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Afterlife Inc by Jon Lock was probably the best comic I read last year. It’s the story of Jack Fortune, the recently-installed head of Afterlife Inc, the organisation that runs the Empyrean. The Empyrean is a near infinite citadel where everyone goes when they die. Hell? Heaven? Same place, different floor. Sooner or later, everyone goes to the Empyrean.
The first two volumes are smart, funny, colossally ambitious and at times deeply moving. It’s a real pleasure then to see that volume three, “Lifeblood”, is scheduled for release later this year. Funded by a successful kickstarter campaign it sees Jack do the worst thing any new broom can; try and modernise. The Empyrean relies on Manna for energy and, when Jack attempts to revolutionise the industry he finds revolt in the ranks and threats outside them. As Jon himself puts it;
“Terrible things are lurking beneath the surface of Jack’s Brave New World. And nothing stays buried forever...”
Jon’s joined by Ash Jackson and Nathan Ashworth on art duties and “Lifeblood” is currently due for release in autumn of this year. In the meantime, a preview has been put up on Jon’s website, and the link is below. You can also buy volumes one and two from him there and you really should, they’re great. Alternately, if you’re a digital comics fan, the first two volumes are both available there too. This is a great series and it’s a delight to see it doing so well. Especially as the longer the book runs, the more likely Jon is to tell the story of Jack’s mysterious tie…
Click on images to see larger versions…
Alasdair Stuart
• Jon’s website: http://www.jonlock.com/afterlifeinc
• Free preview of volume 3: http://www.jonlock.com/afterlifeinc/lifeblood
• Comixology page: http://www.comixology.com/search?search=afterlife+inc
• Alasdair’s reviews of Volumes 1 & 2
