Written by Jeff Loveness

Art by Juan Doe

Colours By Rachel Deering

Published by AfterShock

World Reader, the latest series from AfterShock, hits the ground running. We see a female astronaut on a desolate world. We see her explore and then, we see her open her mind and the ghosts of the world flood into view. Sarah is a psychic. She reads the stories of dead worlds. And she has a lot of work to do.

Written by Jeff Loveness, of the Groot comic, World Reader is a bleak, confident piece of science fiction that feels distinctly European. There’s no premise, no context, Loveness just throws you onto a dead world with Sarah. You instinctively pay attention to her because she’s your point of stability and, in doing so, you instantly relate to her. She’s just as frightened as you, just as confused as the soldiers she travels with. When she learns, we learn and it creates an instant bond between reader and character.

It’s a fascinating premise, grounded in both compassion and stories themselves and Loveness nails every beat here. Sarah’s a fundamentally likable character too; compassionate, a little cautious and determined to get the job done.

The art is just as impressive. Juan Doe combines harsh, violent motion and the stark lines of the spacesuits with moments that are very sweet and personal. Rachel Deering’s lush colours work well too, evoking both the elemental power of Sarah’s abilities and the beautiful, vanished world she sees.

Verdict: This is confident, weird and completely involving science fiction. As well as being another winner in AfterShock’s line up it’s also one of the most impressive science fiction comics I’ve read so far this year. Recommended. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart