Aftershock Comics 2016
Created & Written by Frank Barbiere
Created & Illustrated by Garry Brown
Coloured by Lauren Affe
Lettered by Dave Sharpe
How far would you go to save reality? Martin Monroe is The Revisionist—a time-traveling assassin tasked with repairing our fractured timeline. Forced to place his trust in his estranged father, Martin will have to overcome his troubled past to save the future—but can he live with his decisions?
There’s something about this series that strikes the fancy in a reader. The thought of someone being sent through time to right the wrongs, subtle or not so subtle manipulations that have been done to alter the future. There’s a fine line between those with the power who know and the common people who have no idea anything’s changed and which has the better life. When it’s done for personal gain there are those who will do what they can to put things right but what if it’s done for the good of humanity? Who decides which is which? That’s what came to mind when I read this first issue. So what Frank did was draw me into the possibilities of this series without even having to detail what Martin is truly having to face.
This issue really focuses on Martin and establishing the kind of man he is. The characterization is strong and he’s a man who seems to have made mistakes, paid the price for those and is still trying to be the best man he can be. That being said he’s not the hardened kind of individual who can wantonly kill though apparently he does. The opening is one of him on his current mission and we see the kind of person he’s been forced to become. With futuristic gadgets, that don’t seem all that far ahead of what we could now there’s an excitement and thrill involved with what we see.
Then moving backwards to when and how his new life started is when we really learn about the man himself. It’ll be interesting to learn about how he found himself where his journey began. Why he’s estranged from his father to begin with and how he’s learning to connect and trust this man who has been absent for so long. Then comes the question of is he doing this because he wanted to save his own life or is it much larger than that? Does his motivation change during the opening arc once he, and we, learn exactly what’s at stake and what he’s being asked to do? All things that present themself extremely well here.
Garry and Lauren do a nice job on the interiors. Granted it’s a little more vague than I usually care for but there’s definitely something to be said for Garry’s style. It almost feels like it combines that action/adventure/science fiction feel with a more romantic styling. It has this kind of Noir feel to it as well and I think that gives it that romantic styling to me. Regardless Garry’s eye for storytelling through the use of pages and panels is extremely well done.
This feels like it could be a show on the SyFy network it’s incredibly solid, well constructed and executed. With a great premise an interesting lead character and some nice interior artwork Aftershock has another stellar offering on the table.