20XX #1 is out 12/4/2019. — **20XX #1** is out 12/4/2019.

By Zack Quaintance — 20XX #1 is yet another comic book that has a new take on the end of the world. And you know what? I like it, which is a sign of high quality at this point because dystopia is essentially the genre du jour and has been for many months now (although horror of any and all kinds might have a thing to say about me anointing it that).

What I like most about 20XX is the level of detail that has gone into every panel, both in terms of the excellent black and white linework and the contents of the action and script. ON a visual level, I found 20XX to be some of artist Jonathan Luna’s boldest work yet, perhaps owing to the fact that he opted for the aforementioned black and white. That choice gives the story on these pages an added sense of gravitas, not unlike independent cinema (even though being real this same choice is probably made in both instances to save money). In terms of the detail, we get a giant impressive dose of it pretty close to the start of this comic with the second page, which is actually my favorite in the entire issue.

The second page is an establishing shot, letting us know that our story is set Anchorage, Alaska...which has clearly been devastated by the ramifications of ongoing climate change. From the title of this book, we can presume we’re somewhere in the future (pick a year, really, isn’t that the point?). What this visually-arresting establishing shot shows us is that the environmental situation has gotten so bad, that water has overrun the shores of the northern city...not once but twice. There is the ocean, followed by a crumbled first wall, followed by an intact second all. The only lettering on the page is a concise, Things get fucked up. It’s perfect, and it let’s us know what type of world we’re in, doing so in a way that showcases the vast talents of the artist.

Essentially, it’s a great way to make an audience feel comfortable with the storytellers while filling in vital exposition without belaboring it. Well done to both Luna and writing partner on this project, Lauren Keely. The other quality that quickly endeared this comic to me is the well-realized characters. The concept of this book is that in addition to climate change, humanity is beset by a lethal virus, one that claims that vast majority of those infected, while imbuing a rare few survivors with super powers. The survivors are then ostracized, in what feels like a classic bit of X-Men-esque metaphor.

What sets the book apart, however, is how it doles out such intimate insights into the mindframe of our protagonist. She is a person who even amid the chaos of the world is largely primarily concerned with what she has going on, namely a promised promotion. Wouldn’t that be any of us? She hasn’t previously given much thought to the ostracization of those infected, until she becomes one of them. Again, relatable.

It all adds up to a promising new comic I would recommend to pretty much any readers.

Overall: 20XX succeeds with a mix of excellent artwork and well done characters. It is a timely comic executed with a high level of craft, and I am confident recommending it to any and all readers. 9.5/10

20XX #1
Writers: Lauren Keely and Jonathan Luna
Artist: Jonathan Luna
Letterer: Jonathan Luna
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99

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Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.