Too many Arterian kings? Wait for Robin Hood to join the party. Planeta Comic brings us the end of Once and Future.
Myths and legends are an inexhaustible source of new written stories. Humans have always been fascinated by ancient stories where they don’t know when reality begins and when fantasy begins. Kieron Gillen (The Evil + The Divine, Doctor Aphra) saw the potential of British mythology and, with Dan Mora, wanted to create a story where fantasy and legend would once and for all merge.
Planet Comic continued to publish the 30 issues that comprise this work in various issues, and finally published volume five where the stories of Bridget, Duncan, Rose and other characters were closed once and for all.
Only one King Arthur can survive.
In the previous form it was made clear that Great Britain was in great peril. After the existence of another world was revealed, all the inhabitants of the islands were trapped in that imaginary and mythical world. If that wasn’t enough, various Arthurian kings began to emerge claiming the throne of Britain. Finding it impossible to fight so many kings at once, Bridget McGuire turns to Robin Hood, a man who specializes in fighting kings. Meanwhile, Mary continued her scheming.
Once and Ahead is a very enjoyable and recommended work from start to finish. It is a very satisfying read from the beginning, even if you don’t understand all the British references or legends, you will not stop being surprised by the humor, the action and the characters. I missed a bit more humor in this volume, but it more than makes up for it in the action scenes and the characters’ intimate moments where they know the end is near and it’s the perfect time to bring out their rough edges. .
The ending is very satisfying and well done with the script twists. Although the quality of the story never faltered, it wouldn’t have mattered if the story continued for a few more issues, but it would have kept many readers happy.
Gillen was able to take the ancient legends and introduce them in the 21st century in a very original twist. Plus, the cast of characters he’s produced is unbeatable, with even the secondary characters having their moments to shine, especially in this final volume.
But it wouldn’t be the same without the great drawing of Dan Mora, who manages to increase the quality of this comic once and for all. The 30 issues that make up the collection are entirely drawn by him, which is admirable because it gives the comic a lot of consistency. In this volume called “The Waste Land”, Mora continues to excel in his amazing creations and magical creature designs, but what stands out the most are his drawings in battle scenes where he can convey the action. And violence to a great extent.
But we can not only talk about the picture, the color in this work is also important. Tamra Bonville has been the colorist for the entire Once and Future collection and shows off her skills again in issue #5. The combination of colors used to represent the other world creates a sense of enchantment and a magical environment that fits like a glove. But with the same color palette, he can give reality to the mythical buildings in Great Britain today, creating a striking contrast between what is real and what isn’t. Like the entire collection, the artist maintains a very high level of quality.
Planeta Comic Once and Future 5 issue.
Planeta’s editorial is more than accurate, it follows the same method as the previous issues of the collection. Volume 5, “The Waste Land”, is a 168-page hardcover volume that collects the last 5 one-off and future issues. At the end of the package we find the covers of each chapter. As a final addition, we have a letter written by Gillen as a farewell. It measures 16.8 x 25.7 cm and retails for €17.99. The e-book format costs €10.99.
Once and Future #05 is the perfect ending to a great career. This volume is still as fun as the previous ones and closes the story in a great way, giving great moments and fantastic battles. Mora and Bonvillain bring Guillen’s story to life, which only adds up to a very interesting performance. A good thing is that it’s short, but given the quality of the story in this volume, I wish it was longer.
Once and forward nº 05/05
Autores: Kieron Gillen Dan Mora | Tamra Bonville
Publisher: Planeta Comic
Format: Hardcover
Measurements: 16.8 x 25.7 cm
Pages: 168 in color
ISBN: 978-84-1140-956-8
Price: €17,99 Physical | 10.99 euros digital
Synopsis: It’s Christmas Eve and all the kings gather at Excalibur, determined to become the true ruler. Chaos ends! If no one has the strength to draw the sword? After much conflict, will peace finally prevail or will an unexpected man claim the throne? Rituals, bombs and battles ensue as the final fate of Duncan, Mary, Rose, Bridget, Merlin and the rest await!
The incomparable Kieron Gillen (Star Wars: Darth Vader, The Wicked + The Divine) and Dan Mora (Detective Comics) bring us the long-awaited conclusion to this Hugo Award-nominated version of the mystical and modern Arthurian legend. It collects 25-30 issues of one time and future.