The concept was definitely super interesting, but I’m afraid the story left me disappointed. I did really enjoy the start of the chapters, the newspapers were possibly my favorite part. They immediately sold you the vibe of it all, and while being simple and succinct, they carried their fair share of the timeline. Sadly, the rest of it was pretty jumbled up. I found myself extremely confused by the quick switch between eras, especially because we kept jumping back later on, and even with the dates written, it doesn’t make it any easier to follow. A distorted timeline Can definitely work, but I don’t think it’s one of those time.

Really disappointing, because there was fun moment. I liked the reveal, which explain a lot of my earlier confusion, I thought it was a pretty interesting way to deal with this trope actually. Alas, as I said earlier, it was muddled and the story didn’t seem able to cary the plot forward. I finished the book more confused than anything.

I think if you’re a big fan of baseball, it might be worth it to try out, but not if you’re just in it for the murder/mystery element.

This is a graphic novel for baseball fan who love a bit of horror. In the 1920s, as barnstorming baseball teams play, a vampire joins. The only people who see to notice he only plays at night is a blind, Black ball boy and a reporter. The story didn't keep my attention because the characters were thinly written.

Back in the day, everyone was seemingly railing against baseball being played in the evening, under floodlights. It was an afternoon sport, apparently – but one player, an ace batter by the name of Henry Hayes, of unknown origin, much preferred the night game. This story dithers between dark event and dark game, from murderous activity to slugging on the diamond, as three people play the story out across the century – Hayes, or whatever he calls himself at any one time, a journalist trying to get the truth out about him, and Hayes' buddy, a coloured ballpark worker and pitcher – who just so happens to be blind.

The book doesn't state the truth about Hayes for quite a few pages, so I won't, either – but what happens when you know the truth is this gets defined as a quite particular story. It is quite the rum affair, too, popping in and out of historical times, for either the killing side of things or the sport, and while I liked the testy relationship between the two ballers nobody is really that likeable or interesting a character. And – as the journo points out – it's a bit daft to make yourself as known as Hayes does, even playing low-rent games, if you would be better off literally hiding in the shadows. There's "hiding in plain sight" and, er, not hiding at all.

All told then, this is a quiet and understated piece, not in keeping with the genre you soon see it as part of, but a bitty one, with its jumping timeline, and not the most logical of ideas. Three and a touch stars.

Very cool and completely up my alley - Harris blends such fun and compelling ideas together to create something truly unique. I can’t wait for more.

As a sometimes baseball fan and always comics fan, as well as an avid reader of horror, this was a very well done linking of worlds. The art is detailed and easy to follow and the story has an intriguing history and mystery to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Past time is a an intresting story following the history of a vampire who just wants to do the thing he's best at, playing baseball. The creators clearly have a deep love and passion for baseba and it shows in the attention to detail and the setting. The art is lush and feels unique to what I'm used to seeing in graphic novels. The story to me is just a bit under developed but i think its solid and wouldnt mind reading more if there were more issues.

As soon as I found this book, I realized that I’ve always wanted to see the combo of baseball and vampires. This one definitely whetted my whistle, but it didn’t give me as much as I wanted. Still, it’s a decent take on what I hope will become more of a subgenre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

As someone who doesn’t normally follow baseball, Past Time grabbed me from the first panel. Told through Ronny’s eyes—this former ballplayer—you get swept into Henry Hayes’s world right away: the mysterious player with a “dark affliction” who only shows up when the game is under lights, and whose presence seems to bring fire, violence, and bodies.

From the moment Ronny encounters Henry—hiding with one of the team’s balls—every chapter built tension in such a vivid way. Henry’s lurking feels almost vampiric, grounded in a supernatural realism you can feel. The setting shifting between the 1920s Midwestern barnstorming games and a gritty late-’80s Chicago frame gives it a sweeping scope while staying intimate.

Artist Russell Mark Olson’s visuals? Stunning. His period-accurate gear, the haunting cornfields under moonlit skies, the contrast between shadowy night scenes and sepia-toned flashbacks—it all feels cinematic . And those chapter-opening newspaper clippings? Such a smart touch to anchor the supernatural weirdness in a pseudo-realistic context.

It blends baseball authenticity with horror in a way I’ve never read, weaving themes of legend, memory, and the monstrous hidden beneath. Even without prior sports knowledge, I found myself hooked, uneasy, and eager for more.

A baseball graphic novel with a supernatural bent, set during the 1920s barnstorming era of semi-pro ball? I was so in, and it was a thrilling ride from the opening pages to the end and like any good story, it kept me guessing that whole time. I usually come to Mad Cave for their IP books, but they have continued to put out such good original stories that I love coming back again and again.

Special Thanks to Mad Cave Studios and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

“Henry Hayes. The greatest player nobody remembers.”

I can’t help but feel a bit sad for Henry, he def badly wants to play ball. Him reemerging here and there with new identity, oh my fragile heart. Solid introduction and def craveable.