Once & Future #11
Boom! Studios
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Dan Mora
Colors by Tamra Bonvillain
Letters by Ed Dukeshire
The Rundown: Gran and Duncan face off against Grendel as Merlin begins the next phase of his plan.
Grendel continues to cut a swath of destruction through Brigette’s home and she is doing everything she can to protect her fellow residents. A prospect that becomes more dangerous after remembering that she and her grandson are responsible for the only hero who could stop Grendel not being around.
When Duncan arrives to help, he proceeds in causing the distraction Brigette needs, but also brings in unwanted attention. To make matters worse, another creature of legend is on her way.
The Story: There is a beautiful immediacy to everything in this story. Not only does the action leap off the page, but the wit of the dialogue is engaging. While the situation is tense and scary, Kieron Gillen doesn’t lose sight of how entertaining these characters and their circumstances are. The story is big, violent and scary, but it also affirms the bond between Brigette and Duncan as the craziness around them continues to grow and evolve. I was particularly impressed with the dark humor of the cliffhanger ending and how the comedy and horror of the moment were perfectly executed by Gillen.
The Art: Dan Mora’s art is stunning in this issue. Not only does the art perfectly capture the tone and pace of the story, but there is beauty in the brutality. The characters look great, but even the horror of the creatures have a fluid beauty to them. A great looking issue from start to brilliant, bloody finish.