Reviewer: Mathan “Tattooed Man†Erhardt
Story Title: Time Out of Time
Written by: John Francis Moore
Penciled by: Paul Guinan
Inked by: Steve Leialoha
Lettered by: Willie Schubert
Colored by: Mike Danza
Editor: Archie Goodwin
This issue begins in 1960 in Germany at an early Beatle’s gig. Walker Gabriel is enjoying the show when Mordecai summons him to Chronopolis. There Walker and his former flame the Countess. She informs him that an old foe has escaped the 23rd century and is looking to take some revenge out on the Walker of the past before he gained the ability to travel in time. As Walker fades into the past we see a future older Walker watching a younger Walker enjoying life in Chronopolis. Wacky.
Then we end up in Ivy Town 1998. It’s Walker’s 23rd birthday and he’s using a time device to do some technological espionage, which he later gets paid handsomely for by the mysterious Konstantin Vyronis who offers Walker another job. He also visits David Clinton, formerly known as Chronos. Now he’s just getting old, and as a side effect of his time travel, he is phasing out of time.
After that Walker goes on his next job, only to be followed by Hayden Glass, the criminal who escaped the 23rd century looking for revenge. Hayed is stopped by the future Walker from the beginning of the issue. All this happens without the present Walker catching on. He goes about his job, stealing from S.T.A.R labs. A member of the Linear Authority attempts to apprehend Walker, but Vyronis shows up and kills the time cop. Vyronis opens a portal takes the device and tries to leave Walker taking the blame. Walker grabs Vyronis and they tumble through the portal. Walker ends up on the outskirts of a frontier town, named Smallville.
Moore had an amazing concept with this book. A guy who could witness and interact with the DCU, past, present and future. This story sounds confusing, but it reads much better. That is due to Moore’s excellent writing. Walker is an interesting character and Moore makes you actually care about Clinton. That takes talent.
Guinan and Leialoha make a pretty good team. The backgrounds are full of detail and fun stuff. Like in Clinton’s house, there are various nods to the DCU’s past. I really dig Walker’s costume. It’s simple yet cool. The book is a treat to look at.
