Book Review: Once and Future, Vol 1: The King is Undead by Kieron Gillen and others

Once and Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead
by Kieron Gillen (writer), Dan Mora (artist) and Tamra Bonvillain (colorist) (741.5 Gil)

This one caught my eye on the “new books” display at the downtown library, and I’m glad I gave it a try. “Once & Future” is a exciting fast-paced graphic novel story that is like a crossover between Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Volume 1, “The King is Undead” compiles the first six issues of what has turned into an ongoing monthly comic-book storyline.

We jump straight into the action, as a British ultranationalist sect steals a historical artifact unearthed by archaeologists from a lakebed in Cornwall — the scabbard supposedly used by King Arthur to hold Excalibur — a magical totem that has the ability to heal grievous injury, and which that sect believes they can use to resurrect the long-dead Arthur.

Meanwhile, senior citizen Bridgette McGuire, former monster hunter, slips away from her senior care facility and enlists the aid of her grandson, Duncan, to uncover one of her caches of monster hunting weaponry. Also bringing in Duncan’s would-be girlfriend, Rose, a historian, they begin a quest to try to prevent the horribly-revived King Arthur from gathering the powerful tools he would need to begin a cleansing purge of all but the loyal Celts in England.

The writing is fast and furious, but the characters are well realized. The artwork, by Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain is uniformly good, particular the coloring by Bonvillain and the facial expressions by Mora. The story is heavily laden with Arthurian mythology, but with a modernized twist. And the plot allows Gillen to shine a damning light on the causes of ultra-nationalism, both today and back in history.

I really enjoyed this fantasy/horror/adventure tale, and look forward to future volumes. This first volume was released in graphic novel form in August 2020, and was a 2020 nominee as “Best New Series” in the Will Eisner Awards.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Camelot 3000 by Mike W. Barr and Brian Bolland, The Once and Future King by T.H. White or Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory.]

[ publisher’s official Once and Future series web page ] | [ official Kieron Gillen Tumblr blog ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

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