An enjoyable fantasy comic. An event called The Glowing devastated the human population of the earth and fundamentally altered the animals. The world now glows with dangerous beautiful colours. The survivors have gathered together in settlements to try reestablish themselves in the changed world. Lacey, a young woman, lives in a settlement, Lacey’s mother had seen the beauty in the Glowing and the new world and Lacey does the same. This puts her at odds with the rest of the settlement who see danger not beauty. When Lacey sees the sign of an impending new event she finds the conflict with the settlers grows more intense. Lacey leaves the settlement with her enormous cat, Afterglow and heads into the woods outside the settlement. Her adventures develop nicely and come to a satisfactory conclusion.
The story has a big awkward problem that Pat Shand resolves as much as possible, he is severely limited by the story framework he has chosen. The problem is that being right is not enough in fiction or real life. Afterglow takes a position that being right is enough and that seriously undermines the dramatic tension and force of the story. Lacey is right about the impending problem and she is very quick to tell everyone both, she is also an almighty pain in the head. Whiny and deeply self righteous she has no time or space for anyone else, they have no room or right to have a different opinion from hers because she is right. The rest of the people in the settlement are dowdy , ungrateful foils to her colourful righteousness. If being right is enough it is a justification for being as selfish as Lacey is, as unwilling to make any effort to understand a different point of view and as willing to flout the rules and norms of the settlement with a vocal disapproval and angry resentment. Unfortunately this reduces the potential for drama as there is only one character and a bunch of props.
When Lacey leaves the settlement the problem follows along beside her as she arrives at the anti-settlement full of wisdom and colour where she is recognised as being right which is as problematic in dramatic terms as the situation she left behind.
It is the writing that takes place away from the core problem of being right and unwilling to recognise the fact that yelling is a very poor way to convince anyone that Pat Shand’s talent shines and the story quietly and deeply engages the reader. Lacey’s relationship with Afterglow is warm, loving and heartfelt. Off her soapbox Lacey is an engaging character who has space for someone else. Her crush on one of the girls in the settlement is understated and a nicely done. The rest of the cast are pretty functional, they serve a purpose without ever being someone. The plot mechanics gives everyone enough action to justify their place in the story.
K.Lynn Smiths gorgeous art brings the reader into the story and smooths over the rough edges of the plot nudges to allow the more engaging aspects to the story shine. Lacey is given a tremendous energy and life that do a lot to counterbalance her selfishness. The new colourful world is realised with subtle skill, the colouring creates emotional tones that lifts the story, capturing and bringing out the details of the location and the cast.
Jim Campbell’s letters are understated and fit so naturally into the flow of the story they never call attention to themselves.
Afterglow has a beating heart, it is a bit hidden but well worth reading to feel it.
