Writer and illustrator Jonathan Luna is back at Image Comics with a brand new series. Instead of being reunited with his collaborator Joshua Luna, Jonathan is joined by a first-time comic book writer Lauren Keely. The new title, “20XX” follows suit in some of the past works by Jonathan Luna. Luna is treating readers to a high-concept story with a female protagonist that features a few dark sci-fi twists. The familiar art and intense writing will make fans of past Luna brothers works like “The Sword” or “Alex + Ada” right at home. This is a story about a property that is informed by what is going on in the news cycle and born out of our fear of the future. “20XX” #1 brings out the dark elements of technology and racism. Is “20XX” #1’s bleak future enough to make it stand out among other comics on the crowded shelf?
Written by Lauren Keely
Illustrated and Plotted by Jonathan LunaFrom JONATHAN LUNA (ALEX + ADA, GIRLS, THE SWORD) and LAUREN KEELY, in her writing debut, comes an all-new ongoing series! This sci-fi thriller for mature readers imagines a not-so-distant future—a world of norms and syms, divided by fear. Syms, a small percentage of the population with telekinetic abilities, form gangs to survive. But division only breeds more division, and Mer and Nuon experience this firsthand as they become entangled in the often dramatic, sometimes violent, but always complex social landscape of sym gang rivalries in Anchorage, Alaska.
When readers first meet Meria, the protagonist of “20XX” #1 it is apparent that something is going to go horribly wrong. Writers Jonathan Luna and Lauren Keely almost take pleasure in pretending like this is going to be a good day for Meria. The issue takes a dark twist a couple of pages in that eases readers into the premise of the series. The way the issue slowly introduces readers to the premise evokes shades of “The Twilight Zone” but in the form of an ongoing series. The world of “20XX” is split into two different factions in norms and syms. The world has a stigma against the syms which also creates another fascinating allegory to our times. Luna and Keely take a stance on these issues through the writing but the duo attempts to speak through actions instead of words. In most cases, “20XX” #1 is written with an impressive level of restraint.
Keely and Luna craft a solid supporting cast for the series early on into the story. There’s a shock that comes in when readers consider how strongly Meria’s world changes. The division between the norms and the syms means that Meria is limited in who she can interact with. “20XX” #1 establishes a goal for Meria in the second half of the story. Meria is looking for her cousin Lucas who is a familiar face in the new world she has been brought into. The story takes an incredibly bleak tone that also follows the structure from past titles by Luna. One of the core problems with the script is just how bleak the story becomes in the second half. Keely and Luna don’t have a charming supporting cast to rely on yet.
Luna’s art is another key aspect of the success of “20XX” #1. Luna’s art doesn’t capture every detail in a scene. The art is much more concerned with capturing the emotions and basic details for the figures. The more simplistic art in black and white makes the issue feel more like a focused, unique experience that readers can only get from Image Comics. Luna is great at depicting the detail in the bombastic fight scenes and beautifully vivid splash pages of establishing the world. There are a few pages in the book that have strong expressions but stilted characters who could have used a secondary action. I appreciated the big emotions that characters within the issue are expressing at all times, but I wish Luna could have crafted more detail in some of the initial pages and quieter moments with Meria.
This issue’s pacing is extremely quick and doesn’t take the time to flesh out who Meria is as a character. I hope Luna and Keely will continue to develop on the premise by filling out the world with more characters and a strong personality. I wish the script had a stronger sense of humor with a little more irony from Meria. Meria as a character also has a very limited level of agency in the debut script. When readers think they have a good handle on the world of “20XX,” the book takes another turn. The last page hints at an even greater conspiracy that furthers the plot forward even quicker. I hope Luna and Keely will take the time to dole out the characterization before making the plot any more complicated.
Luna and Keely open up the world of “20XX” up in a fascinating manner in the debut issue. The stakes of Meria’s journey are already incredibly high with one issue alone. Luna’s trademark art is back and looks beautiful in black and white. The sci-fi concepts within the story are also established quickly and lend a lot of tension to the narrative. “20XX” #1 is a strong debut and a great place to start digging into Jonathan Luna’s celebrated Image catalog. “20XX” #1 is also an impressive writing debut for Lauren Keely.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – “20XX” #1 is a tense thriller that grows more intriguing as the issue progresses.
