Join the Future #1 / $4.99 / 32 pages / Color / On sale 3.04.2020
Writer: Zack Kaplan
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Piotr Kowalski & Brad Simpson
Incentive Cover: Brandon Peterson
The Future. Ultra-modern megacities reward millions of their citizens with a completely funded life, with nearly every need met, from food to housing to healthcare, in order to compete in an economic war amongst cities in which population is key. But when one of these cities pressures the self-reliant residents of one of the last towns in America to join up or else, the deadly conflict forces the Mayor’s daughter, Clementine Libbey, on a principled quest for revenge and resistance.
Written by Zack Kaplan (PORT OF EARTH, ECLIPSE, LOST CITY EXPLORERS) with art from Piotr Kowalski (Sex, Marvel Knights: Hulk, The Dark Tower), JOIN THE FUTURE is a sci-fi western that examines a future where everyone must ask what your values are truly worth.
ZACK KAPLAN ON WHAT THE BOOK’S ABOUT AND WHY HE’S EXCITED FOR IT TO BE RELEASED:
“JOIN THE FUTURE captures the classic spirit of the Western, gunslinging excitement and grandiose adventure, but with a sci-fi, futuristic twist, as technologically advanced cities reigning supreme in the dying whispers of the All-American small town. I’m excited, because it’s more than a story of the city versus the country, it’s a story about the ever-changing landscape of America. At the heart of the series is a girl, strong-willed and hopeful, on a coming-of-age journey to defend her values and define herself against power, technology, corruption and the future itself. How should you or any of us define ourselves in the future, you ask? Well, we invite to abandon your small-town values, embrace a tomorrow of constant engagement and accept the care of complete technological immersion. Come with us!
Come Join the Future!”
ZACK KAPLAN ON WHAT INSPIRED HIM TO CREATE THE BOOK:
“I grew up in a small town in Iowa, where we knew our neighbors and we played in the streets freely. We didn’t have the immediacy of the internet or the effects of social media. As a new parent to young children, I think a lot about their future and how they will cope against the speed of technology and the effect it has on us all. Every day, there are new gadgets, social platforms, smart devices, online data profiles, and aren’t we all just to maintain our identities and our values?”
ZACK KAPLAN ON THE ART OF THE BOOK:
“When you create an epic western in the future, simultaneously grounded and grand, that explores futuristic designs and classic western vistas and atmospheres, you need the perfect team. Piotr Kowalski, the artist, and Brad Simpson, the colorist, have become a powerful duo in the comics industry, working on titles such as SEX, BLOODBOURNE and THE WITCHER, known for imaginative world building, impeccably detailed landscapes and inspiring vivid colors. The artwork is majestic, heartfelt and jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou is a rockstar letterer and a noteworthy addition to the team.”
ZACK KAPLAN ON WHAT SETS APART THIS BOOK FROM HIS OTHER AFTERSHOCK TITLE, THE LOST CITY EXPLORERS:
“THE LOST CITY EXPLORERS was edgy and modern, about young adults going on a contained subterranean adventure of mystery and exploration. While both are helmed by young adult female protagonists, JOIN THE FUTURE is a grand, epic western set against a futuristic backdrop that imagines a grounded view of America as small-town life faces its final collapse. And in many ways, JOIN THE FUTURE is both more ambitious and more heartfelt.”
ZACK KAPLAN ON (3) THINGS HE HOPES READERS WILL TAKEAWAY FROM THIS:
“JOIN THE FUTURE is loaded with themes of tomorrow vs yesterday and the many vs the one, traditional Western ideas in a sleek sci-fi skin, but the heroine, Clementine Libbey is dynamic, mature, engaging and unrelenting, Mattie Ross from TRUE GRIT meets Katniss Everdeen from HUNGER GAMES. She’s the best of all of us, and her story is harsh and dramatic and moving, and I hope readers will be inspired by her, because some ideals are worth fighting for.”
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