Imagine if you never saw a single star. No planets. No satellites. You don’t even know they exist. Mankind has always had a fascination with space but in the universe of Joyride acting on the fascination is illegal.

Joyride #1 follows the story of Uma, a free-spirited teenager who wants to explore life beyond our planet. She’s never seen it because in this future the government has shut down all space exploration. The view of the stars is hidden by a giant dome that surrounds the world. People are told through propaganda that the purpose of the dome is for protection, but Uma doesn’t buy it. She’s very much like The Little Mermaid and develops a plan to escape the confines of Earth. To complete her plan Uma recruits her fearful friend Dewydd on the mission. Obstacles pop up. One of them is the Private First Class, another is a teenager who’s bored by her uneventful job but dedicated to her duty.

The writing in this issue is fun and action packed. The teenage characters are all well-written in a way that sounds authentic. It’s interesting to read a story about teens that are inspired by the things like space that we take for granted. Uma and Dewydd are the perfect Ying and Yang duo throughout the story. Uma is full of enthusiasm and bravery and Dewydd is full of reluctance and fear. Private First Class (whose real name you have to read the book to find out) is the responsible one who takes life too seriously. There’s something for everyone on this journey.

The artwork succeeds at setting up this high-tech futuristic world. Artist Marcus To draws in a unique style and makes the vibrant world pop on every page. My favorite images are the backgrounds of the galaxy. The way the sky scape of stars is drawn makes for stunning visuals.

Everyone can relate to wanting to explore outside of the world they know and Joyride #1 makes me excited for what happens next. As the characters discover more and more about the unknown the journey will keep getting more fun to read.

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Joyride #1 Writer: Jackson Lazing, Collin Kelly Artist: Marcus To Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/20/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

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