Alice is now an adult but longs for Wonderland. Certain medications allow her to go there, but her family has barred her from taking them. To what lengths will she go to relive her fantasies? Find out in Alice Ever After #1!

ALICE EVER AFTER #1

Writer: Dan Panosian
Artist: Giorgio Spalleta and Dan Panosian
Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo
Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
Editor: Kathleen Wisneski
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 6, 2022

Previously in Alice Ever After: We are familiar with the stories of Alice who visited Wonderland when she was a child. Now she is an adult, and her life has not been easy. Her only escape is Wonderland, but to get there is not as easy as falling into a rabbit hole. It’s a tale of trying to cope with childhood trauma in the Victorian age.

THE DREARY DESPERATION OF LIFE

Alice Ever After #1 opens in a store with narration at first by two cats, named Kitty and Snowdrop. From them, we learn that Alice has had a difficult home life and is prone to sneaking out of the house. She has also gotten involved with a sinister-looking man named Morton. In fairly short order we learn that Alice’s father, a prestigious dentist, has cut her off her medical prescriptions, but she has found other ways to obtain drugs. Wonderland may be a part of her life, but her real-life is gritty and has serious consequences.

The shopkeeper catches Alice stuffing a toy rabbit into her bag and threatens to call the police. Mr. Proud, a friend of Alice’s family, steps in and claims she was actually buying the toy as a present for his young niece. The shopkeeper then threatens to at least tell Alice’s father, but again, Mr. Proud leans on him. Alice steps outside and Mr. Proud introduces her to his niece, Chloe. Alice offers her the rabbit, but Morton, who was lurking outside, grabs it and drags Alice off around the corner. He is upset with her for stealing only a toy, but she also shoplifted a silver mirror. In return, he gives her half a bottle of pills.

Alice returns home – a nice home, with servants. She apologizes to her sisters Lorina and Edith for being late. She cannot help but mention that she saw Morton. Her father overhears this and reminds her that he has a terrible reputation, and the family cannot allow her to be seen with him. She also mentions that she saw Earl Proud and there is a hint that something happened the last time he visited.

Alice escapes from the rest of her family and goes to her room where her cats (Kitty and Snowdrop) wait for her. She greets them, takes a handful of pills, passes out, and then we see her in Wonderland. Several familiar characters are there – the Dormouse, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit – and they celebrate her un-birthday. Her reverie is interrupted by knocking.

It’s her father, knocking on her door. He knows she is taking drugs, which she is not supposed to. His main concern is not for her, though, it is for the family’s reputation. Her sisters make a comment about how they all took the same medicine when they were children, but Alice always seemed to need more. This is an age where there was not much sophistication in the attitudes toward or treatment of potential mental health issues.

That night, she sneaks out of the house and goes to the hospital where she finds Morton. He urges her to hide – he has a meeting with some men. He apparently owes them money, and when he doesn’t pay up, they kill him. Not only does Alice see this, but she realizes that the source of her drugs is now gone. She returns home and in the following days, she feels quite ill. What is she to do? What is her family going to do?

VICTORIAN REALISM AND FANTASY

The art of Alice Ever After #1 is quite expressive. Some characters, like Alice and her family, are portrayed in a more realistic style, with some emotions exaggerated just a little. Some of the others, Morton for example, are more cartoonish. From his drawn eyebrows to his curling mustache, he reads as villainous. His expressions are over the top.

There is a lot of detail throughout the book. This is the Victorian age and the backgrounds capture that with plenty of interior features. But the most striking moment of the book occurs when Alice enters Wonderland. It seems like there are so many more textures and details to the art. While in the real world, Alice’s clothes are somewhat ruffled, in Wonderland her dress is completely ruffled and patterned with flowers. The trees in the background are gnarled and covered in burls and smaller plants. What sets it off in a particularly interesting way is that here the color palette is more muted than real life.

BOTTOM LINE: LOSING HER OPTIONS

Alice Ever After #1 takes the bones of a charming fantasy story and turns it into something much more serious. As a huge fan of the books, I’m not sure this take is something I would seek out, but it is unquestionably interesting. The art is terrific, and while it takes a little time to understand what is going on, it does flow together and sets us up for the next issue.

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