As The Syndicate and The Union are at each other’s necks, Marston inches closer to achieving his goal. Meanwhile, a masked individual has been hunting down the syndicate, while Tetsuo struggles with all of the lost time given to the Syndicate. Everything is coming to an end as the final arc of Time Before Time starts here. Who is this Masked VIgilante? What are their ties to the Syndicate? What happened to Nadia, and Kevin? Is Tetsuo doomed for all eternity?
McConville and Shalvy have placed the main cast into an interesting space as they’ve done previously, but this time around it’s different. Readers witness a Tetsuo that has survived his ordeals, while still suffering the burdens of The Syndicate. Seeing Tetsuo in such a state, having dedicated so many years is disheartening, but storywise, it is entertaining. Tetsuo isn’t the only character that is in a far different place in contrast to where he once was at the start of this series, which makes this final arc exciting and special. There is a sense of payoff with how much world-building and story has been established throughout the series that leave readers in awe and wonder as to how this series concludes.
Geoffo handles art duties for this issue and does a solid job keeping the established visual aesthetic of the series true while simultaneously displaying his uniqueness as an illustrator. Keeping the visual continuity together throughout the series is Chris O’Halloran’s color work and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s stylized yet well-placed lettering. Given that they’ve been in the book since issue 1, they’ve truly established their abilities as a team that enhances the artwork of anyone that illustrates this series, and this issue is no exception. McConville and Shalvy have arguably made a solid time travel series that has stuck the landing numerous times, and this is no different. As the series heads to its final chapters, it’s worth collecting the trades to catch up on Tetsuo, Nadia, and Kevin’s journey as they enter the final phase of this series. This is one of the best time travel series made and worth adding to your pull list for new comic book day.
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