It is finally time for the much-awaited finish to this spectacular series. Will the fugitives we have grown to know, and love reach their goal of freedom in Canada? Or will they come up short of freedom and lose it all?

Out of Alcatraz #5

Written By Christopher Cantwell

Art & Letters By Tyler Crook

Edited By Bess Pallares – Published By Oni Press

***Minor Spoilers Possible***

Time to Cross the Bay to Freedom

John forces Frank and the lady, whose name we find out is Miriam to literally dig their own graves. He reveals that only himself and Clearence will be crossing Boundary Bay to their freedom. Meanwhile, Bob and Cy find Rose at her home and after threatening her with deportation she spills the beans on the location of the fugitives and their plan to escape to Canada. Bob and Cy now make their way to get to the fugitives before they can escape.

As it becomes clear that John wants to kill Frank and Miriam, Clearence pleads for their lives. John forces Clearence to the truck and tells him he’ll do it on his own. In a dramatic twist Clearence uses the truck to save Frank and Miriam. At the same time Bob and Cy arrive and have a standoff with our fugitives. What will happen and who will survive? You will never guess how this one ends, for better or worse.

The Battle of Boundary Bay

The final issue is upon us and much like the rest of the series, this issue serves up some curveballs. Christopher Cantwell did an amazing job all series of delivering a compelling story that kept readers guessing on where we would be going next. A lot of big swings, with a lot of big hits. On the downside of this, the ending felt a little too convoluted and like Cantwell tried to outdo himself with the swerve factor. It was definitely an ending you don’t see coming, but also one that because of this feels like it robbed you of a logical ending.

The art stayed as consistent as ever, and that means consistently fantastic. Tyler Crook delivered fantastic art from issue one through issue five. The art matched the story perfectly and really brought this world to life. One of the best books from an art standpoint this year and an early favorite for the Cheersie for best art.

Check Out My Review of Out of Alcatraz #4

Final Thoughts

Out of Alcatraz #5 brought the series to an end by taking chances just as the entire series had. Unfortunately, the finish felt a little underwhelming to me. While I acknowledge the impact of the unexpected conclusion, it is important to note that it may have detracted from delivering a more substantive ending for the reader. This is still one of the best series of the year in my opinion, and one that if you haven’t picked up the books yet, you should definitely grab the TPB when it drops.

Overall Grade: 8/10

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