Aftershock Comics 2019
Written by Adam Glass & Olivia Cuartero-Briggs
Illustrated by Hayden Sherman
Lettered by Sal Cipriano
Displeased with her first attempt at creating man, Victoria prepares to end the creature’s life mere moments after it began. Horrified, Mary convinces Victoria to allow her to educate Ad-am—as she names him—before making any rash decisions. Though the results of Mary’s work are astounding, the events that follow lead her to wish she had just let him die...
Alright so I know this is still in the whole set-up phase for the series, getting us familiar with the characters and the setting but I feel like this is moving slower than I was expecting. So that doesn’t mean I am not enjoying this because I am and as always the concepts that Adam works with usually pan out into something I don’t want to live without. This is my introduction to Olivia in comic books so I have no idea who is doing what here but she’s cutting her teeth as it were so together these two are making a magnificent spin on a legend.
I do like the way that this is being structured. The way that we learn information and how the drama just keeps coming and piling up is extremely well done. I also like that the way that the drama Mary is forced to endure fuels her desire to help Victoria create her monster. The way that we see this happening really is fantastic. How we see him come to life and his actions those are funny, not haha funny but funny nonetheless. Then of course we get to see what’s starting and suddenly it’s three weeks later.
The one thing I am sorry about is that we don’t get to spend much time with Mary’s friends or with the man who’s marriage she interrupted. It would have been nice if we were able to get a better grasp on them, why they are staying and what has motivated them to stick around. While I never did understand how they could go traipsing around for months on end it would still be nice to get the opportunity to get a better grasp on them. Though if anything were to happen with Adam then they are disposable, at least from my point of view.
Hayden has a very unique style to his work. At times it comes off as crazy and dynamic and other times it looks incredibly simple and either way the way he’s able to bring emotion and feelings to the page is something that’s nice to see. Also I am very much liking seeing Adam on the table with all the stitching, the fuzzy body and nipples. All of that made me hot for creature. He really does know and understand how to effectively utilise angles and perspective when he’s composing the panels too. What we see is much more impactful with his eye for storytelling and the way we see page layouts being utilised. The colour work is interesting as well. How light sources are being utilised so they create shading, shadows and the colour blocking is great to see.
The last page here is the kind of ending we’ve been waiting for! It looks like things are about to get that much interesting and dangerous in this story and I can’t wait to see that happen. I love historical fiction and the way that we are getting to see Mary Shelley’s novel come to life in her real life as well. It is a very excellent twist on the classic story and based on her real life so that the lines blur between reality, fiction and fantasy. Once again Adam’s involved in such a killer story centred around taking what is and stretching it as far as it’ll go.