The Domesticated Afterlife

The Domesticated Afterlife http://dominobooks.org/domesticatedafterlife.html is a 6 x 9, 285-page, black and white (really grayscale), fantasy graphic novel written and illustrated by Scott David Finch. Published by Antenna Press.

This is my first comic review of 2022 and it’s a whopper! I used my holiday break to dive into this nearly 300 page graphic novel and what a perfect read it was for the occasion! While the family was out skiing and snowboarding, I was cozy inside watching the snow fall in northern Arizona and losing myself in this fascinating tale!

In a world where humans no longer rule, canines, felines, and chickens represent the new social order in a consumer based society. The story begins with two creatures pondering about the ease and luxurious promises of domesticated life while one creature frees the other from a catch. The catch the creature is being freed from is an anchor, and with its freedom the ensnared creature promises to take the other animal inside the fence where rewards of domestication reside. After a short transition we join two canines now on the other side of the fence and trying to adapt to domestication. The two labor under the supervision of cats, who themselves are directed by chickens in a glutinous life of consumerism where constructs of artificial happiness are ever present. As the canines experience loss of meaning and purpose, the ruling chicken class grow increasingly dissatisfied with commercial offerings and always want for something new and different. No longer able or encouraged to identify with their primal urges, the main canine character becomes plagued by a subconscious realization that can only laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

The majority of the story takes place onboard a magical ship moored in a consumer’s reality where everything is motivated by want, but the ship is capable of transporting the story's characters to a better place! The art is intentionally rendered in a cartoonish style with the occasional panel featuring realistic depictions of animals and nature to emphasize arcs within the story. The entire saga is a magical journey that spans the breadth between life and death, and provides a glimpse at what it could all mean. This is a great fantasy read with a moral at its core!

You can explore The Domesticated Afterlife at http://dominobooks.org/domesticatedafterlife.html and find more at @thedomesticatedafterlife (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/thedomesticatedafterlife/