Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Janice Chen’s mother is disappointed in her. Despite having studied in a Business School, Janice chooses to quit her cushy job and make money by driving. As if driving drunk passengers and dealing with her judgmental mother wasn’t stressful enough, Janice has a hellish night, quite literally! She finds herself driving two passengers through hell with a whole bunch of demons chasing them.
Created by Chip Zdarsky and Jason Loo, the comic series “Afterlift” has a crazy, fun plot, but it loses steam too early on. The artwork is reminiscent of older DC and Marvel comics, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it lacks a touch of individuality and makes for a forgettable read. The panels are bright, with a lot of neon shades through the pages. Some readers might love the artwork, others might beg to differ.
What makes “Afterlift” boring, despite its fantasy-like plot that mixes religious and mythological elements, is the fact that the creators rely on sentimentality to make things relatable. Janice is a generic protagonist who suffers from a “savior complex,” and the other characters are even more one-dimensional.
Even though I finished reading the comic a few minutes ago, I already cannot recall the names of anybody else. I mean, sure, I could go back and jot down the names for the review, but it doesn’t seem worth the effort since I wouldn’t really recommend this series.
The series is available to read on Kindle Unlimited.