Aftershock Comics 2018
Created & Written by Lonnie Nadler & Zac Thompson
Created & Illustrated by Kyle Charles
Coloured by Dee Cunniffe
Lettered by Ryan Ferrier
Unable to cope with the burden of grief, a middle-aged mom descends the nine circles of hell to retrieve her forsaken family. Guided by the ghosts of William Blake and Agatha Christie, this no-nonsense mother journeys deep into a bizarre underworld filled with celebrity sinners, surreal landscapes, and absurd tasks. HER INFERNAL DESCENT is a retelling of Dante’s Inferno that updates the themes for a modern audience.
Oh my goodness the opening alone was gut-wrenching and heartfelt writing. Not sure what kind of direction Kyle was given but I’ll be damned if my emotions didn’t run the gamut. At first I was in the squinty eye and raised brow what mindset which went to a kind of shock or horror to that feeling when you see a little old lady who just seems to be all alone. Shock and anger to pity and sympathy all in what two pages that is some absolutely mighty fine storytelling right there!
The structure of the book and well it transitions from moment to moment is beautifully done, the template for this is one of those times when classic literature, or epic poem, really describes it perfectly. So to update this one our nameless middle-aged wife and mother finds her own guide in the form of a Shade to begin the journey to find and reunite with her family. Now I am not sure what happened to her family but it was something very significant for her. This is where we wonder what happened what could have been so tragic that she’s all alone and that experience has left her looking and feeling twice her age?
When you become part of the story that’s when you realise just how darn good the story is. Also if truth be told it does also make me want to revisit Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso by Dante as well. So when you are able to lose yourself in the story and it has that “educational” aspect of leading you to the original works well Bravissimo! Also really is so beautifully told her tour guide through this journey, at least for now, can be vexing not exactly forthcoming but still makes for what I think is an interesting choice. It also leads us to the characterisation and that shines in some very unexpected and unusual ways.
Kyle and Dee wow. I adore the way that page layouts are being utilised here and in the process how we see the angles and perspectives in the panels as it showcases this truly gifted eye for storytelling. To be able to weave backgrounds into this is utterly spectacular to me considering where we are. Also Dee’s ability to make the Shades well Shades through the colouring is both creepy and spectacular at the same time. Also the creativity and imagination that’s on display some of which we don’t even realise until the third or fourth read through is breathtaking. So much characterisation and story development that we see in their work is really phenomenal.
The unexpected and expected people that we are seeing here is pretty weird, nice and unsettling but this isn’t my afterlife and whom I would expect to see this is the boys version of Hell and no explanation of why these folks are here is really necessary. The man on the last page if he’s whom I think he is I am just going to bow my head and concede to the guys my reverence.
Had I not known in advance, thanks blurb, that this was their updated version on Dante’s epic poem I might not have guessed that. With it’s current cast of characters and the promise of what’s to come this holds incredible potential within it’s pages to become one of the years most exciting limited series.