By d. emerson eddy — Continuing with a perusal through some of my favourite comics published by AfterShock Comics, I wanted to shift away from my usual predilection for horror and its variants for some existential science-fiction. Among the things that I've been impressed by from AfterShock, it's that they're not stuck simply to one genre or storytelling approach, and it leads to some idiosyncratic stories, like World Reader from Jeff Loveness, Juan Doe, Rachel Deering, and Dave Sharpe.

The story follows Sarah and a team of astronauts as they search for life on other planets, or rather what happened to the life on other planets, trying to discover answers about Earth's own impending doom. To that end, Sarah is a “world reader”, a kind of psychic that can see the remnants of the planets' populace to try to piece together what occurred across the universe. Naturally, her fellow astronauts don't believe her, which kind of makes you wonder why she was sent in the first place.

Jeff Loveness weaves a few mysteries through the plot, including Sarah's abilities and presence, through a tale that really feels like a cautionary fable about climate change and how humanity in general is a violent, greedy species. There are some interesting twists along the way, though I'd kind of forewarn there are some third act speed bumps. Personally, I feel that the change in the third act enhance the existential nightmare being presented and echo the turbulence of what Sarah is going through. Making you question whether or not humanity is even worth saving.

The ethereal and fable-like feeling of the story is beautifully conveyed through Juan Doe's artwork. There really is no other artist that I can think of that is like Doe. He shares a minimalist, exaggerated approach to cartooning like someone like Scott Morse, but the visual appearance of Doe's work is wholly unique. His characters are shapes and colors on an atmospheric background, pretty much making you feel the story as much as read and comprehend it. It's a wonderful approach.

Both Rachel Deering and Dave Sharpe (who steps in for two chapters towards the end of the story) capitalize on Doe's artwork, incorporating some of the lettering into the washes in some of the panels. Opting for direct text on top of the art, rather than narration boxes. Combined with unique word balloons for some of the characters and alien glyphs, there's a seamlessness to the creators working together here to tell the story.

Overall, World Reader by Loveness, Doe, Deering, and Sharpe is a wonderful existential exploration of life, how it came to be, why it exists, and whether or not it's worth existing, wrapped in a science-fiction cautionary tale about climate change and our own hubris.

Classic Comic of the Week: World Reader

World Reader

World Reader
Writer: Jeff Loveness
Artist: Juan Doe
Letterers: Rachel Deering & Dave Sharpe
Publisher: AfterShock
Meet Sarah, an astronaut traveling from dead planet to dead planet, talking to the ghosts of the dead worlds...as she fights to discover the secret that’s killing the universe. But Death doesn't give up its secrets so easily, and as Death hunts her from planet to planet, Sarah struggles to maintain the trust of her crew and her own sanity in the endless ocean of lives. Every world has a story, and if she can find the secret tying them all together, she can save Earth from being the next world to die.
Release Date: November 8, 2017
Price: $14.99
More Info: World Reader
Order the Book: World Reader, Vol. 1

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.