Scout Comics’ Forever Forward: A Unique Time Jumping Adventure
This week we will be taking a look at Forever Forward #1 from Scout Comics. The book is written by Zack Kaplan with art by Arjuna Susini. Forever Forward follows a group of time jumpers trying to get back to their original timeline. The problem is they can only jump forward. We will be discussing the creative team, story, and artwork in this issue and some first impressions.
Scout Comics Forever Forward
A major rule if attending a Comic Con, especially San Diego Comic Con, you must purchase a comic book.
I set-out on a mission to find a hidden gem, something different than I normally read. Perusing around the convention floor I came across Scout Comics. First off, their booth looked incredible, secondly the quality of comics that were on display was impressive.
Now I have heard of Scout Comics throughout the years and have been following them somewhat closely. They’re certainly an emerging publisher in the Industry and should be on everyone’s radar. At San Diego Comic Con in 2022, their booth screamed, “We have arrived.”
Looking around at the different books Scout was featuring at the convention, one book caught my eye in particular. Forever Forward. A Scout Comics sales representatives gave me his elevator pitch. “FF is a story about a group of characters who can only go forward in-time. That are desperately trying to get back to the past.”
I was sold.
Forever Forward Synopsis
Sci-fi writer Zack Kaplan and artist Arjuna Susini take you on a sci-fi adventure like no other, one that imagines time traveling through “the future” as an Odyssey-style mythic journey home. When brilliant young scientist Dr. Lewis Moody accidentally launches himself, his secret longtime crush and three best friends 33 years into the future with his unproven quantum time machine, they find a mysterious message from their future selves: “The Only Way Back Is Forward.” Now, as they jump again and again through strange future times, will they one day find the technology to time-travel back, or are they doomed to hopelessly travel forward… forever?
Previews WOrld
FF Writer: Zack Kaplan
I had the opportunity to meet Zack Kaplan at San Diego Comic Con. Where he signed my SDCC Exclusive Forever Forward #1.
First impressions of meeting Zack: he is easy to talk to and has a deep love for comics. Being a fellow author, I appreciate his passion for the medium. Kaplan is now a creator I will keep a closer eye on.
We had such a great conversation, in-fact that I decided to checkout another series he had written. Eclipse published by Image.
After reading the first issue of Forever Forward, it’ll now be apart of my pull-list. Zack does a tremendous job crafting a story that is both intriguing and different, leaving you wanting more.
Forever Forward SDCC Exclusive Cover Art by John Giang
The cover of Forever Forward by John Giang is extraordinary. You see the Statue of Liberty’s head decomposing on the ground, as our cast of characters race towards it. A good cover should leave you intrigued, this accomplished that goal and had me wanting to learn more.
John Giang’s SDCC exclusive variant cover for Forever Forward should be something collectors seek out for their comic book collections.
If you are not familiar with John Giang check out some of his other cover art right here.
Interior Art by Arjuna Susini
The interior art in Forever Forward is top of the line. You’re reading a high quality book from front to back. The pacing is great, and I was able to easily follow the story. I did not get lost moving from panel to panel. No easy-task considering the amount of time jumps this book goes through.
FF art choices allows your imagination to run wild. The style of art in Forever Forward works well with the story and that is what truly matters. Dynamic well laid out panels comes to mind when I think of the first issue of Forever Forward.
FF’s Powerful Opening Scene:
Spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned! If you don’t want anything spoiled for you, come back after you read issue one of Forever Forward.
Alright you’re still here. That means you either already read the book or don’t care about things being spoiled for you. Let’s continue on then.
The opening scene in Forever Forward dives right into the action somewhere in the future. Our characters seem to be in the midst of a heist gone-wrong. Prompting them to get ready to jump in time again. This scene gives a quick intro into the characters we will be following through the adventure. We’re also introduced to time jumping right away.
Our hot opening gives us a solid precursor of what’s to come. Before we start at the true beginning of the story, in the year 2022.
This was a good choice to make. If we started in the year 2022, I don’t think readers would have been as hooked. Just like if Lord of the Rings started in the Shire and skipped that epic battle up-front. Chances are people would have been a little bored out the gate.
Forever Forward’s Main Character: Lewis Moody
There is a strong cast of characters in Forever Forward. From the get-go, Lewis Moody is our main protagonist.
Lewis is the inventor of time travel. In 2022 Lewis sent a mouse through a quantum temporal electrodynamic field, milliseconds into the future. He has a mad scientist persona and wants to then send a human into the future. Lewis refuses to publishes his breakthrough discoveries for the world until he does so.
Time Jumps in Forever Forward
How many years have we timed jumped thus far? Forever Forward’s story starts in an unknown year, before the actual story beings in the Year 2022. The first real jump in Forever Forward takes us to year 2055. In our second jump we land in the year 2088.
In the year 2022 everything is normal. Suddenly a freak accident occurs, propelling our band of characters forward to the year 2055. Things are terribly wrong in the United States in the not-so-distant year of 2055. Russia is invading the west coast of the U.S. during the midst of an American Civil War.
With Russian Soldiers closing in on our band of characters location, they make the haste decision to make another jump. Landing them in the year 2088.
We only get a glimpse of 2088 because our first issue ends here. Not before we see our cast of characters landing in the middle of a hurricane. Perhaps global warming has finally caught up to us in 88′?
The future written by Zack Kaplan is grounded in a reality that could come to fruition. I’m interested to see where he takes us next and what his vision of the future is.
Conclusion
As far as #1’s go, Forever Forward is a winner. I was left wanting more, and that is the best feeling a comic book can give you. I recommend this title to anyone looking for a new series to start reading. Forever Forward is off to a great start, and I cannot wait to see where it goes from here.
Scout Comics should be praised for the quality of comics they’re putting on the shelves.
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