Descendent #1
AfterShock Comics
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artists: Evgeniy Bornyakov & Lauren Affe
“Conspiracy theories, government corruption, and a really good mix of Prince…”. This is the initial description of AfterShock’s new mystery series. Despite me expecting a very straight forward kind of story this is not what we get at all and that’s for the best.
In the first chapter, we get a tiny glimpse into the mystery that’s about to unfold as babies from famous politicians start getting kidnapped out of the blue with the similarity being a weird symbol left on both scenes. The protagonist, David Corey, is a conspiracy theorist who is on to the kidnappings since he believes they’re connected to the Lindbergh one, which brought attention to the same symbol. Along with the issue, we get to know David’s ex-wife and attorney, Amanda Mansfield, who clearly has some problems with Corey’s theories yet finds it hard to disbelief them. There are also two detectives involved who apparently will be the police core of the story which always brings a lot to a mystery tale.
Stephanie Phillips’ writing is new to me, but nothing felt out of place. According to the series’ synopsis, the story will escalate plenty as it progresses, and yet, the writer managed to give it a paced and mannered introduction. Although I would love to have an idea of just how big the mystery can get, the secrecy of it is what will keep me reading this at the edge of my metaphorical seat. The comic has an X-Files feel to it but with more chemistry among the main characters, since they share a past, which only makes the read even more enjoyable and fluid.
Evgeniy Bornyakov’s art is a comic book treasure. Facial expressions are on point as are the character’s poses. The artwork is kept on a balance point between realistic and stylized making it a beautiful book without getting too tiresome. Bornyakov complements Phillips’ cinematographic style of storytelling beautifully, representing each panel exactly as the writer intended for dramatic effect. The color of this book is equally amazing. Lauren Affe gives the comic impeccably detailed shading contributing to the realism mentioned above and the choice of opaque color tones serve to point that, as the mystery unfolds, everything still looks normal.
Descendent #1 is an interesting start to a true mystery filled comic book, first I’ve ever come to read. I expected an insight on both sides of the mystery right away but realized I didn’t know what I wanted as the talented creative team showed me, playing their cards close to their chest. The readers will get to see the case develop along with the characters which make for a thrilling read of an investigative story.
Descendent #1
Descendent #1 is an interesting start to a mystery filled comic book, first I've ever come to read. I expected an insight on both sides of the mystery right away but realized I didn't know what I wanted as the talented creative team showed me, playing their cards close to their chest. The readers will get to see the case develop along with the characters which makes for a thrilling read of an investigative story.
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Characters
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Art