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The Lost City Explorers #1 Advance Review: Teen Angst and Exploration

A research team is experimenting with a portal to another world. Things go wrong, and a pair of the team is lost in the portal. Elsewhere, a pair of teenagers named Helen and Maddie are on their way home from a concert. Upon arriving home, Helen discovers that her father, one of the two researchers who went missing in the portal, may be dead.

The Lost City Explorers #1 cover by Rafael de la Torre and Marcelo Maiolo
The Lost City Explorers #1 cover by Rafael de la Torre and Marcelo Maiolo

The Lost City Explorers #1 appears to be aiming for a modernized version of the classic adventure tale: a team of scientists and explorers going to an unknown world full of mystery and potential danger.

Among the twists on the concept is how dripping in teen angst this first issue is. Helen and Maddie are dressed in flannel and jeans, go to a band with a small venue, and complain about how pointless everything is. Maddie's brother and his girlfriend are examples of selfish and shallow social media-obsessed culture.

That said, that isn't fatal and isn't necessarily a bad thing all the way through. It could add some interesting alterations to this genre, and Helen and Maddie aren't unlikable. There is something relatable about that teenage nihilism while staring down the barrel of the future and career.

Beyond that, the premise is solid and interesting, even if it's a bit predictable.

Alvaro Sarraseca's artwork looks great. It leans on photorealism while adding a slick texture to the world. The art isn't especially kinetic-seeming, but this installment doesn't really have any action or movement to show. Character's are visually expressive though, and that's the important part in this comic. Chris Blythe's color art looks great too, and it adds extra atmosphere to this world.

The Lost City Explorers #1 isn't an especially unique comic, but it is competently constructed and interesting enough. The characters are angsty, but they have potential. Sarraseca and Blythe do some great work on the visuals, and the comic is worth checking out for yourself when it comes out on July 18th.



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Joshua DavisonAbout Joshua Davison

Josh is a longtime super hero comic fan and an aspiring comic book and fiction writer himself. He also trades in videogames, Star Wars, and Magic: The Gathering, and he is also a budding film buff. He's always been a huge nerd, and he hopes to contribute something of worth to the wider geek culture conversation. He is also happy to announce that he is the new Reviews Editor for Bleeding Cool. Follow on Twitter @joshdavisonbolt.
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