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Reviewed: Time Lincoln

What in the heck did I just read?


 
 

Once in a while, you read a comic that blows your mind. Other times, you read a comic that confuses the heck out of you and makes you wonder if you missed 3 or 4 issues of it. I feel confused after reading Time Lincoln. Why do I feel so confused? Well, here's the solicit for the book, then I'll explain.

What happens when the Great Emancipator is suddenly freed from the bonds of time to right wrongs throughout history? Taken out of time on the night of his assassination with the help of H.G. Wells's time machine, Abraham Lincoln finds himself waging war upon the forces of evil in the past, present and future! In his last hour, he lived a lifetime!

By reading this, I thought this book would be about Lincoln traveling through time righting the wrongs throughout history and maybe fighting some evil-doers. What actually goes on in this book? Technically, no time travel. The whole issue takes place in Ford's Theater, the place where America's 16th president was assassinated, as Joesph Stalin brings the audience up to date. How does he do that? Well, by talking. My number one pet peeve about story telling in ANY medium is when characters talk about an event that happened and don't show it. Time-Lincoln tries to show the events that transpired, but it's just a few panels of Lincoln about to punch someone. The most important part of this story, the part I cared most about... Completely glossed over so the book can get to the action quicker. So what is this book about? Well... I'm still not entirely sure, but I'll give it a go. 

Give her a top-hat and a beard, and you've got Lincoln.
Give her a top-hat and a beard, and you've got Lincoln.
If you’ve ever read a book by Antarctic Press, and by that I mean Gold Digger, then you’re familiar with their style of art. Heavy anime and manga inspired pieces of work. Except this time, So it fits the writing, and by that I mean the long monologues, which people in the story may or may not be able to hear, and the over explanation of certain story elements, but the complete absence of other story elements. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the art a lot for this. It’s actually funny to see a Manga version of Joesph Stalin. I like the coloring on here, but again you get what you pay for. It’s Antarctic Press and that’s the only style of art they seem to do. 

Final Verdict: When I first read the solicit for this book, I was excited. This sounded like a lot of fun and downright hilarious, but when it came down to actually reading the book, it was confusing and messy, like eating a delicious looking sloppy joe, only to find out there’s a hole in the bun and now the food (story) is all over the place. I think Antarctic Press could really have something here if they tried to break away from some of the manga-cliches, mainly one long monologue that shows the audience nothing. This could be an enjoyable read and have the potential to be very funny, if this book didn’t feel so forced and lacking in the story department. With something like this… I need the origin first. This felt like issue 6 of the storyline with a anti-climactic ending.

2.5 out of 5


By the way, Lincoln was born in Kentucky, not Illinois, and he should know that when beating down Stalin.