Keigen Rea — Once & Future isn’t a book that would normally appeal to me. I don’t really like stories about knights unless they are of the Jedi variety, and King Arthur doesn’t boost my interest either. Despite my feelings about the premise, however, I’ve enjoyed the series from the start as well as every bit along the way. The creative team has taken an idea I wouldn’t typically go for and turned it into a must-read title, a favorite of mine among the many great series running today. 

I enjoy the series quite a bit, but this issue did leave something to desire, which was only exasperated by the (unintended) long wait between issues. Mostly, this is because relatively little happens in the issue. Gran and Duncan yell and leave a place. Arthur talks and yells a bit. Meets people. Pins poke a map. The interactions are great, very good fun, but it’s not quite enough to hold the issue up. It has a pretty good cliffhanger, and the stuff it’s setting up seems like it’ll be great, but even still, this issue feels lighter than I would like. 

The art is still incredible though! The way colorist Tamra Bonvillain plays with the night sky and the darkness feels against type, but it shows how much of a master she really is. To me, she isn’t just one of the best color artists in comics, but one of the best artists in comics, full stop. 

With art this good, the series can have an off month, but hopefully I get more Gran, Rose, and Duncan next month. 

Overall: Still a great series, this is simply an issue where little of substance happens, and/or I don’t know enough about Beowulf to get excited. The art shines, especially the colors. 6.5/10

Once & Future #8 REVIEW

Once & Future #8
Writer: Kieron Gillen 
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain 
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Publisher: BOOM! Studios 
Price: $3.99
When a strange newcomer arrives at the dark court of Camelot, his presence disrupts The Otherworld. Sometimes winning the battle risks losing the war...as Duncan and Bridgette will soon find out.
Release Date: June 24, 2020
Buy It Digitally: Via comiXology

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Keigen Rea is not working for the next two months. He does not know if that’s good for him. Find him @prince_organa trying to be relevant to any degree at all.