Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night – Issue #1

I was very excited when I found out that a new Kill Shakespeare series was being published. I read the first series and loved it. Unfortunately, when I went to the local comic store to buy a copy of the first issue, it was already sold out. I placed an order and thankfully was able to get a copy last week.

The blurb on the cover states: “This comic features sex, pirates, swordfights, poetry, AND people puking. It’s basically classic Shakespeare?” And yes, this comic has all that.

The story begins with Hamlet, Juliet, Othello, and Shakespeare aboard a vessel that is attacked by the pirate Cesario, who is accompanied by his first mate and lover, Viola. The four had escaped the destruction of Prospero’s island, but are plagued with daggers of the mind and seem to lapse into moments of anger and delusion. Still, Cesario recognizes the value of these captives, especially Juliet. His ultimate plan is not made known, but the stage is set for what is to unfold in the upcoming issues.

I have issue #2 already, but I have a lot of other stuff to read, so I suspect it will be a little while before I get to it. But rest assured, I will peruse these glossy pages and share with thee my thoughts.

Review of “Kill Shakespeare: Issue #4”

Issue #4 of the Kill Shakespeare comic series is worth reading primarily because it moves the story forward and introduces Othello and Juliet. There is a lot of fighting in this installment, and Othello proves quite the warrior. I like the character of Juliet a lot. She is the strong female warrior who is rallying the rebellion against Richard III.

The writing is a little thin in this issue, but that did not really bother me. The art work is strong and the combat scenes are very graphic, which I think is appropriate for this part of the tale. Personally, I’ve never viewed Othello as an eloquent or deep character. Let’s face it, Shakespeare gave Iago all the really great lines in the play. So I am good with how things are presented in this issue.

I really don’t have much more to say at this point. I’ll be reading issue #5 and sharing my thoughts soon.