Release date: 2013
Writer: several
Artist: several
Cover: Full-color
Interior: Some black/white stories but mostly full-color
Synopsis: Anthology, with black/white and full-color stories with a time travel theme.
The Deal
I was in the UK in January 2014 for the last day of the pantomime season and bought this comic on my way back home in London at Orbital Comics.
I think it clinched it for me when I read the cover and it said 'Psychedelic'. I didn't exactly know what I expected but just the word enticed me enough to buy it.
I think it clinched it for me when I read the cover and it said 'Psychedelic'. I didn't exactly know what I expected but just the word enticed me enough to buy it.
The Feel
When you first hold the comic in your hand it feels like a thin book. The pages are held together with perfect binding which you usually only find in HC or TPB comics. It's an A5 sized comic, the cover slightly thicker than the interior pages and made of the same kind of glossy paper.
The stories and the look
The comic contains fourteen stories of up to four pages long. The stories all involve the concept of time travel and has a wide diversity of plots and art. How many stories can you tell about time travel... well... quite a lot actually, at least fourteen different ones just inside the pages of this journal. I won't go through all of the stories and artwork but will name a few that stuck with me.Firstly, 'The Clockwork Queen' by J.S. Adams and Dave Thomson, it was really fun. It's a really smart story. I got and liked the implication of it continuing even today (Feb. 2015).
Then, 'The Taste of Extinction' written by Jamie Lambert and art by Jake Rowlinson, which would probably come true if time traveling technique become available. Just think of all those rich people that would be lining the doors of this restaurant.
I laughed out loud at 'The Legend of the Robot Man' by Arron Ferguson & Aidan Barnard and lettered by Daniel Bell, I can just see them getting Robot Man ready for battle. I'd love to have a couple more pages on that story I think it could be hilarious.
The last one that I'll mention is 'Why Hasn't Anyone Killed Hitler?' script by Jim Woodall and art by Andrew Scaife. First thing I thought was: "Yeah, why hasn't anyone killed Hitler when time travel becomes available?" I was already wondering that when Doctor Who went back in the 'Let's Kill Hitler' episode. Well this little tale explains it all.
The other stories are by no means bad, some might be a little weaker, but they all have a high basic standard. But the ones mentioned above just stood out to me and I remembered them specifically after reading through the whole anthology.
So many different artists worked on this and it shows. The art varies from simple pen line drawings to colorful digital watercolor artwork. I was happy to see so many different styles all captured in one book. It shows me once again that there are many writers and artist out there trying to get their work out and hold themselves to a high standard and that has to be supported and applauded.
The Conclusion
It's very simple to me, if you like the concept of time travel and/or are into science-fiction and would like to see a couple of what could be endless possibilities in that genre, I think you're going to like this book. I think most stories are strong, the art in most cases is good to excellent and I think projects like this need to be supported.How to get a copy
If your local comic store in the United Kingdom has a small press section then I'd suggest looking searching that space first. If you can't find it there then you can order them straight from the Crazy Fox Machine which also stocks other issues of TPJoTT.
