Built over a desolated island on the coast of San Francisco, the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary made history as the darkest pit you could hide prisoners from 1934 to 1963. The imposing fortress became known for its harsh treatment of inmates, forced to live in inhumane conditions. Plus, the fact that the solid walls patrolled by armed guards were surrounded by the sea made Alcatraz a place no one could escape from. The penitentiary reputation was put to test in 1962, when three inmates did the unthinkable and managed to escape the Rock, never to be found again. Based on this peculiar chapter of U.S. prisoner history, writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Tyler Crook created Out of Alcatraz #1, a fictional account of what happened to these inmates.
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In the real world, Frank Lee Morris concocted a daring escape plan he shared with Allen West and brothers John and Clarence Anglin. The four Alcatraz inmates constructed an improvised inflatable raft in the prison workshops. They also modeled replicas of their heads with papier mâché, that they left on their bed to trick guards on the night of the escape. Then, they crawled through the prison ventilation system, using the raft to challenge the waves. West’s ventilation shaft got stuck in the fateful night, so he was left behind by the three others. Since the police never found the three escapees’ bodies, their raft, or any evidence they reached the shore, the FBI officially closed the case in 1979, convinced the trio drowned in the night of the prison break.
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Out of Alcatraz #1 kicks off its story with Frank and the Anglin brothers frantically paddle for their lives over their makeshift raft. Instead of focusing on the mind-boggling escape plan, already well-documented, Cantwell wants to explore what happened after Frank and his accomplices escaped. Frank’s plan demonstrates the man’s enviable intellect and creativity, so escaping Alcatraz was only the first step towards freedom. Alas, freedom is frail, and the promise of a new life can only be accomplished if Frank and his partners in crime can trust each other to make the right decisions.
The first issue of Out of Alcatraz takes time to build the conflict between Frank’s egotistic intelligence and Clarence Anglin’s simple-minded goals. Frank is always thinking of their next move, while Clarence, unaware of the far reach of law enforcement, doesn’t understand that getting out of Alcatraz was hard, but remaining outside can be even more challenging. Instead of high-octane police chases, Out of Alcatraz #1 focuses primarily on these two characters hiding in a midway home, while trying to negotiate the terms of their continued liberty with the people who helped them escape from Alcatraz. It’s a quiet story, but one that is aimed at peeling the psychological layers of the fugitives to learn what makes them tick.
In addition to Clarence and Frank, Out of Alcatraz #1 has a third main character, a mysterious woman who makes the bridge between the former inmates and a wealthy contractor willing to fund their new life, for a price. After the first issue, we still don’t know much about this woman and how she got involved in the mess. While the lack of information entices curiosity, it still feels like there was enough space to give her more depth, especially considering Out of Alcatraz #1 boats 48 pages and ends with a cliffhanger that promises more players will be added to the board in the second part of the series.
Nevertheless, Out of Alcatraz #1 is still a fantastic exercise of historical fiction, concerned about depicting the U.S. precisely as it was in the 1960s. That includes the racial tensions bubbling below the surface of a civilized country and the unfortunate objectification of women. These strokes of social analysis are perfectly intertwined with the plot, making the story all the more believable without deviating the focus from the main characters. It’s a phenomenal work of comic book storytelling, complete with an impressionist artwork that adds texture to what could be a bland realistic setting. Every reader interested in crime thriller and historical fiction will be well-served with Out of Alcatraz #1, and we can’t wait to see where the series will take us next.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Published by: Oni Press
On: March 19. 2025
Written by: Christopher Cantwell
Art by Tyler Crook
Colors by Tyler Crook
Letters by Tyler Crook
Did you enjoy Out of Alcatraz #1? Are you excited about the ongoing series? Join the discussion in the comments!
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Image Credit: State Farm
