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After the Fall
Earth. 116 years after the fall.
Giala and her tribe survive within the ruins of a post-apocalyptic metropolis, but their already-savage lives are turned upside down when a gang of slave traders attack. The men are killed and the women thrown in chains. Giala narrowly escapes the onslaught when a monstrous creature joins the fray. But as she flees, she has just one thought in mind: returning to save the children of the tribe, locked away and helpless to defend themselves from the encroaching wild. Along the way, she accepts the help of a band of mutant refugees with strange powers who offer her the chance to discover the ultimate secret behind the devastating cataclysm...
An adrenaline-fueled romp through a dystopic wasteland in the proud tradition of fan-favorite video games and anime from the 80s and 90s, this hard hitting adventure leaps off the page thanks to the imagination of sci-fi writer LAURENT QUEYSSI< [Philip K. Dick: A Comics Biography] and the lushly painted designs of artist JUZHEN [Konungar].
Giala and her tribe survive within the ruins of a post-apocalyptic metropolis, but their already-savage lives are turned upside down when a gang of slave traders attack. The men are killed and the women thrown in chains. Giala narrowly escapes the onslaught when a monstrous creature joins the fray. But as she flees, she has just one thought in mind: returning to save the children of the tribe, locked away and helpless to defend themselves from the encroaching wild. Along the way, she accepts the help of a band of mutant refugees with strange powers who offer her the chance to discover the ultimate secret behind the devastating cataclysm...
An adrenaline-fueled romp through a dystopic wasteland in the proud tradition of fan-favorite video games and anime from the 80s and 90s, this hard hitting adventure leaps off the page thanks to the imagination of sci-fi writer LAURENT QUEYSSI< [Philip K. Dick: A Comics Biography] and the lushly painted designs of artist JUZHEN [Konungar].
88 pages, Hardcover
First published January 4, 2017
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 19, 2021
Two stars for the art. The story is all over the place and really goes off the rails at the end. It's your standard mankind 100 years after most of humanity was killed off plot mixed with old school barbarians and boobies.
October 15, 2021
I love Magnetic Press, and the comics they get translated and publish. Except for this one. This one is quite bad.
It takes the worst of European comics art - lithe ladies with huge tits, muscled men with huge tits, all of them looking like dead-eyed plasticky mannequins - and tells quite a dumb story with it.
It's the post-apocalypse, and the people that have caused it look like they've spent more time at the gym than in a lab.
There is a twist at the end, which I did not see coming until juuust before it was revealed, because the fact that a twist was coming was so bluntly telegraphed.
This comic is really silly.
(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)
It takes the worst of European comics art - lithe ladies with huge tits, muscled men with huge tits, all of them looking like dead-eyed plasticky mannequins - and tells quite a dumb story with it.
It's the post-apocalypse, and the people that have caused it look like they've spent more time at the gym than in a lab.
There is a twist at the end, which I did not see coming until juuust before it was revealed, because the fact that a twist was coming was so bluntly telegraphed.
This comic is really silly.
(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)
November 3, 2021
Pretty standard post-apocalyptic tale, with lots of violence, pseudoscience, women only dressing in bikinis, silly plot twists, and a bit of the old ultra-violence. The art was pretty gripping, but there was nothing in the story to really grip me, nothing that I haven't seen many times before.
September 7, 2021
I found the beginning quite boring but it got better when they explained what was going on.
Also the illustrator clearly has no idea how breasts work. Every single breast-having character had perfectly round and perky breasts regardless of their size and despite the fact that they were only supported by teeny tiny strips of fabric (or nothing at all in some cases).
Also the illustrator clearly has no idea how breasts work. Every single breast-having character had perfectly round and perky breasts regardless of their size and despite the fact that they were only supported by teeny tiny strips of fabric (or nothing at all in some cases).
September 9, 2023
Haven't read a comic in a few years and let me tell you that this one is an enjoyable book. So I want to kindly thank Diamond Book Distributors, Laurent Queyssi and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We follow the events 116 years after the Fall, when Giala and her tribe are attacked by some barbarians who enslave her and the other women and the little kids are trapped in a cave.
After a while Giala manages to escape and she's trying to find her way back to the kids, but doesn't know where she is, until she encounters a group of freaks that quickly become her friends.
They go to a big tower because there lives a man who can help Giala but in exchange he needs her earphones that she stole from the barbarians.
However, when she finally finds her way home and saves the children, we alongside her and the freaks find out someone's story about what actually happened that caused the Fall in the first place.
The story is great and the ending is even greater, having a twist I didn't expect. 4 Stars!
We follow the events 116 years after the Fall, when Giala and her tribe are attacked by some barbarians who enslave her and the other women and the little kids are trapped in a cave.
After a while Giala manages to escape and she's trying to find her way back to the kids, but doesn't know where she is, until she encounters a group of freaks that quickly become her friends.
They go to a big tower because there lives a man who can help Giala but in exchange he needs her earphones that she stole from the barbarians.
However, when she finally finds her way home and saves the children, we alongside her and the freaks find out someone's story about what actually happened that caused the Fall in the first place.
The story is great and the ending is even greater, having a twist I didn't expect. 4 Stars!
September 11, 2021
Hmmm... Utterly illogical superpowers, people surviving to great age even when the post-Apocalyptic setting is one beast attack after one tribe-on-tribe attack after another beast attack – this really is a hokey old genre comic, and no mistake. Normally the ultra-glossy sheen to the art would be really appealing, but it generally gets lavished on boobies, and ultimately feels quite wasted on such a shonky plot as this. The ending is so rubbish you doubt if the whole thing was written by someone outside their teenaged years... A generous two stars for the visual craft.
August 28, 2020
3,5*
Na de apocalypse
Dark Dragon Books
Na de apocalypse
Dark Dragon Books
December 10, 2021
1.5 stars*.
After the Fall is a post-apocalyptic comic book, telling the story of the remnants of humanity after a cataclysmic event that altered life on Earth for good. We follow Giala as she endures a life in an incredibly hostile environment and deals with grief and heartache, while also fighting to survive against a myriad of enemies.
I am a sucker for good post-apocalyptic stories. The scenario itself—some event or a series of events that sets off a chain reaction and alters life of humanity seems so full of potential, and so interesting to consider. I always gravitate to those stories, because in my experience post-apocalyptic stories often examine what it is to be human, what it is to endure even when everything is quite literally turned against you. So, naturally, when I saw After the Fall, I had to give it a shot.
One of the things that I liked the most was the art style—each frame was so gorgeously rendered, I ended up staring at each page, simply admiring it as a separate work of art. The shading, the colors, the shapes—it all helped create a really authentic atmosphere and helped the story feel more fleshed out. My compliments to the artist in that regard. However I have to say I wasn’t the biggest fan of how sexualized the female characters appeared in the comic book. While male characters sported practical gear that also made sense as protection, women’s clothing was reduced to skimpy outfits at best, or completely pointless a-piece-of-cloth-over-the-crotch outfits. I realize that it was a deliberate choice; however, I still find it quite unnecessary, especially given the contrast with outfits of male characters.
The plot, the worldbuilding and the characters are the weakest aspect of this graphic novel. Overall, the world of After the Fall feels like a mashup of every post-apocalyptic cliche and trope: a cold war-esque conflict that led to the end of life as we know it, remnants of humanity reverting back to barbaric social structures, warring tribes and mutants—it all feels very rehashed and lacks any sort of original spark, twist or subversion that could have made it interesting or didn’t feel as redundant. Although the artwork elevated the experience significantly, it still felt like I was seeing something already all-too-familiar. Though we’re given some backstory as to what happened to transform the world, we’re not given many world-building details beyond that, as a result of which, this world doesn’t feel unique or interesting. It feels very generic. Add the women in the skimpy clothing and it felt like I was playing a low-budget post-apocalyptic PC game from the early 2000s, that somehow got someone very talented working for the project in their graphics department.
The dialogue and the plot didn’t stand out at all. In fact, the dialogue at certain points felt very forced and artificial. I got the idea of the plot, but I think it required better writing for a more successful execution—the idea was interesting, but it’s fleshed out quite poorly. The themes of grief, heartache and discovery are left unexplored, and the reader only gets the sense of those emotions through the illustrations—none of the writing supports the emotional punch the reader is supposed to go through.
The characters, due to the poor writing weren’t memorable; the character design was interesting but it wasn’t something I hadn’t seen before, especially for the main characters. The only character that is sort of fleshed out is Giala, but even she appears quite flat.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy After the Fall. It has some redeeming qualities, but overall I was quite dissatisfied with most elements of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of After the Fall.
After the Fall is a post-apocalyptic comic book, telling the story of the remnants of humanity after a cataclysmic event that altered life on Earth for good. We follow Giala as she endures a life in an incredibly hostile environment and deals with grief and heartache, while also fighting to survive against a myriad of enemies.
I am a sucker for good post-apocalyptic stories. The scenario itself—some event or a series of events that sets off a chain reaction and alters life of humanity seems so full of potential, and so interesting to consider. I always gravitate to those stories, because in my experience post-apocalyptic stories often examine what it is to be human, what it is to endure even when everything is quite literally turned against you. So, naturally, when I saw After the Fall, I had to give it a shot.
One of the things that I liked the most was the art style—each frame was so gorgeously rendered, I ended up staring at each page, simply admiring it as a separate work of art. The shading, the colors, the shapes—it all helped create a really authentic atmosphere and helped the story feel more fleshed out. My compliments to the artist in that regard. However I have to say I wasn’t the biggest fan of how sexualized the female characters appeared in the comic book. While male characters sported practical gear that also made sense as protection, women’s clothing was reduced to skimpy outfits at best, or completely pointless a-piece-of-cloth-over-the-crotch outfits. I realize that it was a deliberate choice; however, I still find it quite unnecessary, especially given the contrast with outfits of male characters.
The plot, the worldbuilding and the characters are the weakest aspect of this graphic novel. Overall, the world of After the Fall feels like a mashup of every post-apocalyptic cliche and trope: a cold war-esque conflict that led to the end of life as we know it, remnants of humanity reverting back to barbaric social structures, warring tribes and mutants—it all feels very rehashed and lacks any sort of original spark, twist or subversion that could have made it interesting or didn’t feel as redundant. Although the artwork elevated the experience significantly, it still felt like I was seeing something already all-too-familiar. Though we’re given some backstory as to what happened to transform the world, we’re not given many world-building details beyond that, as a result of which, this world doesn’t feel unique or interesting. It feels very generic. Add the women in the skimpy clothing and it felt like I was playing a low-budget post-apocalyptic PC game from the early 2000s, that somehow got someone very talented working for the project in their graphics department.
The dialogue and the plot didn’t stand out at all. In fact, the dialogue at certain points felt very forced and artificial. I got the idea of the plot, but I think it required better writing for a more successful execution—the idea was interesting, but it’s fleshed out quite poorly. The themes of grief, heartache and discovery are left unexplored, and the reader only gets the sense of those emotions through the illustrations—none of the writing supports the emotional punch the reader is supposed to go through.
The characters, due to the poor writing weren’t memorable; the character design was interesting but it wasn’t something I hadn’t seen before, especially for the main characters. The only character that is sort of fleshed out is Giala, but even she appears quite flat.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy After the Fall. It has some redeeming qualities, but overall I was quite dissatisfied with most elements of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of After the Fall.
May 24, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Laurent Queyssi for giving me an opportunity to read this comic in exchange for an honest review.
Rating 2.5/5
I would like to start with saying that this graphic novel had such good illustrations. It had lots of details and really reflected after apocalypse theme. Also could work much more on faces, expressions were hard to read, faces were missing emotions.
I was disappointed, the story didn't impress me like I thought it would. It was a little bit confusing, story jumped around a bit, so it was hard to understand what's going on. If there were maybe some kind time stamps, it'd be better.
One of the biggest mistakes was making this story short, it could really use some world building and talk more about characters itself. Story was going too fast, so I didn't enjoy it as much.
Summing up, I would say it was ok, it looked like the first draft. There is a lot of space for improvement.
Rating 2.5/5
I would like to start with saying that this graphic novel had such good illustrations. It had lots of details and really reflected after apocalypse theme. Also could work much more on faces, expressions were hard to read, faces were missing emotions.
I was disappointed, the story didn't impress me like I thought it would. It was a little bit confusing, story jumped around a bit, so it was hard to understand what's going on. If there were maybe some kind time stamps, it'd be better.
One of the biggest mistakes was making this story short, it could really use some world building and talk more about characters itself. Story was going too fast, so I didn't enjoy it as much.
Summing up, I would say it was ok, it looked like the first draft. There is a lot of space for improvement.
October 28, 2021
***Review based on advance copy from NetGalley.*
I thought this comic was pretty good but could have been improved.
The artwork was beautiful, especially the backgrounds. The character designs were neat but everyone's faces seemed stiff. Their expressions didn't change very much, regardless of the scenes taking place.
The story jumped around quite a bit, with no indication of how much time had passed, so it was a bit hard to follow at times.
I enjoyed the plot but it was thin in places. The worldbuilding seemed like it was just getting started when there was a sudden flashback and info dump. Then the story ended very abruptly.
There were a couple typos/editing mistakes ("Are you sure Michael knows what we're going?" and "let's" instead of "lets") but on the whole the writing was fairly smooth.
If this were a longer comic with a bit more meat to its bones, I think it would be pretty good.
I thought this comic was pretty good but could have been improved.
The artwork was beautiful, especially the backgrounds. The character designs were neat but everyone's faces seemed stiff. Their expressions didn't change very much, regardless of the scenes taking place.
The story jumped around quite a bit, with no indication of how much time had passed, so it was a bit hard to follow at times.
I enjoyed the plot but it was thin in places. The worldbuilding seemed like it was just getting started when there was a sudden flashback and info dump. Then the story ended very abruptly.
There were a couple typos/editing mistakes ("Are you sure Michael knows what we're going?" and "let's" instead of "lets") but on the whole the writing was fairly smooth.
If this were a longer comic with a bit more meat to its bones, I think it would be pretty good.
July 22, 2022
3 very quick stories that somewhat connect and no outcome at the end. Disappointed.
November 19, 2021
This review originally published in
There's a bunch of fighting.
One of the many sad aspects to this books is that there is absolutely nothing new here. Every pastiche you've read before about a post-apocalyptic future with men turned barbarian. It's Mad Max in Manhattan and it's a mess. While we start out with some intriguing possibilities (despite rather hackneyed characters) the story doesn't go anywhere.
The art looks like computer game animation from about five years ago. It's slick and colorful but it's also quite stiff. There was no sense of motion or action. You can draw people jumping or punching or kicking all you want, but no one here looks like they've been captured in the middle of a jump or punch or kick. Instead they look like they're posing for a drawing.
And of course there's the needed anatomy lesson.... Like a teen-boy fantasy, the women wear strips of clothing (sometimes) and are all Barbie doll shaped with the form-fitting strips of cloth moving as if it were nothing more than paint. The men are all bulky with muscles.
I don't feel like the art fits the modern day graphic novel reader (unless you're a 13 year old boy) and the story barely engages the reader.
Looking for a good book? Pass on the graphic novel After the Fall.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
There's a bunch of fighting.
One of the many sad aspects to this books is that there is absolutely nothing new here. Every pastiche you've read before about a post-apocalyptic future with men turned barbarian. It's Mad Max in Manhattan and it's a mess. While we start out with some intriguing possibilities (despite rather hackneyed characters) the story doesn't go anywhere.
The art looks like computer game animation from about five years ago. It's slick and colorful but it's also quite stiff. There was no sense of motion or action. You can draw people jumping or punching or kicking all you want, but no one here looks like they've been captured in the middle of a jump or punch or kick. Instead they look like they're posing for a drawing.
And of course there's the needed anatomy lesson.... Like a teen-boy fantasy, the women wear strips of clothing (sometimes) and are all Barbie doll shaped with the form-fitting strips of cloth moving as if it were nothing more than paint. The men are all bulky with muscles.
I don't feel like the art fits the modern day graphic novel reader (unless you're a 13 year old boy) and the story barely engages the reader.
Looking for a good book? Pass on the graphic novel After the Fall.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2021
I’m a sucker for barbarian stories, and anything that can take a novel approach to the genre is always interesting to me. Rather than taking place in the far distant past, like most related to Conan the Cimmerian, After the Fall takes place a century after a great cataclysm that destroyed human society entirely. Small tribes of humans cling together in the wasteland, but some are not as “nice” as others. My favorite part of this was seeing the remnants of the past civilization as used by the barbarians of this new era in novel ways. Broken buildings and cars litter the landscape, but the ability to actually utilize such items has been long forgotten, now they are just barriers or even building blocks. It seems that most do not even know how to read at all, so mundane things like maps are like ancient scrolls to them. Something as simple as a backwards baseball cap or set of headphones have religious significance. It’s an interesting bit of world building, and I quite enjoyed it.
“Earth. 116 years after the fall. Giala and her tribe live amongst the ruins of a metropolis turned upside down. When a gang of slave traffickers attacks them, the men are executed and the women are enslaved. Narrowly escaping, Giala has only one thing in mind: to rescue the children of the tribe and set things right. A dystopic tale of revenge and discovery, as the central heroine encounters new allies and enemies in her search for security and justice. Along the way she meets a band of mutants with strange powers that will ultimately lead to the discovery of the ultimate secret: the source of the cataclysm that led to the Fall… A mystical post-apocalyptic tale, lushly illustrated by the modern and flamboyant design work of artist Juzhen. A self-concluding adventure.”
This is a fairly short story, and I would have liked this to be fleshed out a lot more. As is is, the story seems incomplete to a degree considering the original incident that causes Giala to be separated from her tribe is sadly not concluded, nor is some of the stuff regarding a tribe of mutants that she runs into. Perhaps there are plans for more that I’m unaware of, but as it stands the plot is a bit unfulfilled. The art, however, is gorgeous and makes up for any issues I have with the story. I am not certain where he hails from, but his art reminds me of some of the more modern popular Korean and Chinese artists that you see from time to time. I will definitely have to seek some of his stuff out after this, as I really like it.
My opinions aside regarding the plot, this is a solid book, and is well worth a look if you like this sort of story. The characters are interesting, and the artwork is gorgeous. Laurent Queyssi could easily do more with this setting if that was something he was interested in, I’d absolutely love to see it. If you are a fan post-apocalypse fiction, barbarian comics, monster books, or even “cheesecake books”, this is right up your alley.
“Earth. 116 years after the fall. Giala and her tribe live amongst the ruins of a metropolis turned upside down. When a gang of slave traffickers attacks them, the men are executed and the women are enslaved. Narrowly escaping, Giala has only one thing in mind: to rescue the children of the tribe and set things right. A dystopic tale of revenge and discovery, as the central heroine encounters new allies and enemies in her search for security and justice. Along the way she meets a band of mutants with strange powers that will ultimately lead to the discovery of the ultimate secret: the source of the cataclysm that led to the Fall… A mystical post-apocalyptic tale, lushly illustrated by the modern and flamboyant design work of artist Juzhen. A self-concluding adventure.”
This is a fairly short story, and I would have liked this to be fleshed out a lot more. As is is, the story seems incomplete to a degree considering the original incident that causes Giala to be separated from her tribe is sadly not concluded, nor is some of the stuff regarding a tribe of mutants that she runs into. Perhaps there are plans for more that I’m unaware of, but as it stands the plot is a bit unfulfilled. The art, however, is gorgeous and makes up for any issues I have with the story. I am not certain where he hails from, but his art reminds me of some of the more modern popular Korean and Chinese artists that you see from time to time. I will definitely have to seek some of his stuff out after this, as I really like it.
My opinions aside regarding the plot, this is a solid book, and is well worth a look if you like this sort of story. The characters are interesting, and the artwork is gorgeous. Laurent Queyssi could easily do more with this setting if that was something he was interested in, I’d absolutely love to see it. If you are a fan post-apocalypse fiction, barbarian comics, monster books, or even “cheesecake books”, this is right up your alley.
September 4, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
After the Fall by Laurent Queyssi and Juzhen is an adult sci-fi graphic novel that will appeal to fans of Mad Max or the Saga graphic novel series. The story revolves around Giala, who lives in the ruins of a metropolis in a dystopian earth. She, along with the other women in her tribe, are enslaved by traffickers, which somewhat acounts for her minimalist outfit on the cover and for most of the book. She is determined to escape and rescue ther children of the tribe. Along the way, she encounters allies, fights, children with psychic powers, gargantuan lizard creatures, and other general dystopian elements.
when it comes out in October!
Overall, After the Fall is a stunning graphic novel for adults that any sci-fi fan would enjoy reading. One highlight of this book is the art. I was attracted to this book because I saw that the art is Juzhen, a pioneering Chinese comics artist. I was curious to see their art for the first time and to support a Chinese artist being translated into English, which is still pretty rare these days. I did enjoy the art, which was drawn in a very light-novel, modern Chinese anime style. Unfortunately, I was turned off by the nudity and skin-baring outfits that most of the women were dressed in. It does make sense in the context of the story, but it made me uncomfortable. In addition, I think the author tried to do too much with this story and crammed every element of science fiction and more into one story. If you're intrigued by the synopsis, or if you're a fan of graphic novels in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in October!
After the Fall by Laurent Queyssi and Juzhen is an adult sci-fi graphic novel that will appeal to fans of Mad Max or the Saga graphic novel series. The story revolves around Giala, who lives in the ruins of a metropolis in a dystopian earth. She, along with the other women in her tribe, are enslaved by traffickers, which somewhat acounts for her minimalist outfit on the cover and for most of the book. She is determined to escape and rescue ther children of the tribe. Along the way, she encounters allies, fights, children with psychic powers, gargantuan lizard creatures, and other general dystopian elements.
when it comes out in October!
Overall, After the Fall is a stunning graphic novel for adults that any sci-fi fan would enjoy reading. One highlight of this book is the art. I was attracted to this book because I saw that the art is Juzhen, a pioneering Chinese comics artist. I was curious to see their art for the first time and to support a Chinese artist being translated into English, which is still pretty rare these days. I did enjoy the art, which was drawn in a very light-novel, modern Chinese anime style. Unfortunately, I was turned off by the nudity and skin-baring outfits that most of the women were dressed in. It does make sense in the context of the story, but it made me uncomfortable. In addition, I think the author tried to do too much with this story and crammed every element of science fiction and more into one story. If you're intrigued by the synopsis, or if you're a fan of graphic novels in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in October!
September 21, 2021
This isn’t exactly a thinking person’s read. It’s a fine, if simple, return home quest story with plenty of action. But it feels like the production process began with an artist’s Wishlist – e.g. “I would like to draw a comic that combines my love of dinosaurs, aliens, roided-up dudes, scantily-clad women, fantasy genre weaponry, bare boobies, zombies, and set it all within a crumbling 21st century Earth city.” To which the writer said, “We can do that! I’ve been working on this story about a friend who got his headphones stolen.” And the artist said, “That sounds perfect!”
It’s not until the end of the book that we learn what could create such a disparate set of conditions. We know that nuclear radiation could only account for the super-huge and preternaturally-aggressive animals, as well as the superpowers. How are we to account for the fact that all the men look like Conan the Barbarian, all the women look like their previous gig was sitting atop a muscle car for a muffler shop calendar, and some of the dudes look like video game monsters / aliens? I won’t spoil the mystery radiation that could result in such a range of afflictions, as well as bringing back the dinosaurs, except to say that I didn’t find the explanation compelling.
Unless you’ve been looking for a book that combines pterodactyls, aliens, superpowered anti-heroes, boobies, roided-up dudes, and stylized battle axes, you can probably pass on this one. But, if you’re into such things,…
It’s not until the end of the book that we learn what could create such a disparate set of conditions. We know that nuclear radiation could only account for the super-huge and preternaturally-aggressive animals, as well as the superpowers. How are we to account for the fact that all the men look like Conan the Barbarian, all the women look like their previous gig was sitting atop a muscle car for a muffler shop calendar, and some of the dudes look like video game monsters / aliens? I won’t spoil the mystery radiation that could result in such a range of afflictions, as well as bringing back the dinosaurs, except to say that I didn’t find the explanation compelling.
Unless you’ve been looking for a book that combines pterodactyls, aliens, superpowered anti-heroes, boobies, roided-up dudes, and stylized battle axes, you can probably pass on this one. But, if you’re into such things,…
August 27, 2022
After the Fall is a mind-baffling... story? The pace isn't so much as breakneck speed but that... things just happen. Constantly. There's a barbaric tribe hunting buffalos in the middle of New York, or some other city, and then there's a rival gang that takes them and then they hide the kids, but there's snakes there, and there's this two-story tall komodo-dragon and the captured girl escapes and there's this tribe of abandoned people who have superpowers and one of them is a literal zombie and then they go find this old man who knows where the girl left the kids that were attacked by snakes and he wants these headphones that he uses to listen to music but also to destroy the world, or no wait, time travel, and perhaps he is immortal or atleast he doesn't age, and did I mention there's a literal dragon and they have super powers and the bad guy is actually a good guy, even if he murders and rapes, he's really trying to save the world from the immortal music guy who is his brother and they run there to stop him, but turns out that the main girl's grandparent or mother-figure or someone was the immortal guys daughter that survived so it's all cool? And I think one of the Draenei, from Warcraft, looking guys has a vagina in the middle of their forehead.
The art's cool in places, but in others it has this weird-ass uncanny valley feeling and in the end it's quite lifeless and boring, save for the few cool splash pages.
But yeah, overall it's cool.
The art's cool in places, but in others it has this weird-ass uncanny valley feeling and in the end it's quite lifeless and boring, save for the few cool splash pages.
But yeah, overall it's cool.
September 23, 2021
This was way more gruesome then I expected and honestly I had such a hard time actually reading this. It failed to keep my attention for any given amount of time.
The only thing that kept me captive was the continuous question of where they are finding all of this Spandex in a post apocalyptic world and why of all fabrics someone would want to wear that. Especially when it covers so little, you'd think they'd be cold.
Also it's implied that this other tribe just continually goes and steals women from other tribes quite regularly due to the lack of women in their tribe. But the implied fact that these women don't survive long, makes no sense. If you have a lack of women already, it wouldn't make sense to treat them poorly,
Also in general the Male to Female Ration seems already tipped in their being a lack of women. It makes no sense that they'd just slaughter women without a second thought. Adding to the lack of Women, it's surprising that women in general don't seem to be more respected in their communities. Given that women are the minority, and ridiculously buff guys are a dime a dozen.
The only thing that kept me captive was the continuous question of where they are finding all of this Spandex in a post apocalyptic world and why of all fabrics someone would want to wear that. Especially when it covers so little, you'd think they'd be cold.
Also it's implied that this other tribe just continually goes and steals women from other tribes quite regularly due to the lack of women in their tribe. But the implied fact that these women don't survive long, makes no sense. If you have a lack of women already, it wouldn't make sense to treat them poorly,
Also in general the Male to Female Ration seems already tipped in their being a lack of women. It makes no sense that they'd just slaughter women without a second thought. Adding to the lack of Women, it's surprising that women in general don't seem to be more respected in their communities. Given that women are the minority, and ridiculously buff guys are a dime a dozen.
September 4, 2021
NetGalley ARC Review:
This graphic novel was a poor attempt at a post-apocalyptic story. The modern world has been destroyed, and the surviving members of society have broken into different tribes. Not much about the various tribes is developed beyond a mere mention that they exist. For some reason, only beautiful young females whose clothing was destroyed with the destruction of the world and grotesque males in full body armor survive in this world.
The story begins quickly when one seemingly peaceful hunting tribe of mostly beautiful young (possibly mid-teen) topless females bearing multiple children is attacked by a fearsome all male warrior tribe bent on rape and pillage. The peaceful tribe is decimated, the children scattered into an abandoned building filled with snakes (of all things), and the surviving females are taken captive. From there the story devolves into a chaotic mess where nothing is really explained. Although the artwork is decent, the dialogue is mediocre at best, and the world-building is non-existent.
This graphic novel was a poor attempt at a post-apocalyptic story. The modern world has been destroyed, and the surviving members of society have broken into different tribes. Not much about the various tribes is developed beyond a mere mention that they exist. For some reason, only beautiful young females whose clothing was destroyed with the destruction of the world and grotesque males in full body armor survive in this world.
The story begins quickly when one seemingly peaceful hunting tribe of mostly beautiful young (possibly mid-teen) topless females bearing multiple children is attacked by a fearsome all male warrior tribe bent on rape and pillage. The peaceful tribe is decimated, the children scattered into an abandoned building filled with snakes (of all things), and the surviving females are taken captive. From there the story devolves into a chaotic mess where nothing is really explained. Although the artwork is decent, the dialogue is mediocre at best, and the world-building is non-existent.
July 29, 2022
So, there were five graphic novels in the package I received from Magnetic Press at the beginning of July. I read four or them and they were mostly bad. Really, they made me decide to give up Magnetic Press altogether.
I left this one as last because it was the shortest one and because the cover was quite good. I don't mind big-boobed women in graphic novels because... when I read, I don't look at their boobs. They don't bother me.
Anyway, the story has probably too many details for only 96 pages, but I enjoyed reading it and the art is really fantastic. I may look up something else drawn by Juzhen. Well, there's a dystopian world where people are living in tribes, one day the protagonist's tribe was attacked by slave traders and her life changes completely. She meets a lot of new people, and she ends up understanding what caused the catastrophe 96 years ago.
All in all, a good way to part ways with this publisher. I admire their dedication to bring French comics into the US but, jeez, there are better things out there...
I left this one as last because it was the shortest one and because the cover was quite good. I don't mind big-boobed women in graphic novels because... when I read, I don't look at their boobs. They don't bother me.
Anyway, the story has probably too many details for only 96 pages, but I enjoyed reading it and the art is really fantastic. I may look up something else drawn by Juzhen. Well, there's a dystopian world where people are living in tribes, one day the protagonist's tribe was attacked by slave traders and her life changes completely. She meets a lot of new people, and she ends up understanding what caused the catastrophe 96 years ago.
All in all, a good way to part ways with this publisher. I admire their dedication to bring French comics into the US but, jeez, there are better things out there...
October 22, 2022
As many others have said, this isn't a very good book. The art is excellent, or it would be if less time had been spent making sure all the women are young, thin, pretty and with big breasts and very little clothing - some of them actually walk around without a shirt just so the reader can see those big breasts.
Regarding the plot, After the Fall doesn't fare any better. The idea is intriguing: Giala is kidnapped, escapes, and, while searching the way back to her tribe, stumbles upon the reason behind the cataclysmic destruction of the world.
All in all: not very good, but it's fast to read and an easy way to kill time if you are bored.
Regarding the plot, After the Fall doesn't fare any better. The idea is intriguing: Giala is kidnapped, escapes, and, while searching the way back to her tribe, stumbles upon the reason behind the cataclysmic destruction of the world.
All in all: not very good, but it's fast to read and an easy way to kill time if you are bored.
December 31, 2022
I quite enjoyed this book, it’s a relatively quick read but entertaining throughout. The art style is amazing from the creatures to the post-apocalyptic environment to the characters. I will say though that the character designs, while visually appealing, are a little 2 dimensional. As most of the women are very barbie-esque, while most of the men are large behemoths of men. But still I thought it looked awesome. The story was really cool and very interesting, I do feel it was rushed hence only the 4 stars as opposed to 5. I would have loved for it to be longer and show more conflict.
Overall I thought it was visually stunning, with a great story concept and amazing colours. Solid 4 stars.
Overall I thought it was visually stunning, with a great story concept and amazing colours. Solid 4 stars.
September 21, 2021
I was intrigued by this comic mainly by the cover.
Although I usually like post-apocalyptic stories, I found myself bored with this story. The plot has nothing 'new' nor 'original' that I have never seen before.
Also I found it to be a little bit too sexist in ender portrayals. Men are big and strong and women are thin, with big perfectly rounded boobs and almost or fully naked. I really doubt that we all women would be naked in a post-apocalyptic world.
The story deserves 1 star, but I give it two stars because I liked some of the art pages although at the same time, some bullets were a bit creepy in the artstyle.
Although I usually like post-apocalyptic stories, I found myself bored with this story. The plot has nothing 'new' nor 'original' that I have never seen before.
Also I found it to be a little bit too sexist in ender portrayals. Men are big and strong and women are thin, with big perfectly rounded boobs and almost or fully naked. I really doubt that we all women would be naked in a post-apocalyptic world.
The story deserves 1 star, but I give it two stars because I liked some of the art pages although at the same time, some bullets were a bit creepy in the artstyle.
September 8, 2021
This dystopian comic book features a strong heroine struggling with the aftermath of a difficult battle.
The world building was indepth, detailed and allowed the reader to expand with their own imagination.
There is a full plot ! - with answers to major readers questions which I fully appreciated.
As well as interesting character development with multiple characters!
The art is beautiful! Expressive + detailed
My only critique is that I found the "villain redemption arc " slightly hasty, but pivotal to plot completion and comprehension.
The world building was indepth, detailed and allowed the reader to expand with their own imagination.
There is a full plot ! - with answers to major readers questions which I fully appreciated.
As well as interesting character development with multiple characters!
The art is beautiful! Expressive + detailed
My only critique is that I found the "villain redemption arc " slightly hasty, but pivotal to plot completion and comprehension.
December 16, 2022
Just awful post-apocalyptic nonsense. The digital art looks good sometimes, but very off in others, with character's faces racing off to the uncanny valley.
Unnecessary ultraviolence and a story that is way too packed for how short this volume is just makes it even worse.
Why was this even made?
Unnecessary ultraviolence and a story that is way too packed for how short this volume is just makes it even worse.
Why was this even made?
September 8, 2021
There's a lot of good I can say about this book. It was short. It had a lot of pages with very little text. The color palette was nice. Um...the height of the tower was a reasonable height? That's it. The rest of it sucked.
November 9, 2021
A dystopia novel, with gripping storytelling and interesting characters. I didn't think the depictions of big busted female characters were necessary, but apart from that the artwork is emotive and works brilliantly with the text. The violence at the beginning of the story is graphic and a bit much for me. I enjoyed the unravelling of character motives and given the beginning, I didn't expect the level of mystery and suspense that followed. I found the ending abrupt so the story seems unbalanced to me; I would have liked more.
November 3, 2024
Decent art, but I have seen this style so many times before. And then with more depth to the characters. The story is simply very bad, poorly developed characters, and then leading to an abrupt ending in a single page. Not worth your money
January 29, 2026
"NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a copy for review purposes.
After the Fall has some nice-looking art and some pretty insensible art, but the story and dialog are big disappointments.
Can't recommend this one, unfortunately. "
After the Fall has some nice-looking art and some pretty insensible art, but the story and dialog are big disappointments.
Can't recommend this one, unfortunately. "
September 18, 2021
I received this from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Predictable, basic storytelling. Artwork was just okay.
Predictable, basic storytelling. Artwork was just okay.
February 4, 2017
Une bande dessinée avec une histoire assez simpliste, mais qui vaut la peine pour son bel univers graphique. On y découvre un monde ravagé et on suit les pas de Giala, qui veut sauver les enfants de sa tribu. Une bonne lecture si on ne s’attarde pas trop sur les détails.
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