As “Once & Future” drives forward with multiple King Arthurs vying for victory, and a whole plethora of myths and legends entering the fray, our cast of characters put a plan into action. But of course, where would the fun be if it all went according to plan? So let’s see what Kieron Gillen has planned for us, and how Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain bring it to life in issue 28.
Written by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by Dan Mora
Colored by Tamra Bonvillain
Lettered by Ed DukeshireVengeance on the Arthurs proves to be exactly what it takes to bring Mary and Bridgette together, despite years of strife.
Will their reunion survive the battles to come? Or is this merely another ploy to split the women apart once more?
What is there to say about “Once & Future?” For starters: you can never predict what’s going to happen next, and that’s fantastic. The comic started as a horror take on the Arthurian mythos, but it’s grown to encompass folklore, tales, and mythology of all shapes and sizes – Beowulf, Robin Hood, even King Lear, all with dark and creative twists that change the way we see the stories while remaining true to their roots.\
All the while, it continues on with its own consistent internal logic about individuals filling in various roles for the stories and how they have to carry them out, while risking losing themselves in their roles.
Suffice to say, it’s good stuff.
“Once & Future” #28 brings us Bridgette and Mary actually working together, using Mary’s role as Nimue to their advantage and to set up story beats. All the while, they’re waiting out the Christmas Truce and preparing to use King Lear to their advantage.
At the same time, we get new twists as we learn secrets about one of the Arthurs and his Merlin. (No spoilers, of course, but it adds a new context to many things and creates a grim parallel.)
The way the story plays with ideas, concepts, and stories is always clever, like un-doing a play by performing it backwards. There’s even a slight nod to how even historic figures can become equivalent to mythological heroes after their time. (Okay, one small spoiler: Bridgette gets the best line in the book after she blasts a twisted reborn Winston Churchill with a bazooka. It was sudden, hilarious, and oh so in-character for her.)
And of course, it wouldn’t be as exciting a story as it is if everything went according to plan, as it adds new complications and a shocking last page. Issue 29 can’t come soon enough.
Except for as excellent as the storytelling and thematic elements are, “Once & Future” wouldn’t be half as great without the artists behind it (which would still, admittedly, be very great). Dan Mora is on top form here, bringing all sorts of otherworldly beings to the page. Though they may vary in terms of rot and horror, each one is an excellent dark and twisted reflection of the heroic and mythological figures they’re meant to be.
Yes, even Winston Churchill.
The way he draws characters like Lear, a being made entirely of water, fills it with such detail that you can see the way the water flows and folds around him while adding depth to his expression. Even Merlin, with his rotting arms and glowing eyes, is filled with personality and a subtle expressiveness.
So naturally, the human characters are also given solid designs and some nice emoting, made all the more clear by how they’re framed in the panels, and even by the lighting effects.
It’s a dark comic, but it’s a comic that uses darkness oh so well. The night scenes and shadows inside castles and parliament alike set the tone, while making the characters in them stand out all the more. And the way Dan Mora frames them within each panel is great. We get some excellent character panels and positioning, like when Duncan and Rose see each other off, but the same can be said for the darker and more monstrous elements, like when a certain knight makes his return.
Continued belowAll the while, Tamra Bonvillain’s color work makes each image pop. There’s a use of unnatural purples and greens that permeates so many scenes, adding to the otherworldly feel of “Once & Futures'” current state. But there’s also dark blue night hues and bloody reds that match them well, keeping everything balanced.
The use of colors adds to the magical glows while emphasizing the uses of darkness, blending together to excellent effect.
Look, we’re 28 issues in, and “Once & Future” is building its way towards what will undoubtedly be a shocking ending. If you’ve been following the comic so far, you know exactly what you’re getting, and what you’re getting is excellent storytelling and artwork. There’s no two ways about it: “Once & Future” is excellent. (And if you haven’t read it yet, you’re only 28 issues behind, time to start catching up!)
Final Verdict: 8.7 – “Once & Future” continues to impress, with top-tier storytelling that reshapes how we look at stories and mythology, backed up by excellent art and color work from start to finish.
