Alice Never After Issue 1 – by Dan Panosian and Friends
- Created by Dan Panosian, Alice Never After Issue 1 is an interesting direction art wise as the comic itself appears in two worlds : London and Wonderland. So two independent art teams take on the two locations. Dan Panosian takes on London while the illustration of Wonderland is handled by Giorgio Spaletta and Cyril Glerum. Tying them together into a cohesive fantasy setting is the exceptional coloring talents of Francesco Segalo and Gloria Martinelli. With Jeff Eckleberry taking on the lettering throughout the entire issue.
- Pretty much anyone who’s familiar with the Alice in Wonderland story can pick this up and get right into it. It’s a new story which feels a tad alien but not so alien that it leaves the reader with a “what in the fresh hell is Alice getting up to this time?” question.
- Wasting no time, Dan Panosian establishes an interesting premise in which Alice has retreated into herself and is devoid of most forms of audible stimuli which is leaving those who care for her gravely concerned or keen to whisk her away to some kind of asylum to be cared for.
- Meanwhile in Wonderland, Alice’s tea party is interrupted by the white rabbit being late for some prior engagement and disappearing into the dark forest of Wonderland which Alice follows him only to run into the stoner Caterpillar from the original story. Only to find out that the caterpillar is extremely unhelpful.
- Back in the real world aka London we learn that a Mistress Hulda who is a friend of Alice’s fathers is probably the original queen of hearts giving rise to the theory that the Queen of Hearts exists in the real world as much as Wonderland.
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- Then at the tea party, Alice’s stomach starts to feel sick and she’s given a cupcake by the mad hatter to try and cure her which turns her into a baby only before she is cured and turned back into her usual self. Just in time for all her Wonderland friends to surprise her with a new outfit and dubbing her the new queen of hearts.
- Whilst different aspects of the art in this comic book is handled by different people I’m getting a childlike story which is being delivered in an almost glamorous goth-like setting. The team assembled by Dan Panosian has given a return to wonderland in as Elizabethan Gothic as this story is probably ever going to be.
- The “Star” is Francesco Segalo’s coloring which varies in mood and timbre. Whilst spectacularly colourful and will melt your brain like an acid trip that refuses to end.
- Published by BOOM! Studios, I give this particular comic book 3.5 white rabbits out of 5. I’d love to give 5 but I ate half a rabbit and lost the other one. Remember to snap your tab in half, kids!
What did you think of Alice Never After Issue 1?
Is Alice Never After your new favourite comic book? Is it worthy of Alice in Wonderland?
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