PopCultHQ Comic Book Review: BACKWAYS #1 from AfterShock Comics

Joshua Winchester

October 25, 2017

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PopCultHQ received a review copy of BACKWAYS #1 from AfterShock Comics. Available December 20^th, 2017, the creative team for this series features writing from Justin Jordan, art from Eleonora Carlini, colors from Silvie Tidei, and letters from Marshall Dillon.

Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…

BACKWAYS #1

Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Eleonora Carlini
Colorist: Silvie Tidei
Letterer: Marshall Dillon

Cover A: Eleonora Carlini & Silvia Tidei
Cover B: Ben Templesmith

$3.99 / 32 pages / Color / On Sale 12.20.17

There is a hidden nation. A nation of magic and madness, one that exists in all the forgotten spaces. Your basement, your attic, the haunted house down the street, anyone of those might be a part of the Backways.

Anna Merrick lost someone in the Backways, and she’ll stop at NOTHING to get them back. Even if it means unleashing something unimaginable.

From Justin Jordan (STRAYER, Green Lantern: New Guardians) and Eleonora Carlini (Batgirl,Doctor Who) comes the BRAND NEW series of magic, mystery and mayhem that is sure to appeal to fans of Harry Potter & The Chronicles of Narnia!

PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
BACKWAYS #1

Writing:

Justin’s a familiar name for comics fans everywhere, so to see some new work is exciting. This first issue alone is a hook into the readers’ brains. It has magic, mystery, complex characters and is sure to be a dynamic series. There is no mistake, Backways is a weird and wonderful trip into worlds of the unknown and everyone will want to be a part of it.

Art:

Eleonora’s art, it is very different. Some may look at the art in some respects and see it is as simplistic, but in reality, it’s vast with twists to it. Especially with her renderings of the magic and otherworldly figures. They have such form to them, such depth. It is almost as if they will leap off the pages and into the real world. Truly, it’s her art that makes the story shine and come to life.

Silvia’s colors are something fantastic. There are bright flashes, but for the most part the colors are muted, toned down. This is to aid in the notion that the real world is a place that is far removed from worlds of magic and adventure. And the colors used to show persons and the realm of The Backways, those are the colors that stand out, bright and splashy, just like the magics that flow through it.

Marshall does an outstanding job as letterer. He puts certain emphasis on certain words throughout the book. This is clearly meant to drive home the point in Justin’s script and Eleonora’s art, that the real world is far removed from the worlds of magic. Readers will hear the excitement in the voice of the book’s heroine, and hear the malice and power in the voices of denizens from Backways that would do her harm.

PopCultHQ’s overall assessment:

A comic book about a world of magic that’s not so far away from the real world. It sounds like it’s been done before, but not like this. Justin, Eleonora, Silvia and Marshall have come up with something special, something amazing. This first issue is not like other magic and adventure comics out there, it is tapping into something more in terms of imagination. Everyone who picks it up will love it and keep wanting more.