“Kill Shakespeare: The Mask Of Night” #2 continues its new story arc with even more action, suspense, and plot twists. The classic Shakespearean characters feel more modernized as they become part of the pirate and swashbuckling genre. Giving the “Kill Shakespeare” series a fresh and new direction, which will appeal to both newcomers and longtime readers.
Written By: Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col
Art By: Andy Belanger
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $3.99
Release: July 23, 2014
Reviewed By Jorge Solis
In the aftermath of “Vol. 3: Tide of Blood,” Juliet, Hamlet, and Othello find themselves captured on the pirate ship, The Boreas. Othello is still weak from the sick mind-games and hallucinates about Desdemona. Hamlet cannot put his trust in Juliet, because she may be carrying Romeo’s child. Though they are held captive, pirates Cesario and Viola are about to learn there is no honor amongst thieves. There is no rest for the wicked as a traitor is on board, waiting to strike at the perfect moment.
Writers Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col have done something spectacular with the female Shakespearean characters. This reviewer believes they have added more complexity to their nature because they have steered away from the romanticism. Juliet, the lovelorn teen, is a hearted broken but strong warrior. In this latest re-imagination “Twelfth Night,” Viola is indeed captain of the ship but needs a male figurehead to pretend to be the fighter, Cesario.
McCreery and Del Col drive the narrative with suspense as Ceasario searches for the traitor within his crew. It’s a clever whodunit tale, with tons of red herrings, that moves at a quick pace. The writers pull a clever Hitchcockian twist in the opening pages. As readers, we know the rope is going to break because it has been cut; we are anxiously waiting for it to happen.
The highlight of Andy Belanger’s artwork is what his illustrations can do with silence. For three pages, the characters stop talking but let their true emotions flow through their facial expressions. In a six panel layout, Belanger is able to say so much through close-ups and medium shot, without any help from thought captions or word balloons. Notice how Viola is getting a kick out of the Hamlet and Juliet’s problems.
In Belanger’s character design, Cesario’s mask has two facial expressions, one smiling and the other angry. This is the only facial expression we’re ever going to get from the captain. Belanger has to rely on body movement and poses to express what the character is thinking. You can tell Cesario is ready for action as he bends his knees forward, like a quarterback.
“Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night” #2 continues to be a riveting swashbuckling adventure. I can’t wait to see what happens in the third installment.