LOST IN THE FUTURE

A fast-paced SF graphic novel by writer Damián and artist Fuentes about a group of students who find themselves suddenly and unexpectedly thrown into the past.

A class field trip to the ruins of a castle of the Knights Templaris an exciting prospect for friends Arnold, Sara, Mei, and Driss, but Piero, the class bully, uses it as an opportunity to torment. While trying to scare the trio, Piero’s actions send them all into a pit, where a sudden flood carries them into what appears to be a jungle, where mythic and perhaps prehistoric creatures reside. They escape the predators and soon run into a knight, who offers help but also keeps whispering to other people in his village about “the portal.” He explains that the Knights Templar created an escape path through time to evade persecution and have been living in secrecy for centuries. What starts as an opportunity for the kids to explore an ancient world turns sinister when they learn about the disturbing secret of the villagers’ survival. The kids’ predicament leads to some impressively realized chase sequences by Fuentes, who has a sharp eye for character detail and engagingly variable color motifs, which move from bubblegum pink to bright blue to candlelit orange. Although the main characters are feature clear visual signifiers (Sara, for instance, uses crutches), their personalities don’t consistently come through as distinct, other than Piero and a young guide who’s introduced late in the narrative. This may bother some readers, but others will be swept along by the story’s brisk pace, rising stakes, moments of humor, and beautiful artwork. The tale ends on a somewhat abrupt cliffhanger, but one hopes that the central characters will receive more development in future installments.

A fun, bright story for young fans of time-hopping hijinks.