By Josh Howard (Writer & Artist)
Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m a bit hesitant to read the first chapter of the new Dead @ 17 mini-series because I have yet to finish the Dead @ 17 Ultimate Edition that I picked up a few weeks back. While I’ve been impressed with what I’ve read of Josh Howard’s series so far, I can’t help but wonder if Afterbirth #1 is going to leave me feeling almost completely lost. If that’s the case and I’m clearly in a bad position to be fairly grading the book, I have a backup plan.
The Story: As more and more people become “marked” (and likely one step closer to becomes one of Hell’s minions), Nara and Hazy try to figure out what their next step should be. Meanwhile, members of Zodiac await a messenger…
What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: I’ll openly admit to being intimidated by the daunting recap text that opens Dead @ 17: Afterbirth #1. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that it instantly made me start thinking about how exactly I would write my review “backup plan” style. Thankfully though, my backup plan will remain nothing more than a plan because the first chapter of Dead @ 17: Afterbirth turns out to be surprisingly accessible and quite entertaining once the shock from the recap page wears off.
While it’s clear that I’m missing a large portion of the Dead @ 17 plot (as I expected), Josh Howard does a pretty good job of writing Afterbirth #1 in a way that is sure to satisfy nearly all readers. The unexpectedly complex (somewhat unoriginal) plot is introduced, the necessary information is given, and the story moves forward at a pace that keeps things interesting. That said, there’s no denying how exposition heavy the dialogue feels from time since there’s so much that Howard has to establish.
Now I’m well aware that using lots of exposition is a necessary evil a writer must contend with when writing a number one issue. And, in one sense, I’m happy the evil is necessary since I’m (fairly) new to Howard’s series. But as a critic, I can’t help but notice how awkward some of the exposition feels. It makes some scenes feel clunky and unnatural, especially those that really rely on dialogue to move things along.
The artwork in Dead @ 17: Afterbirth #1 is sure to be divisive because of how often it wanders into cheesecake territory (though the same could be said of the dialogue, which gets a bit silly at times). However, that doesn’t mean that it’s devoid of universally appealing traits. Howard’s distinct style is clean, crisp, and full of personality. Also, visually, Afterbirth’s story flows quite well. Though I will say that an early costume change can turn out to be a source of confusion if you aren’t paying close attention. The major downside to Howard’s style is that it makes every female character look exactly the same as far as facial features are concerned. When reading Afterbirth #1, you will quickly realize that hairstyle and hair color are truly defining character traits.
Conclusion: Dead @ 17: Afterbirth #1 is stylish, intriguing, and surprisingly friendly to new readers, but it does have a noticeable flaw or two. Still, I recommend picking the comic up whether you are returning to the series or checking it out for the first time. You’ll probably be glad that you did.
Grade: C+
-Kyle Posluszny
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