Time & Vine TPB
Story and Art by Thomas F. Zahler
Colors by Luigi Anderson
IDW Publishing
Release Date: January 24, 2018
Cover Price: $24.99

In a medium that is overrun with super powered entities and horrifying monsters, it is a breath of fresh air to get a small taste of the mundane. But, lest it seem common or stale to the reader, this particular tale weaves a bit of magic through the almost two hundred pages of which Time & Vine is comprises.

What would be your reaction if you found that drinking a certain vintage of wine in a special location would temporarily transport you back in time? Would you go or fail to seize the opportunity? If you did go, what would you do whilst there? Personally, I believe most would squander their time and would merely let it slip by them. I like to think I would use it to seek out history, to live in the moment, and maybe even participate to some extent.

For Jack Cadell, owner of Aeternum Winery, his use of this magical mode of transport was more personal. He used it to relive happier moments in his life. But part of the magic of this place was that it relied heavily on the bottled wine. Each bottle could only be used once thereby limiting the number of trips to an ever dwindling number. Entering his twilight years, Jack was always on the lookout for someone to share these adventures. Someone who could appreciate them as he always had.

That is where Megan Howe comes in. A history teacher with a lot on her mind, she finds some small amount of solace in a good glass of wine. Her chance meeting with Jack leads her to an adventure of a lifetime. In fact, one might say it is an adventure of several lifetimes!

In the course of witnessing history firsthand, our two adventurers uncover and solve a few personal mysteries. This personal growth and friendship evolve quickly with Jack looking upon Megan as a daughter, teaching her life lessons while they experience times they would otherwise not have. The story is comprised of several smaller tales that envelope and tangle our two protagonists in a veritable web of events. But then, history is like that. In the end, Jack makes a life altering decision that affects not only himself but Megan and the winery, as well.

Creator Thomas F. Zahler drops this heartfelt and heart-wrenching story on the reader like a gentle snowfall. Before you even know it has happened, you are fully invested in the story, the characters, and the future of the winery. That, friends, is the true magic in this book. The vibrant coloring from Luigi Anderson keeps the art visually pleasing and easy to follow.

This series is a story driven testament to a love of wine and a passion for living life to the fullest. There are a lot of emotions that run beneath the surface of this comic, you might have to re-read it a time or two to feel the full impact.

I love, love, love this series and hope to see a follow-up tale eventually. But even if that never happens, this is a graphic novel that literary fans will want for their collection. I know I do!

From the creator of the Harvey-nominated Love and Capes comes the story of a magical winery where every glass of wine takes you back in time to the year it was bottled. From the Civil War to the Roaring Twenties to yesterday… it’s all available with just one sip. Megan is looking for a break from taking care of her Alzheimer’s afflicted mother and finds the ultimate escape when Jack, the owner of the Aeternum Winery, reveals its time-traveling secret to her. Together, they drink their way through history, both the winery’s and their own. In time, Megan learns a family secret that her mother may not even remember and discovers that Jack is keeping one of his own about his late wife. Thom Zahler (Love and Capes, Long Distance) brings his trademark sweetness and humor to distill a story of magic and romance told across the two hundred year canvas of New York’s Hudson Valley.