The Creators – Christopher Cantwell – Writer, Tyler Crook – Artist

The Players – Frank Morris, John Anglin, Clarence Anglin

The Story – What if those three men who escaped Alcatraz did so successfully and lived?

The Take – While Out Of Alcatraz does not exactly present a new premise with its first issue, it does expand on just what could have happened on that fateful day when three men made the attempt to escape from a prison which many had said was impossible. Be that as it may, whether they lived or died, the fact that they did make it outside of the walls meant they were successful, with no one sure what might have happened afterwards. Christopher Cantwell and Tyler Crook give readers the ‘after’ or at least one version of it with the men washing up on the distant shore, though one person short. It seems John Anglin would drown on the way, and so, the plans for four, which changed when one man turned yellow, became three. Now, those plans would have to change again as only two remained, and the handler they went to meet is quite perturbed about the chain of events and those that stand before her. That being said, their escape plan is ironed out, only they must trade one prison for another with five years of service on a farm in British Columbia, after which they are free to go their separate ways. Cantwell does a great job of introducing his cast of characters and immediately letting his readers see how they interact. With the escaping part of the story already done with, the book needs to focus on something else, and one can see it become both a character drama and a Fugitive-type story. With the men looking to make a permanent run for it, one does have to wonder who will be chasing them. The official position of the authorities is that they died in the ocean, so for the moment, they might have a little while to collect themselves before they take off, but trouble, it seems, does not want to leave them alone. Factor in a cliffhanger with a bit of a surprise, and this book gives its audience a fair bit to chew on. Cantwell does a great job with the story, the man knowing how to hook people in, and one can easily see this transitioning into a television show at some point. As for the artwork, one can do no wrong when Crook is at the helm. The man has been illustrating some of the best books of the last decade, and he continues to make it look easy by taking on everything himself, including the lettering. Altogether, this was a very strong start to a fantastic new series, and hopefully, it sticks around for the long haul.

Worth It? – Yes.