Standing for something is better than kneeling for nothing.
Creative Staff:
Story: Zack Kaplan
Art: Piotr Kowalski
Colors: Brad Simpson
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
What They Say:
The rural town of Franklin is a day away from annihilation by mega terraforming machines, and Clementine has failed to stop it, failed in her attempt at revenge, and even failed her own ideals. Now she must decide if she wants to escape with her life or take a final stand against the futuristic City’s control.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Zack Kaplan has had a good bit of fun with this series thus far, though I’ll admit at times during this issue that I felt like I was reading an earlier issue because of Clementine’s latest escape from authority. I do like that big picture stuff and it all feels very Brave New World in the right ways, just with little focus on the future/city side of things. I’ve sung the praises of Piotr Kowalski before with this series along with Brad Simpson’s color design and that holds true here, even more so, because the outdoor setting and the exploration of a city in ruins. I want to know more about all of these places and yet I also really want to spend time in one of the big cities where the future is.
Clementine’s being sold out by the Trader that she spent time training and working with really wasn’t a surprise. Honesty, in his own way, he really was trying to help her. While she got better with some of what he showed her, she wasn’t likely to survive out in the world as it stands and his own losses had him not wanting to see her fall because of it. With the sheriff and City reps now in control of the situation and signing for her to join the city, since she’s a minor, Clementine’s in even more of a panic about this because it’s the last thing she wants. Amusingly, she’s able to escape from them as the gang starts talking shop a bit with what they need to handle. She’s fast on her feet and it leads to a pretty solid chase sequence.
One that takes us to the nearby ruined city that’s in shambles, including a big chunk of it underwater as well. I really wish we’d get to explore some of this more but the book shifts to her being chased and trying to get away from the guy who actually killed her father. It’s a good sequence that puts her at wit’s end trying to deal with it so she can end him but work her bigger plans. It has a great look to it thanks to the artwork and color design with all that dark green and the rain. But it flips things well when it shifts to her surviving that and finding the Trader again, making her accusations and seeing what his expected defense will be. Clementine’s certainly in an interesting spot here but we also see how once again a bunch of guys even forget that she’s there and paying attention, learning how to disrupt things in a way that will cost a lot of money in the long run.
In Summary:
Join the Future continues to be a solid book and I liked this installment of it. It did feel a bit more repetitive than it should have, assuming this is still a six-issue series, as covering the same ground again so quickly doesn’t sit well with me. But Clementine is already in a better place to handle what’s going on and it unfolds well here as she deals with three different types of authority that are telling her what to do and how to do it. Kaplan’s script is solid and keeps things moving forward but making me want to see a dive into one of these underwater cities. I like what we get with the main pieces here and how Clementine handles most of it and am curious to see how this new stand she’s taking at the end of the book will really unfold.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: AfterShock Comics
Release Date: August 12th, 2020
MSRP: $3.99