Advance Review – Cantwell And Crook Spin A Great, Tangled Web In ‘Out Of Alcatraz’ #3
by Tom Smithyman
Overview
This dynamic creative team delivers their best installment yet in this complicated, adult story of three escapees from the infamous prison and the people hunting them down. Every plot twist adds to the overall narrative in a way that enriches the full story. And the visuals set the tone in a way that the script cannot.
Overall
9.5/10It’s difficult to fully grasp the number of plot threads that Christopher Cantwell has written into the first three issues of Out of Alcatraz. What will be even more impressive is how he will resolve them in a satisfying way before the limited series concludes with two more chapters.
But that is feat will be evaluated when the series concludes. For now, let’s try to summarize where Cantwell has taken his readers:
- Three men managed to escape from Alcatraz (please don’t tell Donald Trump, who wants to reopen the supermax prison) with two of them believing the third drowned in the icy waters (he’s very much alive and looking for vengeance).
- The two remaining crooks are being chaperoned by a mysterious woman with a mysterious past and even more mysterious motivations.
- A US marshal and FBI agent believe the pair may still be alive and are chasing them northward through California before the bad guys can escape to Canada. To future add even more intrigue, the pair are closeted lovers and have concerns that catching the criminals will shine a spotlight on their relationship.
- After a boneheaded move – one that pushes the believability of the story a bit too far – the escapees expose themselves in a local town. That puts them at the mercy of a local strongman who put them on a dangerous side quest.
Not only is that a lot, but it makes for good reading. Cantwell has mastered the art of practically forcing readers to turn the page, and he’s able to do it with mystery and intrigue and without needless action sequences. It’s storytelling for adults.
That takes nothing away from Tyler Crook’s great visuals. Each panel clearly tells its own story – with a 1960s’ feel. Crook has made an indelible mark on the story (he should as he’s also coloring and lettering). Frankly, it’s difficult to imagine another artist on the book.
In Out of Alcatraz, Cantwell and Crook are methodically crafting one of the best stories of the year. It will be exciting to see how they manage to tie up the myriad plot points in a satisfying way.
Out of Alcatraz #3 will be available in comic book shops and digital platforms May 21st from Oni Press.
