It's Only Teenage Wasteland #1 Review: The Perfect Mix of Teenage Angst and High Concept Ideas

There's never been a lack of "high school kids throw a party while parents are gone" stories across all of media, which is why it's important for creators to put their own, unique spin on these tales. Dark Horse Comics has a new addition in It's Only Teenage Wasteland #1 by Curt Pires, Jacoby Salcedo, Mark Dale, and Micah Myers. There are early comparisons to titles like The Nice House on the Lake and What's the Furthest Place From Here, but It's Only Teenage Wasteland quickly differentiates itself from the competition. The first issue introduces a diverse cast and fleshes them out to the point where you can see where they're coming from and what viewpoints they hold. Plus, the ending will leave you on the edge of your seat. 

Comedy is at the forefront in It's Only Teenage Wasteland, in both its stellar writing and art. Salcedo, Dale, and Myers use some familiar pop culture references like posters and Street Fighter that capture the vibe of adolescence. There are also the creative transitions of panels to guide the reader, while also tossing in quippy jokes to spice things up. On the writing side, the group of kids sounds like a real-life group of kids. Javi is a likable protagonist who transitions between being a competent, somewhat-confident teen to an insecure friend who makes the point to let the reader know he's no hero.

Character moments are one of many highlights, and I found myself getting lost in the discussions between characters. The revelation that Javi's parents are going out of town brings his older sister into the story. Of course, she wants to be the responsible sibling, but the mere mention of her crush attending the party is enough for her to start seeing literal heart emojis. Javi and his friends rib and joke with each other as kids typically do, but none of it is hurtful or in poor taste. I am intrigued to learn how Fogleman factors into things. He's kept at an arm's length by Javi but there's got to be a larger role for him in the future or else why introduce him?

A multicultural supporting cast wouldn't be complete without some racist assholes, but thankfully they only come into play to push It's Only Teenage Wasteland toward its climax. It's not often I find myself anticipating the final page turns when I reach the end of a comic book, but that's exactly what I did here. I didn't know what I was going to find on the final page, but it was enough to keep me counting the days until It's Only Teenage Wasteland #2 arrives. Javi's party may have been unceremoniously interrupted, but now the real party is about to begin.

Published by Dark Horse Comics

On December 7, 2022

Written by Curt Pires

Art by Jacoby Salcedo

Colors by Mark Dale

Letters by Micah Myers

Cover by Jacoby Salcedo