In Mad Cave Studios’ ‘Past Time,’ Baseball’s Brightest Lights Hide Its Darkest Shadows
by Brendan M. Allen
Mad Cave Studios has announced a new five-issue ‘sports-horror’ comic miniseries from writer Joe Harris, artist Russell Mark Olson, and letterer Carlos M. Mangual. Past Time blends America’s favorite pastime with a supernatural twist. This thrilling new series is sure to captivate readers with demons in the outfield.
Henry Hayes could have been the best baseball player anybody ever saw, if only his dark affliction didn’t prevent him from playing in the daylight. But when the barnstorming circuit introduces a new novelty to the game, night baseball under the bright lights, will his dreams of playing pro ball finally be realized, or will his bloody past catch up with him before he gets the chance?
“I’ve wanted to make sports comics, generally speaking, and baseball comics in particular, for a long time,” said Harris. “Past Time is a love letter to the game wrapped inside a bloody horror story. Working with Russell to bring this very grounded and intimate supernatural thriller to life has been a treat. The baseball play feels real and authentic, and the monsters and monstrousness really stand out against that backdrop. So excited to be releasing my first project with Mad Cave! It’s hardly the last. More sports!”
“Growing up in the ’80s, in the backwoods just south of St. Louis, meant two things: chronic poison ivy rash and Cardinals baseball. Whitey Herzog, Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee… baseball came first, comics second,” added Olson. “When I was offered the chance to work on a baseball book with Joe Harris, I nearly bit Mike Marts‘s handoff. Add to the mix a Jazz-age backdrop with dark, supernatural elements—crumbs!—what’s not to love? Joe’s absolutely knocked the scripting out of the park. Each issue is filled with quality baseball action, shadowy mystery, and a fair amount of paranormal grit. This comic has hit the sweet spot.”
Featuring cover art from Mark Chiarello and variant covers by Adam Pollina and Rahzzah, Past Time delivers a high-stakes story set against the backdrop of America’s pastime, transporting readers from the dusty Midwest fields of the 1920s to the bright city lights of today.
Past Time #1 hits spinner racks on April 2nd, and is now available for preorder.
