Advance Review – What’s the Furthest Place From Here? #1 (Image Comics)

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Matthew Rosenberg
Artwork: Tyler Boss
Colour Assists: Clare DeZutti
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Release Date: 10th November 2021

Set for release next month from the creative team behind Black Mask Studios’ 4 Kids Walk into a Bank, this new Image Comics series features gangs of children who fight for their own survival in a post-apocalyptic world. In the triple-sized first issue, writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Tyler Boss introduce us to one such group of kids as they take refuge in a record shop, terrified of getting old and trying to define their existence through their record collections.

It’s a cracking concept, and don’t get me wrong, Rosenberg is a phenomenal writer whose extensive body of work more than speaks for itself, but for me, it’s Boss who’s the main selling point here. I’ll freely admit to buying basically anything his name is attached to, and it’s a mindset that hasn’t steered me wrong yet. There’s something about his stylistic choices and razor-sharp layouts that just flat-out appeal to me, and the extended page count in this first issue gives him ample opportunity to flex his creative muscle.

The pair work in perfect partnership alongside letterer supreme Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou to instantly draw the reader into the story, blending crisp dialogue and relatable characters to create a heady blend of wry humour and high drama as our group of teens are interrupted by an unexpected knocking at their door. I’m not going to delve too deeply into the events of the issue for risk of spoiling their impact, but there are a lot of interesting concepts introduced here, from strange figures in the shadows to the secrets hidden in the outside world, and the oversized issue whips past all too quickly as the story unfolds before us.

In an interesting move, each issue of What’s the Furthest Place From Here? will also be available in a $14.99 ‘Deluxe Edition’ which will come packaged with an exclusive vinyl single featuring new music from Blake Schwarzenbach (Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil) and Joyce Manor. Perhaps a little gimmicky, but again you can’t fault the execution and the way it ties into the themes of the story itself. Think of it as a retro-tinged expansion of the ‘Spotify Playlist’ approach that a lot of other creative teams have employed in the past.

Another banger of a first issue from Image Comics then, as Rosenberg and Boss effortlessly recapture the magic of their previous collaboration, delivering a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic genre. The themes of record collecting and music as a whole tie into the adolescent experience beautifully, and the way these themes are framed in a world where groups of kids battle for survival in an adult-free wasteland is likely to speak to a lot of readers on a lot of different levels. I’m well and truly hooked anyway, and can’t wait to see where this story goes next.

Rating: 4.5/5.

[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]