Review by Ian Keogh
Duncan has been brought up by his grandmother Bridgette McGuire, a contrary old woman who’s never revealed the family ancestry, nor her previous trade and Duncan being a back-up plan to the save the future from the legends of the past. That all came tumbling out in the very sprightly The King is Undead, with Kieron Gillen twisting Arthurian legend and Dan Mora drawing the hell out of it.
Old English is more of the same with added Beowulf and Merlin. The rapid learning curve Duncan experienced over the first volume spurred considerable personal growth, and he now knows to question Bridgette’s orders. She may have far greater experience with myths and supernatural, but he can’t guarantee she has his best interests at heart.
She remains a fabulous filter for Gillen’s interpretation of Arthurian legends, being dry, confident and a master of improvisation, and while she’s not as physically fit as she once was, her corrosive tongue hasn’t diminished. However, with the return of Merlin she may not now be Once & Future’s most manipulative character. Rose, the triangle of good’s third point, remains underused.
Once again, the combination of Mora’s art and Tamra Bonvillain’s colours is a most seductive, almost magical mixture. Mora defines power and personality while Bonvillain is the illuminator. Look at individual strokes of the art and it’s all jagged points with lines leading to and from them, yet it fits together for beautiful results. Unless, of course, it’s meant to be ugly, like a monster thrashing around in blood and rain.
While Gillen’s primary plot simmers in the background, he imports as troublemakers Beowulf and Grendel from a different legend. There’s a fine creative idea of importing the horror trope of a monster loose in a big old house to different circumstances, and Gillen makes very effective use of another well worn horror trope, but even knowing that he’ll sucker you with it. There’s also a complete lack of sentimentality about the remainder, which makes for fantastic reading.
This is combined with Volume One and Volume Three: The Parliament of Magpies in the Once & Future Deluxe Edition Book One, and such is the quality you may want to head straight to the luxury package.
