Written by Anas Abdulhak
Art by Dennis Menheeres
Letters by DC Hopkins
Edits by Michele Abounader
Published by Source Point Press

“Where do souls go when they don’t belong anywhere else? Journey into Etheres searching for the answer in this introspective character study about pain and self-loathing. For fans of tales of the afterlife such as The Lovely Bones and A.D. After Death. Following Valerie’s passing, she finds herself navigating an unknown and perilous world. She tells her story through poetry and narration as she experiences her surroundings while also recalling her past life, her trauma, and why she believes she deserves to be there. Writer Anas Abdulhak brings you this harrowing tale of the afterlife with groundbreaking art by Dennis Menheere, edits by Color of Always creator Michele Abounader and letters by Ringo-Nominated DC Hopkins.”

This is both Anas Abdulhak and Dennis Menheere’s first Diamond-distributed comic book and it is one hell of a way to start out. Anas weaves a beautifully sad tale about finding oneself in the afterlife. Abdulhak has a unique storytelling voice that is refreshing and much needed in the comic community. The blend of poetry and narration adds an extra layer to the delivery of Valerie’s story.

Menheere’s art is stunningly appealing and captivates the reader at every turn of the page. The art feels like a mystical dream sequence that is luring you into it. My eyes devoured the visual delicacy that Menheere’s art gave us throughout the story and I loved the use of more full-page splashes than a typical comic would have.

The perfect balance of colors throughout the story shows that he has an understanding of Anas’s story as the tone shifts from darkness one second with well-utilized dark blues, blacks, and grays, to the bright and vibrant colors as Valerie seeks an understanding and tries to bring herself out of the darkness and trauma that led her to this place. DC Hopkins again is proficient on the letters as we get a perfect style for this ethereal trip to the afterlife.

This creative team works so well together and their own narrative voices are very in synch from beginning to end. These are two new creators to keep an eye on for the future of comics.

Etheres is on Final Order Cutoff (FOC) this Monday 2/27/23 and should release from Source Point Press on March 22nd.

Rating: 10/10