I have to say that before I read it, I went back and forth on this graphic novel. I'm all for re-imagining Shakespeare's characters in new situations with each other, but what do you do with that? Apparently a LOT. There are so many interesting "what if-s" and thoughtful character insights throughout the story:
For example: What if Othello and Juliet both survived their ordeals? How would they deal with their past? These two are currently my favorites because of the depth of their characters, and how well it is tied into their literary counterparts. Juliet becomes a militant rebel, set on bringing down the evil King Richard III, while Othello, wracked with guilt over the death of his wife (at his hands), joins the cause to take revenge on Iago. Characters pop up in some surprising places, and there is quite a bit of religious undertone, as well, since the characters' beliefs are divided over the existence of (and plots to kill) The Creator. You can guess who that is.
The language is sometimes shudderful. Like they thought "hey! let's throw in a 'thou' there, even though it's grammatically incorrect and linguistically jarring!" I could do without trying to do that. Sometimes, though, it is really effective to put a quote in a completely new character's word bubble - like Juliet saying "our voice is in our swords" - to tie the old creation with the new.
It's nice to see familiar characters interact with each other, and the art is truly rich and fantastic. Since I'm not that into comic books, I don't buy each issue individually, so I look forward to Volume 2's release in November!
Kill Shakespeare
- Paperback: 148 pages
- Publisher: Idea & Design Works Llc (November 9, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1600107818
- ISBN-13: 978-1600107818
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