Filed under: Comic Reviews, Indie Comics | Tags: Afterlife Inc., Ash Jackson, Grant Perkins, Jack Davies, Jack Fortune, Jack Tempest, Jade Sarson, Jon Lock, Mark Pearce, Nadine Ashworth, Sean McSorley, Thought Bubble, Warwick Fraser-Coombe, Will Tempest
This second volume from Jon Lock sees the days of Jack Fortune, head of Afterlife Inc., continue his business on the other side.
Strange that death as main focus for a title would have such a broad set of topics that all seem to appeal and this second volume has a definite feeling of two halves. Four chapters make up the first arc with the Near Death tale – a strong place to start from Lock as the other side faces an onslaught from the government as they try and bring the afterlife under their command – I guess that invasions have a broader range of targets than we’d think. This arc proves to be the most intriguing for me as we have a longer story to get our teeth into and we can immerse ourselves alongside Jack as he fights to defend the Afterlife…..both the business and the place to go after death. Of course Jack comes back on top as the attack is returned on the ‘Project Otherside’ and its volunteer recruits…..not to mention it’s grizzled man in charge.
The second half follows a familiar format to that first volume where a mish-mash of ideas and plotlines unravel with a typically smart and imaginative take on the day-to-day goings on for those trying to get through death. A mix of the morid, the bizarre, the poignant and the funny and each one has its merits and even though Near Death was my favourite part of this second volume there are definitely some hidden gems within these shorts too. In particular, the poker game story and the x-files-esque take on the real Jack Fortune…….if that IS his name….because there’s a body in the morgue that suggests otherwise.
As a package, the AfterLife Inc. volumes are impressive as much for the range of writing themes/styles poured into the pages as much as the mix of art too. Ranging from highly detailed works to cartoony fun which all seem to fit together in some messed up, post-death kind of way – so it’s kudos to Ash Jackson, Jack Tempest, Sean McSorley, Grant Perkins, Jack Davies, Jade Sarson, Mark Pearce, Warwick Fraser-Coombe, Will Tempest & Nadine Ashworth as they add the depth and detail in the artwork. Just like volume one there’s a series of pinups & profiles before a final short tale of Jack Fortunes misfortunes while trying to maintain his business. So from each volume, you’re getting more than enough quality stories for your buck – a mix of writing, art and subject matter that will make you laugh and think. That makes the hopes for a third volume all the more real as Jon Lock, like a number of creators in recent times, has opened up a kickstarter project to keep the momentum going on his passion for the Afterlife Inc. title he’s created. One I hope he fulfills so that more people can continue to enjoy it.
Get onto the website or even this weekend’s Thought Bubble (17th & 18th November) to get hold of the first two volumes:
Add your much needed to support to the kickstarter to keep the momentum going on a TOP UK release:
Afterlife Inc. Volume 3 Kickstarter
Here’s some early concept art of the Harvest, a major character for inclusion in that 3rd volume:
8/10
G-Man
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