Writer: Christopher Cantwell
Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Tyler Crook
Publisher: Oni Press
Hardcover Price: $29.99
Release Date: October 22, 2025
On June 11, 1962, three prisoners escaped Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. All three men are still missing and presumed dead. The FBI closed its investigation in 1979, while the US Marshals still consider it an active case. But the missing convicts may have survived. If so, where might Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin have fled? And what happened to the agents who investigated their escape? Let's grab our handcuffs, leap into Out Of Alcatraz HC, and see!
Story
After coordinating with an outside agent, Frank, John, and Clarence make a raft, life jackets, and oars. But the sea proves rougher than they anticipated, and only Frank and Clarence reach the mainland. While Clarence mourns his brother, Frank keeps him focused on their escape. Sliding a coat hanger down a driver’s side window and crossing the ignition wires nets them a ’55 Chevy. They reach their contact in Modesto. But neither man is good at following her rules.
While Out Of Alcatraz HC showcases Frank and Clarence's struggles, it introduces their mysterious contact. She has endured trials and refuses to give the men her name. And the man she works for is unhappy. He had planned on getting four men to work in his fields. Now, there are only two.
As Christopher Cantwell shows Frank and Clarence struggling to adapt to life outside their cells, he also highlights issues people faced in the 1960s. FBI agent Cyrus Michedoros and US Marshall Bob Canton don't meet society's expectations. Cy doesn't want to pursue the investigation. He fears the recognition he would receive for solving the case. But Bob has personal reasons for solving it. So, Cy risks his future to help his friend find the fugitives.
While Out Of Alcatraz HC shows Cy and Bob pursuing the escapees, it also reveals their similarities. All these people are hiding and fear discovery. What none of them realize as they seek to find each other and escape to their separate Happily Ever Afters is that someone else is pursuing them. He won't stop until he reaches them. And most of them, perhaps all, are on his naughty list.
Art
A beam of light streaks over the raging waves. Only the men's arms and heads emerge from the angry water as they struggle to stay afloat. Amid the battle for survival, hands reach toward each other. As one disappears beneath the surface, close-ups show Frank's determination and Clarence's anguish.
While Tyler Crook applies limited tones to fraught night scenes, more colors emerge as the men reach land. The bay shines blue, even in the evening. Yellow headlights glow, and red taillights shine as the stolen car races through the night. Like James Bond and Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Frank and Clarence find sanctuary in a barn. But the next morning, as they enjoy a lazy trek through vibrant fields and orchards, frenzied activity occurs inside Alcatraz.
Tyler Crook fills dialogue balloons with black, uppercase dialogue. Sound effects heighten the tension in Alcatraz and everyday events. But violence is a part of all the characters’ lives in Out Of Alcatraz HC. Most unreels silently, until they reach the final climactic chapter in this beautifully painted story about the costs of freedom. Thanks to Oni Press for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
Three men hiding their past. One woman disguising her race. Two men who break the law while serving it. Out Of Alcatraz cooks these social misfits in a toxic stew where they confront the worst aspects of society. They yearn to escape a society that disregards them. But not all of them can reach the Promised Land.
Rating 9.6/10
For more, see my spotlight on Out Of Alcatraz HC.
