Kill Shakespeare #2: “Something Wicked This Way Comes”
Story by
Conor McCreery, Anthony Del Col
Art by
Andy Belanger
Cover by
Kagan McLeaod
Publisher
IDW
Cover Price:
$3.99
In this exciting second issue of the saga that combines Fables with League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Hamlet begins his epic quest to find the reclusive wizard William Shakespeare. Joined in arms by the imposing Richard III and his lieutenant Iago, Hamlet is attacked and has his life threatened by multiple forces — a violent rebel group known as the Prodigals, a mysterious fool, and someone he least expects…
Thanks to my friends over at Kill Shakespeare, I have another book to review for you all. You might remember the interview that was posted on our Spoiler Alert Channel a month or so ago. Well, they’re back with the second chapter in the series, which is described as Fables meets The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. But if you will, I have a description that I feel is more apt. It’s The Shakespearean Secret Wars for sure. How did I feel about it? Click the cut for more!
The book is incredibly hard to dissect, that’s for sure. It starts out a bit on the slow side, but at about the middle, the action escalates and shows us some swashbuckling action as well as arrows aplenty and some truly grotesque scenes. It’s all expertly penciled by Andy Belanger, who can make the goriest scene unsettlingly gorgeous.
There are also some terrific character moments, like when Richard III explains why he doesn’t use all the magic at his disposal to fix his withered hand. As someone who is largely unfamiliar with the character, it was a nice moment, which strangely goes with his grizzly acts only pages before. Del Col and McCreery seem to be setting up something epic, I just hope it would get here quicker. The pacing is going slower than I’d like, as we’re two issues in, and Hamlet is still kind of meandering around. He’s just kind of…there. I can only hope this changes soon.
Overall, it’s a good series with only a few problems like slow pacing. I also hear if you’re a true Shakespeare buff (or a Professor of Shakespearean Lit at Stanford) you might be put off by the characters like Iago and Hamlet interacting with one another. It’s still pretty easy to get into the series, even if you missed the first issue. And I hear the next is a hoot.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
