Review - Time Lincoln #1

There are some comics out now that start with an odd idea for the premise, but turn into a crazy ride reading. Robots, zombies, ninjas, gods, superheroes and even a mixture of it all at times that make comics a great read no matter the topic. This latest comic I picked up took some characters right out of history to fill the pages with a bit of time traveling goodness and a bit of action to boot. With a title like Time Lincoln #1 how can you go wrong really?

Picking up this first issue I was wondering just what sort of adventure is in store for a Lincoln that looks to be a time traveler. The artwork of the issue has that comic-cartoon sort of feeling and fits the story perfectly. Before getting to the meat and potatoes of it I all have to say this comic is a little odd in the storytelling. They explain some of the driving story part, but leave some of it to mystery. To start we’re shown Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater on the night he was assassinated with an odd looking gun being pointed at the back of his head. The man holding the gun ain’t John Wilkes Booth, but Joseph Stalin. Who has somehow learned to bend time and space, being able to freeze it and traveling to any point he wants using something called the “Void.”

Stalin shares how he gained the power of the Void from Rasputin and the limitless power it offers making him the man to not mess with. Stalin also goes over what creates the Void: all the dark matter hiding behind stars and generally all around us, but only a select few can see it or control it. Although it seems certain events occur that can’t be stopped from happening, Stalin is still hellbent on changing this one. He really just stops himself from gloating of his attempts in the past to control everything and having them thwarted by certain men of history.

Who might these men of history be that are causing Stalin so much trouble you ask? When I saw them I laughed a little, but it makes sense with Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington Carver, Albert Einstein and of course Time Lincoln rounding out the group. An unexpected visitor in the form of Time Lincoln messes up Stalin’s plan by whooping some ass. It’s going pretty good in Time Lincoln's favor in the beatdown until Stalin manages to freeze him in place, sharing that his understanding of the Void dwarfs Lincoln's. The situation is seemingly pretty dire, until Time Lincoln's running crew shows up to save the day and the history that's hanging in the balance.

These guys don’t mess around with each one packing a weapon that seems to suit their own individual styles and inventions of their days. Stalin isn’t letting himself get outnumbered by calling an army of his own from the Void and we get a little action-packed battle between the two sides. Time Lincoln reveals they used regular Lincoln as bait to trap Stalin, but a side effect of this interaction of the two Lincoln’s touching has caused regular Lincoln to be pulled into another time and point in history. See what I mean by crazy?

Good first issue giving the reader a good dose of action and a compelling story that creates more questions that will be answered in the issues to come. It has a real great premise and potential for the sort of adventures that are going to get thrown at the lost Lincoln, but the others as well. Looking forward to the next issue and the next bit of info to continue our story.