“Kill Shakespeare Volume 1: A Sea of Troubles” collects the first six Kill Shakespeare comic books and re-introduces us to some of Shakespeare’s most famous characters, but in new roles, as they hunt for Will Shakespeare, wizard god. Killing Will and securing his magical quill is the quest of the bad guys in power (Lady Macbeth, Richard III), while the rebellion, led by Juliet and backed by Othello, have put their faith in a Shadow King to find Will and save his followers. Being a fan of Shakespeare is not a requirement to enjoy the story — especially with the fantastic art by Andy Belanger — however, I suspect it’s more fun to know a bit about the characters and to pick up on the small Easter eggs, like the evening spent at the pub known as Midsummer Night’s Dram. Like all of Shakespeare, there’s comedy, murder, plotting, mayhem, romance, confusion, innuendo, and a great storyline with complicated characters. For those who struggle with the very idea of Shakespeare as an enjoyable reading experience, the artwork in this comic tells the story as much as the writing.
Three words that describe this book: Epic, Graphic, Literary
You might want to pick this book up if: You like twisted fairy tales such as those told in “Once Upon a Time” or the “Land of Stories.”
-Melody
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
