Jonathan Luna and newcomer Lauren Keely's 20XX #1 might be the comic equivalent of putting together a home with materials left behind at a job site. Much like most of Luna's output (especially titles produced with his brother, Joshua), 20XX grabs bits of established tropes from across several genres and jams them together to cobble together something that is, at least on its surface, enticing.
None of the individual ideas the book has to offer can necessarily stand on their own (after all most of them have either been done to perfection or done to death in other works) but the artistry is found in the way they are woven together.
Thankfully, the world of 20XX #1 isn't one to be picked apart. It feels as if it were designed to be experienced, and with a set of sturdy pillars, if feels authentic, despite its lunacy. There is history in this version of the world, and the events that lead to the present day must have been as terrifying as they were transformative.
In a not-so-distant future, a virus has ravaged Anchorage, Alaska (and presumably the rest of North America, if not the world), killing the vast majority of those unlucky enough to contract it. As dour as that sounds, there is an upside (if you can call it that) to the super virus: the few who survive develop telekinetic capabilities.
Our guide through the world of 20XX is a young office drone name Meria who becomes infected with the deadly virus and lives, only to find out that life as a telekinetic (or "sym") comes with its on unique set of social stigmas. The scenario Keely and Luna have crafted is fascinating. It's a hodgepodge of cyberpunk and dystopian fiction tropes shone through the lens of our technologically interconnected, yet deeply ideologically divided society.
It's all a bit heavy-handed (even for someone who agrees with a lot of the commentary), but you'll forgive it's on-the-nose grandstanding once telekinetic knife fights start happening. Luna and Keely manage to strike a balance between the heavy stuff and the silly stuff, because, ultimately it's one and the same. Silly psychic knife fights should detract from the bigger issues and vice versa.
Now, make no mistake, 20XX is a good read. It's well-paced and it doesn't spend its time jamming tons of information down your throat before we ever get to say "hello" to our cast of characters (this has been an issue with a lot of new Image Comics science fiction titles in recent years). However, Keely and Luna's script doesn't do much in terms of giving us a reason to care for anyone other than Meria. Surely this is by design. If the lead can get their hooks into readers, then the supporting cast will soon follow.
Balancing character development and world building in a debut issue is tough, and while 20XX #1 didn't exactly "crack the code," per se, there is enough to pique the interest of readers who are familiar with Luna's work. If you weren't on the Luna train after works like Girls or The Sword (arguably the best works by either sibling), this isn't going to convert you
20XX #1 is a handsome book, rendered in gorgeous black and white. It's filled with big ideas that are not its own, but the way they are pieced together gives the comic its own identity. How much you'll jibe with that identity is heavily dependent on your familiarity with Luna's work and your own worldview (Keely and Luna make no bones about their stance on discrimination, workers' rights and ideological suppression).
As enjoyable as this issue is, it might not leave a lasting impression. While you're in the moment, it's fantastic, but upon reflection, it's hard to pinpoint exactly why it worked. Perhaps that's the biggest strength of this debut issue. The fact you'll breeze right through it and add it to your pull list is success enough.
20XX #1 is on sale now.