Comic Vine Review

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A.D.: After Death #2 - Book Two

5

The story of how a cure for death was found continues.

This is a pretty heavy book--emphasis on book. When my daughter saw me reading it, she said, "That's not a comic. It's a book with pictures." Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire are doing more than just putting out another comic. This is a story with layers to it.

In a world where a cure for death has been found, it turns out there are some consequences. We see the story unfold on two fronts. The present takes place 826 years after the the cure, and we also see the moments leading up to the discovery of it. Each issue starts out like a regular comic. We see the action take place with Lemire's art.

Then the story switches to prose. Snyder has a deep story taking place. With occasional moments of art sprinkled in, it's a reading experience that really pulls you in. As you read the words, you can envision the events being described in Lemire's art style. The hints of art and water color throughout enhances this feeling. You'll forget you're reading a comic as you hang onto every word.

When this project was first announced, it seemed like an odd decision. Sometimes when a comic is loaded with text, it can be a distraction. Perhaps there's something engrained in how we're used to consuming comic stories that causes this feeling. It's not that we don't want to or can't read all the text, we're just used to the union of words and pictures by the creative team.

Snyder and Lemire take a bit of a risk with this project, and it pays off. Lemire's art and colors are fantastic to see, but having Snyder's prose allows the story to go much deeper. It's a great mix, and the story fully grabs your attention. This isn't a book you just read, you experience it.