Books 42-44
Once & Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead by Kieron Gillen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I missed the original run of this since it came out smack dab in the middle of the covid lockdown which is a shame as I would have loved it. That said there is something about the ease of collected editions fitting on a bookshelf.
First up, the art. THIS is what sequential art should look like. How many times have I suffered through art that barely has a notion of what human bodies should look like just because I like the story too much to quit it. Not a problem here. This art is gorgeous. I would buy panels and hang them on my wall. Bridgette especially is wonderful. She's old and they don't try to hide her age. Duncan is an appealing (and appropriate) combination of naive of expression and hot.
The story leans hard into Arthurian legend and at one point when asked if stuff like this happens elsewhere Bridgette's only answer is to say she can barely keep up with the British stuff, she has no idea. The stories and folklore of Britain is coming to life...again.
A group of Nationalists are bringing back Arthur, not quite grasping that his legends in Wales/North England have Brythonic -speaking Celtic roots. He is not a friend of the Anglo-Saxons which make up much of the UK now. He's a big believer in ethnic cleansing and if he gets the Holy Grail he'll do just that.
Bridgette lives a currently quiet life in senior housing and answers the question what would Buffy be like if she were 80. Duncan, her grandson whom she raised as a complete innocent of this lifestyle (and in the sexual sense too) is a museum curator. She forced this lifestyle on him for reasons which you might guess at if you're familiar with the Knights of the Round Table.
In spite of his fear, Duncan is drawn into Bridgette's crazy world and as a result Britain might just stand a chance. I can't go into much more without spoiling some of the twists and they are worth it. Bridgette is hard core and if I had a quibble with this is we're not sure if she is super powered like Buffy because she's doing stuff that might be pushing it given her age. Still, that is minor. This first volume was a blast and I immediate got the next two from the library.
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Once & Future, Vol. 2: Old English by Kieron Gillen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This picks up from volume one and goes balls to the walls with the action. Duncan has committed to his familial role but not without being angry with his grandmother's deception his whole life (not to mention Mommy dearest and his half sibling Galahad). We have Rose a little more integrated into the story going from someone Duncan is trying to date to their Rupert Giles (and that might be the weakest part of the story, we don't really see Rose's point of view on all of this and why she decides to step up)
Duncan's mom has now teamed up with a very creepy version of Merlin becoming his Nimue and together they pull Beowulf forth from The Story sending him after Duncan and Bridgette. However, if they defeat him then who is to take on Grendel and his mother...oh right, Duncan.
And that is this volume's over arching arc. And it's worth it just to see Bridgette defending the other senior citizens in her home with a chainsaw.
This continues the same high level of story telling and artwork. Galahad's fate is particularly gruesome (though it's not his end and it couldn't have happened to a better prick of a dude). Can't wait for the next volume.
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Once & Future, Vol. 3: The Parliament of Magpies by Kieron Gillen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Without spoiling anything, we can see in this volume why Mary so disliked her mother. We don't know if Bridgette really wanted to hurt her daughter (I am sure she could have if it was necessary but this is 100% Mary's point of view and she has disordered thinking and a skewed (potentially) view of her mother).
Enter into the story an X-Filesque Smoking Man governmental connection who step in after one too many big fights happen. Mary and Merlin continue their scheming. Rose steps even deeper into the story, taking on an active role. Bridgette and Duncan continue to be a delight. The art remains fantastic. I'm loving this series to bits.
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