Kill Shakespeare Review

Okay I know that Mike from EatSleepGeek.com is the one that does this comic book review but I thought I would try my hand at it.  If all goes well I might do more of them.  Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Earlier this year, in April of 2010, a revolution started! The release of ‘Kill Shakespeare’ hit the stores.  You may ask what is ‘Kill Shakespeare’? It is a great new comic book created by writers Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col, illustrated by Andy Belanger and published by IDW.  On the ‘Kill Shakespeare’ website, they describe the comic as “An epic adventure that pits Shakespeare’s greatest heroes against his most frightening villains.” Don’t let that description scare you off if you are not familiar with Shakespeare’s work (I sure ain’t).  All you really need to know is that there are good guys and bad guys and they fight for power!

This format is a revolutionary way to present Shakespeare’s stories and characters. I wish these comic books were assigned when I was in school. I would have been more interested in Shakespeare. Maybe you were assigned to read at least one of his plays in school or you’ve attended some festival or theater in park and are familiar with some of the memorable characters created by Shakespeare.  What is so great about ‘Kill Shakespeare’ is that if you have not read or seen any of the plays, you will be introduced to these characters in a way that is not only unique, but also entertaining.

The plot lines are strong and after only three issues it feels “epic” to me, as the creators assert. In the first issue, we are introduced to Hamlet the Shadow King as well as King Richard the III.  We learn that Hamlet is to begin a quest to resurrect his dead father. However, there’s a catch. He needs to find and kill a wizard named Shakespeare in order to bring his father back from the dead. The concept of finding the wizard Shakespeare and pitting some of the bard’s most recognizable characters against each other is extraordinary.  After reading the first couple of pages I was hooked and just had to keep reading.  Once I finished the third issue I felt like an Olympic track star at the starting blocks waiting for the next issue to hit the shelves.

The artwork complements the story well. It is brilliant, I tell you! If you are not familiar with comics you will find this to not only be beautifully drawn but bright and vivid, even though a muted color palette is used. Belanger’s drawings are fantastic and he does a wonderful job of enhancing McCreery & Del Col’s story. The detail in the landscape and characters will stick with you. There is a sense of lighting in the artwork that makes it feel like you are really part of the story and right there with the characters during the battles and conversations.

If you have been away from comics, like I have, for a while, or if you have never read a comic book in your life, go out and purchase ‘Kill Shakespeare’. It is well worth your hard earned money. Bang! The race has started, go to the store now and get your first few issues!

Be sure to catch episode number 76 of Entertainment for the Rest of Us! We will have Anthony Del Col on the show to talk about Kill Shakespeare as well as Kick-Ass (reviewed on show 60) and about comics being made into movies. Plus we will discuss the new movie ‘The Other Guys’.