“Afar”

In our dreams, we often see fantastic visions as our brains process the sensory information it received while awake. What if, instead of conjurations from our own brains, those fantastic visions where lives on other planets we could visit as we slept?

That’s the question asked in “Afar,” the graphic novel by Leila Del Duca and Kit Seaton, though the answer might not be what you expect.

Cover by Kit Seaton

Written by Leila Del Duca
Illustrated, Colored & Lettered by Kit Seaton
In a fantastical post-industrial desert, fifteen-year-old Boetema suddenly develops the ability to astral project to other planets while she sleeps. When she accidentally gets a young man hurt on a planet light-years away, she must figure out a way to project back to save him. On her own world, Boetema’s two parents have temporarily left her and her thirteen-year-old brother, Inotu, to make a living as salt shepherds. Left to their own devices, the two siblings must flee across a dangerous desert when Inotu gets into trouble with a threatening cyborg bodyguard. As Boetema visits amazing planets and encounters vibrant cultures, she must confront her mistakes and learn to trust in Inotu as she navigates her newfound abilities

“Afar” is a graphic novel that I can only really describe as “unconventional,” and I mean that as a sincere compliment. The tone, structure, themes and focus of “Afar” is unlike pretty much anything you’re going to find in comics these days. In fact, I would go so far as to say it more reminds me more of the narratives of Hayao Miyazaki than any comic I’ve read in the past few years. There’s a blend of fantasy and science fiction going on, sure, but the real heart of story is the characters and the journey through their world. It’s enrapturing and fantastic and the kind of comic that will sit with me long after I’ve written this review.

Leila Del Duca is probably best known as the artist for the wildly imaginative “Shutter” with Joe Keatinge so it’s not much of a surprise to find out that her writing is just as fantastical. Teaming with Kit Seaton, the two have produced worlds in “Afar” that may seem unbelievably fantastic, but are grounded through relatable characters and the genuine problems in their lives. “Afar” largely focuses on siblings Boetema and Inotu, who live in a world that has seen an industrial collapse. Technology of the old world lies in ruins and Inotu trains as an engineer in order to rebuild and repair this technology.

What’s interesting about Del Duca and Seaton’s approach to story is that the focus is not on the idea that Inotu lives in a post-industrial wasteland, but more that he has to scrap enough money together through these jobs to keep his sister and himself safe. The backdrop for the characters may be wonderfully imaginative, but the core of the storytelling is in very earnest, very relatable problems that plague these siblings. The search for shelter, the need for food and money and safety. These elements ground the characters of this world in a way that makes them seem like people that we can relate to before Del Duca and Seaton start to introduce the real fantasy element of “Afar.”

When Boetema dreams, she enters the minds of people on other worlds. That is, in many ways, the selling point of “Afar.” In any other story, you might expect that element to be the crux of the story, the reason to read it. However, I was surprised at how restrained Del Duca and Seaton were in exploring what that actually meant for the character. The conflict that arises from it isn’t that Boetema is now the only one who could save both worlds from some impending disaster from beyond our reality. Instead, the focus is on the guilt Boetema feels for disrupting the life of someone who exists lightyears away from her and her determination to set things right.

“Afar” reminds me so much of how Hayao Miyazaki constructed the narratives of films like Princess Mononoke or Nausicaä, where there is no clear cut villain of the story. Instead, the conflict merely comes from the decisions of the characters and how they line up or don’t line up with the worldview of the other characters. “Afar” hits that same line and manages to still engross you in the world thanks to the genuine and relatable nature of the struggles that Boetema and Inotu face. There’s no world-threatening masterplan to be stopped here, just the life of a girl and her brother who must survive on their own and face up to the consequences of their decisions.

Another reason that “Afar” is so reminiscent of Nausicaä in particular is that it is simply gorgeous. Kit Seaton fully illustrated, coloured and letter the graphic novel and it’s continually impressive with each new page. Seaton has something of a blend between American and European styles, with simple and clean storytelling mixed with heavily cross-hatched shading in the figures. It’s a blend of visual styles that speaks to the incredibly fantastic nature of the world that exists in a blend of cultural influences from our own world. It’s a look that feels visually distinct and allows Seaton to bend and play with the walls of reality.

Most of “Afar” takes place in a desert, with cities and settlements made of sandstone and wood. When Boetema dreams, though, Seaton presents some of the most fantastical visages you’ll find in comics. It’s here that her storytelling through the use of colour comes to the fore. The colour palette of the primary desert setting is very limited: rustic browns offset with a deep blue. However, as Boetema jumps through different worlds in her dreams, Seaton introduces purples, reds, greens and yellows to emphasise the alien and fantastical nature of these worlds.

Despite how fantastical the world that Boetema and Inotu inhabit seems compared to our own, Seaton goes a long way to make it feel rustic and naturalistic in order to emphasise that there are even more alien worlds beyond that. The worldbuilding exists in layers upon layers, but it only serves to enhance the story of the characters and their journey through those worlds and how it shapes them. It’s such a refreshing experience to read a fantasy comic that isn’t interested in being the next Tolkien-esque epic, but more about the small, intimate journey of its characters.

If there’s a disappointment I have with “Afar,” it’s the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything because I very much recommend reading this, but it does end rather abruptly. It seems to be left open enough for a follow up, but the combination of the lack of a singular antagonist and the abrupt ending makes it feel like the story just stops. It’s a strange feeling and something I feel might leave a poor impression on some readers. However, it’s not enough to take away from the richness of the writing and the art in the rest of the book.

Overall, “Afar” isn’t the kind of graphic novel to reinvent the wheel. It’s a simple story that focuses on the intimate journey of two characters and their growth in the face of that journey. It’s fantastic and wildly imaginative and incredibly gorgeous. Leila Del Duca proved that she is as much a writer as she is an artist and Kit Seaton brought Del Duca’s writing to life with her art. To illustrate, colour and letter an entire graphic novel is impressive, but to bring the sense of visual imagination and consistency like Seaton did here is something else. This was more than just a pleasant surprise, it was thoroughly and unexpectedly impressive.

Final Verdict: 8.6 – If you’ve ever been a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s work, you owe it to yourself to check this out.