We’re From The Future: The ‘Quantum Teens Are Go’ Mixtape
Comics and music go hand in hand, and there’s nothing quite like putting on that perfect playlist, sitting down with a good story, and getting lost for a while. We’ve tasked our best writers with crafting the ultimate mixtape to compliment their favorite comics, to hopefully introduce you to comics you might not have tried and artists you might not have heard.
Magdalene Visaggio, Eryk Donovan, Claudia Aguirre and Zakk Saam's new series Quantum Teens Are Go is the story of two punks in love as they attempt to build a time machine. While making this mixtape, I wanted to capture that technopunk spirit; something that would match the world that Nat and Sumesh live in; something that would match their relationship to it, and also their relationship to each other.
In my mind, this is what the two of them listen to while driving around, or right before breaking into a place they definitely, definitely should not be.
Lemonade
Tsunami Bomb (The Invasion From Within)Like I said, Nat and Sumesh are weirdo Californian punks. So are Tsunami Bomb. This angry song about making the best out of terrible circumstances seems to describe Nat and Sumesh’s reaction to their world. Things aren’t the best, but they’re going to make lemonade out of it.
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Part 1
Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots)More than anything else, this is the song that comes to my mind when I think of Quantum Teens Are Go. It sounds like the song that someone would write for Nat. Listen to this and tell me you don’t picture Eryk Donovan’s gorgeous art.
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
MCR (Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys)I’ll be honest, this song is a bit more traditional than any of the other ones out there, but it describes a weird chaotic future where everything is lost and broken, and while the world of QTAG doesn’t exactly fit that, it does sound like a perfect description of how Nat and Sumesh feel about their world. Something dark that they’re exploding against.
Keep Quiet
The Protomen (Act II: Father of Death)"Keep Quiet" is one of the latter songs in the Protomen’s rock opera describing (basically) the prequel to the Mega Man series. While I think N&S would dig it, that’s not entirely why I chose it. This song is about a city that’s been run down by technology, where everyone must keep quiet, and one person decides to break free and be a hero. While I think N&S would roll their eyes at the comparison, I also think they’d secretly dig it.
Le Disko
Shiny Toy Guns (We Are Pilots)There’s no entirely logical reason for this song being on this list, I just think that Nat and Sumesh would enjoy it. It seems like a song that the two of them would scream-sing in their car, or dance to at night. Something that would play in the background as the two of them make out. “We’re gonna dance on fire.”
3005
Childish Gambino (Because The Internet)It’s a messed up, futuristic love song. What more do you want? “I’ll be right by your side ‘til 3005.” In Nat and Sumesh’s case, that’s literally true.
The Last Great Punk Rock Song
Say Anything (Baseball: An Album by Sayanything)This is a weird, silly song written by a punk in high school who was very mad that he was a punk in high school. It’s about the dumb stuff that happens to you in high school and how weird and extreme it feels. While N&S have bigger things to worry about, they’re still very much stuck in this high school daze. In addition, it’s one last time, and that seems very fitting for the couple.
G.L.O.S.S. (We’re From the Future)
G.L.O.S.S. (Demo)This hardcore punk song is about screaming back at a world that tells you you’re not enough, and screaming back that you’re from the future, that you’re living outside their world, that you’re done with their antiquated bull. It’s a powerful screaming spit in the face, something Nat would undoubtedly be down with.
If you want to check out this mixtape at home or on the go, we’ve assembled a playlist of all the songs available on Spotify to make it even easier. Make sure to follow ComicsAlliance on Spotify and keep an eye out for more comics-themed playlists in the future.