Afterglow

by Pat Shand

100 years ago, an event called The Glowing ended the world as we know it, leaving the survivors with an Earth that has been changed. Water is radioactive, animals have mutated, and the world has been painted with beautiful, dangerous, glowing colors. Most of the remaining society has broken into villages in attempt to rebuild the world they lost, but an adventurous girl named Lacey and her giant cat After have embraced this wild new world in all of its deadly beauty.

Lacey has always been an outsider, but when she discovers her late mother's journal that foretells another apocalyptic event, she and After set forth on a journey to save what’s left of their world.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Animals, Science Fiction

91 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2018

About the author

PAT SHAND writes comic books (Robyn Hood, Family Pets, Charmed, Angel) and pop culture journalism (Sad Girls Guide, Blastoff Comics). He lives in San Diego with his girlfriend and their veritable zoo of cats.

Reviews

[Kasia (kasikowykurz) · Rating 3 out of 5]

To było świetne, ale czuję ogromny niedosyt! :(
Za mało świata, historia dosłownie zakończona na dwóch stronach (dlaczego? :(). Ogromny potencjał na coś o wiele bardziej rozbudowanego!

Ale kreska przepiękna i pomysł świetny!

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this on kickstarter and immediately knew I had to back it. A glowing, radioactive society with a huge glowing cat?? I'm in.

Lacey is a young girl being raised by both her parents. Her mom was impacted by the "glowing" a radioactive event that altered earth. She has written down her visions in which she passes to Lacey. One night, her parents are attacked by these creatures and Lacey is on the run which she meets a cute gray kitty she names After.

Lacey tries to convince her town to believe her as she believes acid rain will pour on the town. Is the acid rain coming? Will she be able to save her town?

I have to admit, towards the end I did start to tear up. As After lay in the acid rain as he covered Lacey to protect her, I was bawling! Any potential kitty death is too much for me to handle

My biggest complaint about this book was that it felt too short. I didn't get to know any of the characters. Who are the "nimbone"? Lacey has a little backstory, but it's still difficult for me to identify with her. Her best friend, Sherbet, seems like a jerk, but comes around in the end? I think there wasn't enough character development within this book.

My favorite character has got to be After because of how he protects Lacey. It's interesting how we see After's mom protecting her baby. She's seen caring for her kittens until she's attacked by these fox creatures seen earlier in the story. Again as a cat lover, I bawled my eyes out because I don't want to see kitties getting hurt. I would be curious to know how these night creatures came to be.

Ultimately, I'm happy to have backed this on kickstarter. The art is lovely, but the story falls short hence my rating of only three stars. I'm unsure as to whether there will be a second book, but I'll definitely pick it up if there is, hopefully it will be a lot longer of a story.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was quick. The story follows a girl and her giant cat through an event that will change the world. A cat, get it? So it's a story for anyone who loves cats. And some drama, light girl crushes, a bit of magic, a slice of danger. Nothing too tragic or life-changing. Just a light read. With cats!

After a cataclysmic magical event Lacey Agora is convinced that another is coming. She believes that her late mother's book holds proof of this, but the town that has welcomed her now looks at her and her giant cat-like pet called After as a nuisance. They want her pet gone - because of its glowing blue poops - and she won't part with it.

The Nimbone tribe embraces her belief and build a shelter to brave the acid rain. The Nimbone are saved, but Lacey gets wounded by a bloodthirsty creature. She has visions that remind her of her mother. She leaves the Nimbone to save the town that banished her.

Looters scared the townspeople away. After scares them in turn. The townspeople return and accuse Lacey of colluding with the looters. When the rain starts After and Lacey are too late to get to shelter. They resign themselves to death until the monster that attacked her returns, but realizes it's the same race as After - maybe even related - and sacrifices itself to shelter them from the storm.

Though the townspeople have nothing against them any more and Lacey even gets a peck from her girl crush, Lacey and After return to the Nimbone. She acknowledges that her mother was right both about the acid rain and about the world going through another major change, like After who gets new wings. Whatever awaits them, they will face it together.

[Helen (they or he) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wait. THAT'S IT?

I'm gonna rate this 3 stars because I need and want so much more. 100 pages does not make justice to this sort of story. It was so plot-driven and focused on world-building that I didn't have a chance to develop a proper attachment to the charactes. Also, I love cats but a paragraph worth of run-on sentences everytime Lacey describes After is overkill. It gets on my nerves.

[Sarah Anne Ross (farfromsarah) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[John Michael Martinez (Elio. Journal) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afterglow kicks off with a strong post-apocalyptic premise featuring a giant glowing-eyed cat, After, and its tough, resilient owner, Lacey. The first issue hooks readers with quirky humor, as seen in the hilarious scene where Elder Rose falls into a pit of glowing cat droppings. Despite the humor, the story is grounded in Lacey's emotional depth, stemming from her traumatic past. The issue introduces the world ravaged by *The Glowing*, and while it briefly touches on Lacey’s backstory, the character development leaves readers wanting more. The dynamic between Lacey and After provides warmth amidst the chaos, and K. Lynn Smith’s vibrant, dreamlike art enhances the story's whimsical yet dangerous tone.

In Issue #2, the stakes rise as Lacey and After, now banished from their village, encounter new characters from Nimbone Territory. This issue highlights Lacey's protectiveness over After, not as a pet but as family. The new community offers her the acceptance she craved, but looming dangers, including a mysterious winged feline, disrupt their brief respite. The issue delves into deeper emotional territory, particularly through Lacey’s connection to her mother’s journal, and hints at greater threats ahead.

Issue #3 continues to balance action and emotional depth as Lacey returns to confront the oncoming apocalypse, determined to honor her mother's legacy. The winged feline, first hinted at earlier, plays a larger role, adding a sense of foreboding. Shand’s writing blends tension with introspection, while Smith’s art enhances the surreal beauty of the world. Afterglow remains a visually stunning and emotionally engaging series, leaving readers eager for its conclusion.

Afterglow Issues #1-3 delivers an imaginative post-apocalyptic world full of quirky humor, emotional depth, and striking artwork. The series is centered on Lacey Angora and her giant glowing cat, After, as they navigate the hostile environment and Lacey's struggle with her tragic past. The first issue introduces a world reshaped by "The Glowing," setting up the series’ blend of whimsy and danger, while the next two issues deepen Lacey's emotional journey and explore themes of community, acceptance, and the weight of legacy. The art by K. Lynn Smith and Pat Shand’s fast-paced writing make for a compelling narrative, though the limited number of issues leaves some character development rushed. Ultimately, the series skillfully balances humor and heart, delivering a unique and engaging fantasy adventure.

Afterglow Issue #1 Full Review: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19CN...
Afterglow Issue #2 Full Review: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/197D...
Afterglow Issue #3 Full Review: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/153w...

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: I'm a proud owner of a 18-year-old dog and I'm not a big fan of cats. Having said this, I also have to add that I have tons of cat T-shirts because they're usually funnier than dogs T-shirt. Consistency isn't really my thing.

I backed this on Kickstarter because I liked the colors. I know I should stop doing that when it comes to US comics because they often have the tendency to have some else do the cover. Still, I kind of like the art of the story.

The story is sort of OK. There's no back story and it moves way too fast. A couple of pages more would have done miracles regarding this aspect.

I don't like the main character that much 'cause she's always saying the same things: «After is my baby! I'm his mother!» and so on and on... Jeez, I understand that the first time you said it; you don't have to repeat it on every single page.

After is cute but I don't understand why he keeps nursing his paw.

All in all, I'm satisfied with my reward.

[Naomi V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in a post apocalyptic world that is gleaming in luminant colours, a girl and her giant cat who has blue glowing poop try and save their village from acid rain. What's not to love?

Side note: I would die for that cat.

[Arielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good art and engrossing story. The relationship between girl and cat was very realistic, leaving out that the cat is giant and glows. I love Lacey's personality.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot going on here, some good but some not so good. I loved the world building of a post-apocalyptic world after something called the "Glowing" which changed the world. I think based on context clues, it's basically worldwide radioactive contamination. The story follows Lacey, an orphan with a giant pet cat. Her town is less than thrilled by her antics related to her late mother's prophecies. This short graphic novel shows her eventually finding her place in the world and being accepted.

I liked the story arc but it was a bit too fast. Also I would love a volume 2. This felt like the start of a series but there doesn't look like there's a second book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a girl and her cat.

Of course, the cat poops giant, blue glowing turds.

Not your regular story…some good fun and some great art.

Worth reading - off the beaten path.