AfterShock’s Last Line asks “what if the London Underground was actually a star map of other planets?” [PREVIEW]

Posted on June 7, 2022 in Previews

AfterShock Comics have announced details of LAST LINE, a brand new series from writer Richard Dinnick (Doctor Who: The 12th Doctor, Thunderbirds are Go!, Lost in Space: Countdown to Danger) and artist Jose Holder (X-Men: Apocalypse, Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Rainbow Six Siege), set for release this September.

Here’s the official blurb:

Sally Hazzard just had the worst day of her life: While on a usual shift as a driver for the tube, the unthinkable happened when a man is pushed in front of her train and killed.

But…there’s something strange here. Sally swears the man was pushed but her supervisors, witnesses and the cc tv footage all show the man falling on his own. Sally cannot let this go, and her investigation into the murder introduces her to an MI-6 agent named Edward Tarn also curious about the so-called accident.

Together, Sally and Ed discover an off-world explanation for the assassination, plus an alien invasion and the craziest plot twist of all: an interplanetary travel system buried deep beneath the London Underground!

Speaking about the inspirations behind the series, Dinnick said “I am a Londoner. I have always loved the tube – as we call the London Underground train network – and I became fascinated when I discovered there were stations that were dubbed “ghost stations” because they were no longer used. I was also amazed to discover that the actual shape of the tube map is incredibly irregular and not the neat and beautiful layout Harry Beck’s wonderful map would lead us to believe!”

He continued, adding “When I saw the actual layout, I immediately thought of the constellations and star maps and it went from there. I had always thought the Lost Property office (at Baker Street) would be the perfect entrance for a secret organization, too! I have always loved things hidden beneath or behind other things. One big inspiration for the lowering platforms was Thunderbirds (which I have written for on TV) where they hide huge spaceships and jet planes beneath swimming pools or behind cliffs with palm trees masking the entrance.”

“It’s fun. I am not a fan of anything that takes itself too seriously. I believe that in dealing with fantasy there should be room for jokes and nods to the audience. All the best fantasy does this – from Doctor Who and Star Trek to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.”

Featuring colours from Kelly Fitzpatrick and lettering by Dave Sharpe, and with a main cover from Andy Clarke w/Jose Villarrubia and an incentive cover from Das Pastoras, LAST LINE #1 goes on sale in print and digital formats on the 7th of September 2022.

In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on some unlettered preview artwork below.

[UNLETTERED PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]