Afterlife Inc. Volume 1: Dying to Tell: Tales From The Afterlife
Jon Lock Comics
Writer and Creator: Jon Lock
Artists and Colorists: Ash Jackson, Jack Tempest, Del Borovic, Will Tempest, Roy Huteson Stewart, and Jerry Gaylord
Letterer: Shawn Depasquale
Reviewer: Robert McClelland
Summary: DYING TO TELL: TALES FROM THE AFTERLIFE is a free, online miniseries written by Jon Lock and illustrated by an amazing line-up of independent and mainstream artists. DYING TO TELL presents a wildly different view of the afterlife as seen through the eyes of countless myriad souls that arrive on its shores.
Review: Are you ready for the afterlife and all it may entail? Whether its for better or for worse? Now there are many in the world who believe there is an afterlife when we die. And some have claimed to see a white light when they are between life and death. And if you remember how Hound Comics did things when it came to the afterlife, well you were pretty much screwed in that version. But in what Jon Lock has created here, is just about an entirely different animal. One I think Brimstone himself would probably like. Course he'd be likely out of the job he's in right now. But I'm sure Mr. Fortune would be able to find something for him! So yeah, a majority of folks think that the afterlife is basically either a Heaven or a Hell. Or maybe even a Purgatory or some such like that for those very special folks. But what if it isn't really like that at all? What if even in the afterlife its just like the mortal world? Only you're liable to hang around with folks who've already been dead for hundreds and hundreds of years. Or stuck in the last moment of your death until someone actually decides to help snap you out of it. Well that's pretty much what we're getting with this. Now I may not be describing it all that well, but I'd like to think its somewhat close enough. Jon Lock has what I think is an interesting take on the afterlife.
And he's managed to provide us with a few different view points of several different folks. Folks who at one point or another wind up meeting one man. A man known as Mr. Fortune. Who is practically the man in charge of things. Now you're probably thinking.... How'd the heck that happen!? What about God and his Angels!? Why would this man write such blasphemy!? Now before you start going off about the good Lock for doing something you think as blasphemy. Just read the book first with an open mind. And if that's still not good enough for you, then well... Write a letter to Jon or someone and see what they have to say. Jack Fortune is essentially the man who's modernized the afterlife. Making things better for the folks who've passed on. He's also the man who was smart enough to do something after some great disaster that happened. One that essentially knocked things for a loop and put the ruling class so to speak out to pasture. Now we don't really see any tensions in this story between some of the old ruling class and the new. But I can only assume that's yet to come. Or Fortune's just a really likable guy and they don't want to start trouble just yet. Among some of the more interesting stories in this book. Is the exploration that Artificial Intelligence has a soul. It makes you question if whether or not an A.I. Could have a soul and if it would be allowed to go into the Afterlife. Would the Afterlife even be able to handle it?
Jon Lock Comics
Writer and Creator: Jon Lock
Artists and Colorists: Ash Jackson, Jack Tempest, Del Borovic, Will Tempest, Roy Huteson Stewart, and Jerry Gaylord
Letterer: Shawn Depasquale
Reviewer: Robert McClelland
Summary: DYING TO TELL: TALES FROM THE AFTERLIFE is a free, online miniseries written by Jon Lock and illustrated by an amazing line-up of independent and mainstream artists. DYING TO TELL presents a wildly different view of the afterlife as seen through the eyes of countless myriad souls that arrive on its shores.
Review: Are you ready for the afterlife and all it may entail? Whether its for better or for worse? Now there are many in the world who believe there is an afterlife when we die. And some have claimed to see a white light when they are between life and death. And if you remember how Hound Comics did things when it came to the afterlife, well you were pretty much screwed in that version. But in what Jon Lock has created here, is just about an entirely different animal. One I think Brimstone himself would probably like. Course he'd be likely out of the job he's in right now. But I'm sure Mr. Fortune would be able to find something for him! So yeah, a majority of folks think that the afterlife is basically either a Heaven or a Hell. Or maybe even a Purgatory or some such like that for those very special folks. But what if it isn't really like that at all? What if even in the afterlife its just like the mortal world? Only you're liable to hang around with folks who've already been dead for hundreds and hundreds of years. Or stuck in the last moment of your death until someone actually decides to help snap you out of it. Well that's pretty much what we're getting with this. Now I may not be describing it all that well, but I'd like to think its somewhat close enough. Jon Lock has what I think is an interesting take on the afterlife.
And he's managed to provide us with a few different view points of several different folks. Folks who at one point or another wind up meeting one man. A man known as Mr. Fortune. Who is practically the man in charge of things. Now you're probably thinking.... How'd the heck that happen!? What about God and his Angels!? Why would this man write such blasphemy!? Now before you start going off about the good Lock for doing something you think as blasphemy. Just read the book first with an open mind. And if that's still not good enough for you, then well... Write a letter to Jon or someone and see what they have to say. Jack Fortune is essentially the man who's modernized the afterlife. Making things better for the folks who've passed on. He's also the man who was smart enough to do something after some great disaster that happened. One that essentially knocked things for a loop and put the ruling class so to speak out to pasture. Now we don't really see any tensions in this story between some of the old ruling class and the new. But I can only assume that's yet to come. Or Fortune's just a really likable guy and they don't want to start trouble just yet. Among some of the more interesting stories in this book. Is the exploration that Artificial Intelligence has a soul. It makes you question if whether or not an A.I. Could have a soul and if it would be allowed to go into the Afterlife. Would the Afterlife even be able to handle it?
Answers we're liable to never know. But fun to see get explored in a comic like this. I imagine some of you tech minded folks will like how Lock handles it in this. Now as you noticed from the credits, there are quite a few artists on this book. And in my view, they all do a great job from start to finish. You're liable to find yourself becoming a fan of these good folks too. Another unique thing is that each artist also handled their own coloring as well. The look they along side Lock did for one character called Anahel had me slightly reminded of the Mortal Kombat character Raiden. Only, not as Godly and clearly needing a meal or two but still able to kick a lot of butt. Mr. Ochroid is perhaps one of the most bizarre members of Fortune's team. As you aren't entirely sure what he is. Maybe he was the world's first bit of seaweed that somehow gained sentient life. While a character profile is shown for him, it offers little about what he is. Hopefully Lock will go into his origin at some point. As I think it'll prove pretty interesting. Although I like how he winds up being the Rabbit when it comes to Alice's story. Oh yeah, I do mean Alice of Wonderland fame. Which I had kind of always thought she wasn't based on anyone from life. And just a character that was created for the Wonderland story. Something I should do some research on at some point. I love how Lock alters the well known story for her entry into the Afterlife. Even though there's something of a happy ending. You have to wonder what she'll do when she realizes what's really happened.
Now another part of this story really had me wondering and questioning a few things. If Alice really is a real person, is Sherlock Holmes as well? Or is he just an idea that is so powerful in its own right that it gained a soul of its own that pretty much went to the Afterlife after its apparent death. Can an idea really die out though? Holmes' story in this book really does leave you wondering on that sort of thing. I like that in his story, Lock shows that even in Death you can still be harmed. How he handles that is pretty unique. While I largely for the most part enjoyed reading Afterlife Inc. #1, there was at least two stories I didn't care much for. One of those being about an actor who might be confused about things and the other about an un-named President. You yourself may like those two however. There's just a lot of neat stuff in this book and its all definitely stuff you seriously shouldn't miss out on! So if you're curious about what I've mentioned in this review, especially about how Lock does his version of the Afterlife. Be sure to pick up a copy of this. You don't even have to worry about Possession from the dead either!
4 out of 5 Stars
Now another part of this story really had me wondering and questioning a few things. If Alice really is a real person, is Sherlock Holmes as well? Or is he just an idea that is so powerful in its own right that it gained a soul of its own that pretty much went to the Afterlife after its apparent death. Can an idea really die out though? Holmes' story in this book really does leave you wondering on that sort of thing. I like that in his story, Lock shows that even in Death you can still be harmed. How he handles that is pretty unique. While I largely for the most part enjoyed reading Afterlife Inc. #1, there was at least two stories I didn't care much for. One of those being about an actor who might be confused about things and the other about an un-named President. You yourself may like those two however. There's just a lot of neat stuff in this book and its all definitely stuff you seriously shouldn't miss out on! So if you're curious about what I've mentioned in this review, especially about how Lock does his version of the Afterlife. Be sure to pick up a copy of this. You don't even have to worry about Possession from the dead either!
4 out of 5 Stars