Kill Shakespeare
Encyclopedia
Kill Shakespeare is a twelve-issue comic book
limited series
released by IDW Publishing
. It is being produced by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, who also act as co-writers, alongside Andy Belanger as head-artist, Ian Herring as colourist and Kagan McLeod as cover artist. The first issue was published on April 14, 2010.
The first issue is exactly 32 pages long, however the second and third run for only 24 pages. The series is intended to run for 12 issues, with the first paperback for release on November 9, 2010.
is being banished from his country of Denmark
for the murder of Polonius
with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
. Before he leaves he takes one last look around his city and is confronted by a strange mist that tells him he should kill his uncle. Hamlet then denies that he's a killer and gets onto the ship headed for England. That night Hamlet has another encounter with the mist, the ship is then attacked by pirates. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are killed, but Hamlet manages to escape on a piece of the ship with a deceased sailor already on it. Hamlet then wakes up in a strange bedroom and meets Richard the Third
. Richard tours Hamlet through his city showing him that he is building libraries and schools for them. He then asks Hamlet if he will help steal Shakespeare's quill because he is the only one who can find Shakespeare, in exchange Richard will resurrect Hamlet's father. Richard then demonstrates this by bringing the sailor that Hamlet was found with back to life. Hamlet agrees to join Richard'd quest to find Shakespeare. Hamlet doesn't know how to find Shakespeare, then Iago
asks him if he could just relax, that causes a path to appear in the woods. Richard's party go down the path and find themselves in a small village where they are attacked by a group called Prodigals. Richard hands him a knife to protect himself. That night Hamlet is almost killed by bandits but is saved by Falstaff
who knocks him out and kidnaps him. Iago is sent to find Hamlet. Hamlets wakes up and Falstaff says he was trying to protect Hamlet from people trying to kill him. Hamlet tries to escape by creating another path, but can't. Falstaff offers to take him to a safer place through the woods. While they travel through the woods they meet Puck
, Falstaff then reveals that he's a Prodigal. Hamlet tries to get away from Falstaff, but instead Falstaff takes him to a brothel. The bandits attack the brothel, Hamlet and Falstaff escape dressed as women. At the same time, Richard is attempting to create an alliance with Macbeth
. Lady Macbeth
kills her husband because she's in league with Richard.
Hamlet and Falstaff meet up with Juliet Capulet
and Othello
, the leaders of the Prodigal Rebellion. Falstaff tells them that Hamlet is the "Shadow King" but they don't believe it. Richard's army attacks, Hamlet saves Juliet's life and then Iago saves both of them by attacking Tamora Andronicus, one of the bandits. Othello tries to kill Iago but Iago manages to talk him down. Hamlet tries to leave with Iago, but Juliet won't let him do that so she decides to make him her captive. Hamlet tries to escape with Iago late at night but Juliet catches them and Iago tells Hamlet to go by himself. Hamlet then meets with his father's ghost who turns into Polonius and then into Hamlet. Hamlet escapes and sees some of Richard's army torturing a group of Prodigals for information. Hamlet is found by Lysander, Demetrius and Adriana who want to join with Juliet's rebellion. Juliet, Othello, Iago and Falstaff meet up with Hamlet in a barn and they work on Adriana's farm for payment for hospitality. Later, they hold a meeting with several prodigals and the rebellion begins. Then, Richard's army attacks and the rebellion protects Juliet, Juliet begins to believe Hamlet is the Shadow King and Iago decides to join the rebellion. Later, Iago meets up with Lady Macbeth and begin to conspire.
A troupe of actors led by Feste
, arrive in the camp of the Prodigal Rebellion and put on a production of The Murder of Gonzago, with Hamlet on-stage. Hamlet is reminded of his father's murder and flees. Juliet chases him and they each relate their own personal tragedies, Hamlet's murder of Polonius and Juliet losing Romeo. Hamlet, Iago and Falstaff get ready to begin the search for Shakespeare. The night before they leave Juliet meets with Hamlet and they kiss. The next day they begin the journey, but they are stopped by a group of Paladins led by Romeo Montague. Hamlet uses his power to part the trees and shows the way to the The Globe Woods where Shakespeare lives. Hamlet goes in by himself and comes across Puck. Puck leads him to a house on the other side of a river. Hamlet tries to swim the river but then gets pulled down into the water by creatures made up of manuscript pages. At the same time, Iago contacts Lady Macbeth and tells her that Hamlet was killed, but he's discovered by Falstaff. They start to torture Iago to find out what he knows, Iago tells them that Hamlet will kill Shakespeare and not survive his meeting with Shakespeare. Hamlet manages to escape the monsters and finally meets Shakespeare who seems uninterested in doing anything with the Prodigals or Hamlet. Hamlet throws aside his knife which then begins to move by itself and then tries to kill Shakespeare.
the young Dane vowed revenge. However, after killing family friend Polonius
with a blow meant for his Uncle, The Prince questions his thirst for vengeance and flees Denmark. Still haunted by his father's ghost, confused and distraught, Hamlet is now caught up in a destiny far greater than he could have ever imagined.
as her council—she subtly steered her husband's rise to prominence. But with Lord Macbeth locked in a battle with Richard III the time was ripe for the Lady to step out of her husband's shadow. She drugged her husband's mead and walled him up in his Cawdor castle. However, will her own ambition lead her to discard Richard in his turn—and can she trust him not to betray her?
's death, Othello became a hired mercenary, but now leads the Prodigals resistance movement at the side of Juliet. He still hungers for revenge against his old adversary Iago, but has restrained himself thus far.
, and attempts to make amends by joining the Knights Paladin, who seek to aid the Prodigals resistance to Richard III and Lady Macbeth. Hamlet knows who Romeo is, but he has not yet told him that his former love is also still alive.
(Hamlet
), Puck
, Demetrius and Lysander
(A Midsummer Night's Dream
) and Tamora and Titus Andronicus
as either bandits or mercenaries of uncertain affiliation. Furthermore, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford
now run a brothel and are eager to renew their accquaintance with their old friend Falstaff. In Issue # 7, the travelling players enact The Murder of Gonzago, the same mise en abyme
play used to provoke King Claudius into disclosing his guilt over the murder of Hamlet's father in Hamlet.
to Brutus to kill
Caesar
with. The Dagger is first used by Lady Macbeth in the raising of a sailor. Richard then gives the dagger to Hamlet. Later, it turns out that the dagger can move by itself and also lets Lady Macbeth see through its reflection. The Dagger then tries to kill Shakespeare while Hamlet is talking to him
, particularly the ghosts and witches. It looks great, has a good pace, and is exciting to read." Crystal offers room for improvement, "The language is a bit of a tricky one. For the most part, it works well. There’s an error here and there... but those aside, I think it falters when the writer tries to attempt a mock-Shakespearean style." George Gene Gustine of The New York Times
called the series "gripping, violent and dark fun, even if you’re not fully versed in Shakespearean lore" , while Fangoria
called it "a highly enjoyable adventure," saying that "McCreery and Del Col skillfully juggle a Who’s Who assortment of characters, and Belanger places them in stylishly imagined backdrops on every page" .
Shakespearean scholar Kimberly Cox, partner of well-known comic creator Frank Miller
, criticised Kill Shakespeare in an April 2010 interview. Cox primarily took issue with its non-adherence to Shakespeare's well-known iambic pentameter
style, stating, "Under duress and under a deadline, I can write exactly in the same meter and syntax as the Bard. It’s not so difficult once you study enough of the text". Cox also noted that the comic is "so poorly done, so flawed on even the most elementary levels of story-telling," though she did not elaborate beyond the structural dissimilarities with Shakespeare's style.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
released by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
. It is being produced by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, who also act as co-writers, alongside Andy Belanger as head-artist, Ian Herring as colourist and Kagan McLeod as cover artist. The first issue was published on April 14, 2010.
Publication history
The idea first came to Del Col and McCreery in 2005, however due to other commitments the project was put on hiatus. Originally Kill Shakespeare was intended to be a video game, the pair also contemplated using the idea for a movie as well. In 2009, the pair attended the New York Comic-Con and sparked interest in publishing companies, from whom they eventually chose IDW.The first issue is exactly 32 pages long, however the second and third run for only 24 pages. The series is intended to run for 12 issues, with the first paperback for release on November 9, 2010.
Plot synopsis
Prince HamletPrince Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is a fictional character, the protagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius and son of the previous King of Denmark, Old Hamlet. Throughout the play he struggles with whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and...
is being banished from his country of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
for the murder of Polonius
Polonius
Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. He is King Claudius's chief counsellor, and the father of Ophelia and Laertes. Polonius connives with Claudius to spy on Hamlet...
with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. They are courtiers who are set by the king to spy on Hamlet, using their claimed friendship with him to gain his confidence. The characters were revived in W. S...
. Before he leaves he takes one last look around his city and is confronted by a strange mist that tells him he should kill his uncle. Hamlet then denies that he's a killer and gets onto the ship headed for England. That night Hamlet has another encounter with the mist, the ship is then attacked by pirates. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are killed, but Hamlet manages to escape on a piece of the ship with a deceased sailor already on it. Hamlet then wakes up in a strange bedroom and meets Richard the Third
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
. Richard tours Hamlet through his city showing him that he is building libraries and schools for them. He then asks Hamlet if he will help steal Shakespeare's quill because he is the only one who can find Shakespeare, in exchange Richard will resurrect Hamlet's father. Richard then demonstrates this by bringing the sailor that Hamlet was found with back to life. Hamlet agrees to join Richard'd quest to find Shakespeare. Hamlet doesn't know how to find Shakespeare, then Iago
Iago
Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
asks him if he could just relax, that causes a path to appear in the woods. Richard's party go down the path and find themselves in a small village where they are attacked by a group called Prodigals. Richard hands him a knife to protect himself. That night Hamlet is almost killed by bandits but is saved by Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
who knocks him out and kidnaps him. Iago is sent to find Hamlet. Hamlets wakes up and Falstaff says he was trying to protect Hamlet from people trying to kill him. Hamlet tries to escape by creating another path, but can't. Falstaff offers to take him to a safer place through the woods. While they travel through the woods they meet Puck
Puck (Shakespeare)
Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a character in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream that was based on the ancient figure in English mythology, also called Puck. Puck is a clever and mischievous elf and personifies the trickster or the wise knave...
, Falstaff then reveals that he's a Prodigal. Hamlet tries to get away from Falstaff, but instead Falstaff takes him to a brothel. The bandits attack the brothel, Hamlet and Falstaff escape dressed as women. At the same time, Richard is attempting to create an alliance with Macbeth
Macbeth (character)
Macbeth is the title character in William Shakespeare's Macbeth . The character is based on the historical king Macbeth of Scotland, and is derived largely from the account in Holinshed's Chronicles , a history of Britain. Macbeth is a Scottish noble and a valiant military man. He is portrayed...
. Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth may refer to:*Lady Macbeth, from William Shakespeare's play Macbeth**Queen Gruoch of Scotland, the real-life Queen on whom Shakespeare based the character...
kills her husband because she's in league with Richard.
Hamlet and Falstaff meet up with Juliet Capulet
Juliet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
and Othello
Othello (character)
Othello is a character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's origin is traced to the tale, "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor....
, the leaders of the Prodigal Rebellion. Falstaff tells them that Hamlet is the "Shadow King" but they don't believe it. Richard's army attacks, Hamlet saves Juliet's life and then Iago saves both of them by attacking Tamora Andronicus, one of the bandits. Othello tries to kill Iago but Iago manages to talk him down. Hamlet tries to leave with Iago, but Juliet won't let him do that so she decides to make him her captive. Hamlet tries to escape with Iago late at night but Juliet catches them and Iago tells Hamlet to go by himself. Hamlet then meets with his father's ghost who turns into Polonius and then into Hamlet. Hamlet escapes and sees some of Richard's army torturing a group of Prodigals for information. Hamlet is found by Lysander, Demetrius and Adriana who want to join with Juliet's rebellion. Juliet, Othello, Iago and Falstaff meet up with Hamlet in a barn and they work on Adriana's farm for payment for hospitality. Later, they hold a meeting with several prodigals and the rebellion begins. Then, Richard's army attacks and the rebellion protects Juliet, Juliet begins to believe Hamlet is the Shadow King and Iago decides to join the rebellion. Later, Iago meets up with Lady Macbeth and begin to conspire.
A troupe of actors led by Feste
Feste
Feste is a jester in the Shakespeare comedy Twelfth Night or: What You Will. He is attached to the household of the Countess Olivia. Apparently he has been there for some time, as he was a "fool that the Lady Olivia's father took much delight in"...
, arrive in the camp of the Prodigal Rebellion and put on a production of The Murder of Gonzago, with Hamlet on-stage. Hamlet is reminded of his father's murder and flees. Juliet chases him and they each relate their own personal tragedies, Hamlet's murder of Polonius and Juliet losing Romeo. Hamlet, Iago and Falstaff get ready to begin the search for Shakespeare. The night before they leave Juliet meets with Hamlet and they kiss. The next day they begin the journey, but they are stopped by a group of Paladins led by Romeo Montague. Hamlet uses his power to part the trees and shows the way to the The Globe Woods where Shakespeare lives. Hamlet goes in by himself and comes across Puck. Puck leads him to a house on the other side of a river. Hamlet tries to swim the river but then gets pulled down into the water by creatures made up of manuscript pages. At the same time, Iago contacts Lady Macbeth and tells her that Hamlet was killed, but he's discovered by Falstaff. They start to torture Iago to find out what he knows, Iago tells them that Hamlet will kill Shakespeare and not survive his meeting with Shakespeare. Hamlet manages to escape the monsters and finally meets Shakespeare who seems uninterested in doing anything with the Prodigals or Hamlet. Hamlet throws aside his knife which then begins to move by itself and then tries to kill Shakespeare.
Hamlet
After his Father the King is murdered by Hamlet's UncleKing Claudius
King Claudius is a character and the antagonist from William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. He is the brother to King Hamlet, second husband to Gertrude and uncle to Hamlet. He obtained the throne of Denmark by murdering his own brother with poison and then marrying the late king's widow...
the young Dane vowed revenge. However, after killing family friend Polonius
Polonius
Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. He is King Claudius's chief counsellor, and the father of Ophelia and Laertes. Polonius connives with Claudius to spy on Hamlet...
with a blow meant for his Uncle, The Prince questions his thirst for vengeance and flees Denmark. Still haunted by his father's ghost, confused and distraught, Hamlet is now caught up in a destiny far greater than he could have ever imagined.
Richard III
One of the most powerful and shrewd generals in the land, Richard oversees a growing nation built on the backs of his serfs. Along with his desire to create a legacy through the glorification of his name Richard seeks to crush all opposition and conquer further kingdoms. He has formed a temporary alliance with Lady Macbeth after her betrayal of her husband, but can he trust her?Lady Macbeth
Beautiful and ruthless, Lady Macbeth has an unmatched thirst for power. Using her sexuality—and three witchesThree Witches
The Three Witches or Weird Sisters are characters in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth . Their origin lies in Holinshed's Chronicles , a history of England, Scotland and Ireland...
as her council—she subtly steered her husband's rise to prominence. But with Lord Macbeth locked in a battle with Richard III the time was ripe for the Lady to step out of her husband's shadow. She drugged her husband's mead and walled him up in his Cawdor castle. However, will her own ambition lead her to discard Richard in his turn—and can she trust him not to betray her?
Iago
After fleeing from Othello's side Iago quickly attached himself to Richard III. Using wits and treachery the Spaniard efficiently moved up the ranks and is now one of Richard's most relied-upon deputies. But the corrupt influencer continues to play the odds, a charlatan who can easily change his allegiances—and does.Falstaff
A wonderful pain-in-the-ass, Falstaff is quick with both the jab and the jibe. While he plays the quintessential fool he possesses more wisdom and heart than most. A man of faith, Falstaff is unshakeable in his belief in Shakespeare as Creator.Othello
After he was unable to kill Iago in vengeance for DesdemonaDesdemona
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello.Desdemona may also refer to:People* Desdemona , a soprano role in the 1816 opera Otello by Gioachino Rossini...
's death, Othello became a hired mercenary, but now leads the Prodigals resistance movement at the side of Juliet. He still hungers for revenge against his old adversary Iago, but has restrained himself thus far.
Juliet
Her Capulet relatives spirited her away from Verona after she survived her attempted suicide. Witnessing injustice and oppression, and believing her 'lost love' Romeo is dead, she assumes the role of Prodigals resistance movement co-leader, and proves herself a courageous warrior.Romeo
However, unknown to Juliet, Romeo has also survived his own attempted suicide, back in VeronaVerona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, and attempts to make amends by joining the Knights Paladin, who seek to aid the Prodigals resistance to Richard III and Lady Macbeth. Hamlet knows who Romeo is, but he has not yet told him that his former love is also still alive.
Incidental Characters
Thus far, these include Rosencrantz and GuildensternRosencrantz and Guildenstern
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. They are courtiers who are set by the king to spy on Hamlet, using their claimed friendship with him to gain his confidence. The characters were revived in W. S...
(Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
), Puck
Puck (Shakespeare)
Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a character in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream that was based on the ancient figure in English mythology, also called Puck. Puck is a clever and mischievous elf and personifies the trickster or the wise knave...
, Demetrius and Lysander
Lysander (Shakespeare)
Lysander is one of the iconic lovers in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. A handsome young man of Athens, Lysander is in love with Hermia and plans to run away from her father with her to escape Athenian law and wed. But his plans are disrupted when Oberon decides to have some...
(A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
) and Tamora and Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were...
as either bandits or mercenaries of uncertain affiliation. Furthermore, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to 1597. It features the fat knight Sir John Falstaff, and is Shakespeare's only play to deal exclusively with contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life...
now run a brothel and are eager to renew their accquaintance with their old friend Falstaff. In Issue # 7, the travelling players enact The Murder of Gonzago, the same mise en abyme
Mise en abyme
Mise en abyme is a term originally from the French and means "placed into abyss".The commonplace usage of this phrase is describing the visual experience of standing between two mirrors, seeing an infinite reproduction of one's image, but it has several other meanings in the realm of the creative...
play used to provoke King Claudius into disclosing his guilt over the murder of Hamlet's father in Hamlet.
Shakespeare's Quill
This quill gives the user the ability to change reality. Most of the characters want the quill for themselves. It is unknown what it looks like or if it really is a quill.The Dagger
In ancient Rome, the Dagger was given by HecateHecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
to Brutus to kill
Assassination of Julius Caesar
The assassination of Julius Caesar was the result of a conspiracy by approximately forty Roman senators who called themselves Liberators. Led by Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus, they stabbed Julius Caesar to death in the Theatre of Pompey on the Ides of March 44 BC...
Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
with. The Dagger is first used by Lady Macbeth in the raising of a sailor. Richard then gives the dagger to Hamlet. Later, it turns out that the dagger can move by itself and also lets Lady Macbeth see through its reflection. The Dagger then tries to kill Shakespeare while Hamlet is talking to him
Reception
Shakespearean actor and writer of Shakespeare on Toast Ben Crystal opines that the comic was "beautifully drawn", elaborating that it "reminds me of HellboyHellboy
Hellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers...
, particularly the ghosts and witches. It looks great, has a good pace, and is exciting to read." Crystal offers room for improvement, "The language is a bit of a tricky one. For the most part, it works well. There’s an error here and there... but those aside, I think it falters when the writer tries to attempt a mock-Shakespearean style." George Gene Gustine of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the series "gripping, violent and dark fun, even if you’re not fully versed in Shakespearean lore" , while Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
called it "a highly enjoyable adventure," saying that "McCreery and Del Col skillfully juggle a Who’s Who assortment of characters, and Belanger places them in stylishly imagined backdrops on every page" .
Shakespearean scholar Kimberly Cox, partner of well-known comic creator Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
, criticised Kill Shakespeare in an April 2010 interview. Cox primarily took issue with its non-adherence to Shakespeare's well-known iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter is a commonly used metrical line in traditional verse and verse drama. The term describes the particular rhythm that the words establish in that line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet"...
style, stating, "Under duress and under a deadline, I can write exactly in the same meter and syntax as the Bard. It’s not so difficult once you study enough of the text". Cox also noted that the comic is "so poorly done, so flawed on even the most elementary levels of story-telling," though she did not elaborate beyond the structural dissimilarities with Shakespeare's style.
Reviews
- Review: Kill Shakespeare #1, Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
- Kill Shakespeare #1 Review, IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- AICN Comics Reviews: Brightest Day! Kill Sahkespeare! Irredeemable! Hotwire! & Much More!, AICN Comics
- Kill Shakespeare #1 Review, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
- Best Shots Comic Reviews: FLASH, SIEGE: LOKI, More, NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
- Kill Shakespeare #1 Review, CraveOnlineCraveOnlineCraveOnline is a male lifestyle website based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. The site is owned by media company AtomicOnline, the publishing division of Evolve Media Corp.- History :...
- Kill Shakespeare #2 Review, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...