Kill Shakespeare #12

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

I really want to congratulate the Kill Shakespeare team on completing their series.  It's rare for independent titles to make it to issue twelve, and to do so in a relatively timely manner, and maintaining such a high level of artistic and story-telling quality is impressive.

Kill Shakespeare is an original book.  Basically, it's like Fables, but populated with characters from Shakespeare's oeuvre.  The great villains - Lady MacBeth and King Richard are in opposition to the more heroic figures - Juliet, Othello, and even comic relief-providing Falstaff.  Hamlet, the prophesied Shadow King, starts stuck somewhere in the middle, but eventually comes to the right side of things, as all heroes will.

The story wraps up nicely, if a little predictably.  On a larger level, this series asks questions about what life would be like if people could actually meet their creator.  The writers don't delve too deeply into this aspect of the story, but I presume that future volumes (and we are told to expect more from this world) may explore this train of thought.  To be honest, that's something that would draw me back more than another action-based story.

I've really enjoyed watching Andy Belanger grow as an artist and experiment with some new techniques in panel layout.  This issue, he does a thing to show action by having the same character appear more than once in a panel, and it didn't really work for me.  At one point, I thought there were two Richards.  It was weird.

Kill Shakespeare #11

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

We're getting very close to the conclusion of this remarkable series, but it seems like most of the big story moments that readers have been waiting for occurred in this issue, leaving the last chapter for final confrontations and wrapping up.  In this issue, we see Romeo and Juliet reunite, just after Will Shakespeare finally reunites with his children.

And that is where this issue is at its most interesting.  Shakespeare has been established in this series as a god, having created his 'prodigals', and then having abandoned them to the detrimental effects of free choice.  He likens himself to a father who has abandoned his children, and it falls to Hamlet (no stranger to daddy issues, him) to set him straight.  With this issue, it becomes clear that Del Col and McCreery have a lot more to say than just writing "Fables with Shakespeare characters", which is how I saw this title when it started.  Instead, they are commenting on the nature of religion and higher powers, and the role that these things play for the common man.

Belanger continues to show remarkable growth, filling most of the book with terrific double-page layouts.  This book ends on three different cliffhangers, and I look forward to reading the conclusion.

Kill Shakespeare #10

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

It appears that things are slowing down on this title schedule-wise, as plot-wise things are heating up a great deal.

Hamlet's meeting with Will Shakespeare has been a disappointment, as Will has basically renounced his creations and refused to intervene on their behalf.  While this is going on, the combined forces of Richard and Lady MacBeth have gathered around Juliet's rebel army.

There are a lot of big scenes in this issue, as the two armies clash.  Belanger takes a wide-screened approach to most of the issue, and it works very well.  He credits Durer in the text piece as a major influence, and it kind of shows in some of his double-page spreads.

This issue winnows the cast list a little (I love how the action appears to be taking place on a stage on Kagan McLeod's cover), as like any good Shakespearian tragedy, things get really bloody.

Kill Shakespeare #9

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

It feels like a while since I've read this book, even though I don't think it's really been that long.  I've noticed that they seem to be soliciting on a bimonthly schedule now, which is fine with me.  It was impressive that they maintained a monthly schedule for as long as they did.

For a while, this title felt like it was treading water a little, but now that we've hit the final fourth of the run, things are really heating up.  This issue has two major events in it.  First, Falstaff discovers that Iago is a traitor, and begins to deal with that.  Most importantly, Shakespeare finally appears, and he and Hamlet have an interesting conversation.  There has been a lot building up to this, and it's interesting to see how the great Will is portrayed.  If you're expecting something like the way Neil Gaiman showed him in Sandman years ago, you'll be disappointed.  This Shakespeare drinks and throws bottles in anger.  It's an interesting depiction.

This series continues to interest me, especially as artist Andy Belanger continues to grow in leaps and bounds.  His approach to layout is increasingly interesting, and works very well with this title.

Kill Shakespeare #8

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

In this issue, the creators slow things down again, and really focus on some character development and strengthening of the ties between the different Prodigals who are leading the rebellion.

Othello has a chat with Hamlet, and then with Juliet.  Juliet and Hamlet declare their love for each other in a recreation (and reversal) of the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet.  Falstaff basically gets teased by everyone.  On the other side of the fence, Richard pulls a fast one on Lady MacBeth to get ahold of her forces.

This book has slowed down of late, and while that's a good thing as it has allowed some of the characters room to breathe, I feel like it's time to step up the plot again.  Hamlet has set off to meet Shakespeare, with Falstaff and Iago in tow, and the revelation of the last page guarantees that the next issue should be pretty interesting.

Kill Shakespeare #7

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

This issue served as a bit of an eye-opener to me with regards to how this series has been progressing.  I've found myself more and more wrapped up in the story, as Juliet has begun her rebellion, and Hamlet has become more and more involved in the events of the world, but I haven't been giving much attention to the art since the series started.

Now, with this issue, I'm coming to really appreciate the work that Andy Belanger is doing on this title.  Kill Shakespeare is frequently compared to Fables, and one source of that comparison would be the way in which Belanger is starting to design his layouts.  Many pages in this issue are framed by stage curtains, in a manner that reminded me of Mark Buckingham's work on Fables.  There are a number of inventively-laid out pages in this issue, as Hamlet and company watch (and participate) in a play put on by some traveling actors, and later, as Hamlet and Juliet revisit their pasts in a strange, hall-of-mirrors like environment.

This has been an interesting series, and it deserves the praise it has been receiving.

Kill Shakespeare #6

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

The Shakespearian equivalent of Fables has now reached its half-way mark, and is showing signs of really picking up the pace, as Juliet's Prodigal Rebellion gets underway, and her small band wins its first skirmish with Richard's troops.

I found the beginning of this issue to be a little jarring - some time has passed from the end of the last installment, and Juliet and her group has found Hamlet again, negating the whole point of having him leave her in the first place.  I felt at first like I had perhaps missed an issue, but everything became clear shortly after that.

It's nice to see Hamlet take some action; he was squarely back in his indecisive mode for a while, although it now seems he's committed himself to Juliet's cause.  Another interesting character this time around is Iago, who also signs up with Juliet, although his motivations are much murkier.

I'm pleased to see this comic is doing well - the first trade comes out this week, and I'd encourage people to pick it up if they aren't already reading this title.  It's pretty good.

Kill Shakespeare #5

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

This title is hitting its stride, as Hamlet continues his wandering through King Richard's lands, seeking some sort of direction, as it seems that people on all sides of the Prodigal's Rebellion are looking to use him for their own purposes.

In this issue, he meets with Lysander and Demetrius (from A Midsummer's Night Dream), while Juliet takes Iago into custody, and Richard and Lady Macbeth scheme around one another.

The story is moving a little slowly, as Hamlet's striking out on his own becomes a vehicle whereby the writers can introduce more characters, but at the same time, I like the way they are establishing the depths of Richard's cruelty, and the wide-spread support for Juliet's uprising.

This continues to be an intelligent and well-drawn comic.

Kill Shakespeare #4

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

This is another great issue of the adventure fantasy series that mashes up the different Shakespearian plays into a Lord of the Rings-style quest story.

This issue has Hamlet and Falstaff in drag, and introduces Juliet and Othello as being central figures in the Prodigal Revolution.  As King Richard's men track down Hamlet, Iago and Othello cross paths, which isn't pleasant.

This is a title that I'm enjoying a lot, and want to speak highly of, but at the same time, I don't really have anything new to say with this issue.  This is a remarkably consistent title, and deserves to be checked out.

Kill Shakespeare #3

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

This issue helps to muddy up things for poor Hamlet.  Where he once he was willing to completely believe what Richard told him, now Falstaff is on the scene, giving him an opposite perspective of things.  According to this witty, portly man, Hamlet's role is not to kill Shakespeare, but to bring him back to the world.  A brief meeting with Robin Goodfellow helps to convince Hamlet that he originally backed the wrong side.  That and the fact that people are trying to kill him.

At the same time, Richard is meeting with MacBeth and Lady MacBeth to arrange some form of partnership with regards to patrolling their shared Western borders.  Granted, when Lady MacBeth is on the scene, nothing is quite to be trusted.

As with the previous issues, McCreery and Del Col are giving us a decent fantasy book, albeit one wrapped in many layers of metatextual nuance and literary reference, which is a big part of the fun of this book.  Belanger's art is either improving with each issue, or is just growing on me more.  I recommend checking out this title.

Kill Shakespeare #1

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art by Andy Belanger

I'm pleased to see that IDW has given this new twelve-issue series such a push.  It's rare to see a lot of attention going to new talents, especially when their project is as original as this one here.

Kill Shakespeare is a unique concept, even if it owes a certain something to Fables and/or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  Basically, Hamlet is upset about his father's death, and is feeling quite guilty about his part in Polonius's death (which would make sense, seeing as he is the person who killed him).  This comic begins when Hamlet is sent to England, along with his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, all part of the new king, Claudius's plot to do away with him.

Hamlet has been suffering some bad dreams lately (understandable, right), and after pirates somewhat conveniently attack his vessel, Hamlet ends up in the castle of Richard III, who needs his help.  He wants Hamlet to kill an evil wizard named Will Shakespeare, and thus the plot of the series is established.

This issue is really just about setting up the following eleven, but it is interesting in the way in which the authors are playing with Shakespeare's classic characters (the Three Witches also appear).  Belanger's art works well here - it's a little cartoonish in approach, and reminds me a bit of Phillip Bond or Glyn Dillon.  I think I'll definitely pick up the next issue.