates envelops you like this mist that just hangs there like a comfortable old blanket. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off such a great eye for storytelling. Plus that backgrounds are utilised as they are to expand the story and this world makes me happy.
The whole entire mix of historical and fictional aspects that fit such a time period like it does is something that is blended than any Bailey’s frozen Russian, and those are damn good. The way the interest factor has been thought up and executed in so many different ways and sidebars that I as a reader I want to see explored more. I mean the Church alone is so filled with deviant behaviour that seems to rival the Kings and that deal which is mentioned yeah there is intrigue and a desire to know more at every turn.
I cannot tell you how much this story not only impressed me but gave me chills and left me wanting more. It is exceptionally well written and it’s filled with imagery that enhances said story. This is going to be one you don’t want to miss!