Comics
Review: “Kill Shakespeare: The Mask Of Night” #3
“Kill Shakespeare: The Mask Of Night” #3 delivers an action-packed thriller that doesn’t know how to slow down. The classic Shakespearean characters feel more alive, developed, and modernized as they become part of the swashbuckling genre. In a fresh and new direction, the “Kill Shakespeare” series has found a clever way to 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: August 27, 2014
Reviewed By Jorge Solis
In the aftermath of “Vol. 3: Tide of Blood,” Juliet, Hamlet, and Othello are captured on the pirate ship, The Boreas. 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. Now that the traitor has finally been revealed, Lucius Andronicus is just moments away from making his terrifying arrival.
Writers Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col are really at their best when they spotlight the female Shakespearean characters. This reviewer believes there’s more depth to these characters because the writers have steered away from the romanticism. It’d definitely not a pretty sight when Juliet, who was originally the lovelorn teen, has a heart-to-heart talk with Hamlet. Everything is revealed and wounds are reopened as Juliet is forced to remember she cheated on Hamlet with Romeo.
McCreery and Del Col have carried the narrative with suspense hinting at the upcoming arrival of the rival ship Lavinia. Even though we never see Lucius Andronicus, everyone seems to tremble when his name is mentioned. This is the issue where Andronicus shows up and it doesn’t disappoint. I can’t wait to see what the writers have in store with this deadly antagonist.
The highlight of Andy Belanger’s artwork is what his drawings can say so much with silence. Notice how Belanger is able to create so much mood and suspense in the first two pages. The illustrations focus on a flying black bird as the winged creature delivers a message to Viola. And when there’s dialogue, Belanger adds so much creativeness to the panel layouts in an impressive splash page.
In Belanger’s character design, Andronics looks more like a Goth rock star, with his long hair and pale skin. Notice when danger is around, he is always smiling. Belanger adds so much personality in his facial features during his grand entrance. I do like that he has a small crossbow strapped to his wrist.
“Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night” #3 continues to be a riveting swashbuckling adventure with tons of plot twists. I can’t wait to see the Lavinia and the Boreas do battle in the waters.
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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