ONCE & FUTURE #7
Recap
Recently, Gran revealed a part of the legend that connects Galahad to Sr. Lancelot and King Arthur’s wife. Elaine tells her son, Galahad, it’s time to go. However, the perfect knight is not turning his back on his destiny or his King. Watch out, Elaine! Duncan intervene Arthur’s attempt to slice and dice his mother. Gran creates a diversion, but something really weird happens.
Duncan and Gran runs to the portal before it is too late. Gran reaches out to her daughter, but Elaine / Mary rather perish in Hell. Well, back in the real world, Duncan returns the Excalibur without hesitation. He releases some well-kept feelings of disappointment in Gran. However, before you know it, something forces the hand of destiny to make Duncan and Gran work as a team. What will become of Elaine as she is now at the hands of a mythical sorcerer, Merlin!
Review
Once & Future #7 opens with King Arthur at Camelot of the Otherworld with an offer to his undead army. His greatest knight, Galahad, naturally volunteers to take the challenge. But first, Galahad must risk his life and prove that he is worthy to sit on the Siege Perilous. The result will forever change King Arthur’s greatest knight!
Back on the Real-world, Duncan has been honing on his slaying skills. Gran calls to check up on her grandson. The job is done and this experience has left a vision burned in Duncan’s mind. His expression is priceless! Rose is calling and of course hormones kick into overdrive. Duncan hangs up on Gran, but ironically, Rose picks at the thorns in hope that Duncan is opening up to Bridgette/Gran. While embracing her role in tracking supernatural events, Rose’s divination shows that something big is going down in London.
Rose guides Duncan into the British Museum after dark with a feeling of horrific excitement. Immediately after Duncan ends the phone call, Gran calls Rose. This is where a mother-like figure missing her boy shows up to make herself out a fool. Meanwhile, back at the museum, Duncan’s pendulum leads him to an old battered helmet. Suddenly, Galahad shows up, well just a little different.
As the fight takes hold, Gran shows up and sends Galahad back to his majesty. As the Scooby Gang was busy, a mysterious hooded figure stole an old book from the British Library. This is where the real magic begins, no really! The spells within this book has raised another King!
Kieron Gillen continues to shower us with excitement and strategically places his characters like he is playing a game of chess. The storytelling is paced perfectly as revelations and discoveries are taking the characters to another level. Gillen leaves us hanging as he teases our imagination into overdrive.
Dark and gruesome; that’s where the talent of Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain visual rhythm enhances Gillen’s smooth pacing. Mora capitalizes on his artistic strengths as he demonstrates with small details and differences on each character with such intense emotions. More and the coloring by Bonvillain nailed their talent in each panel from the first page to the last. My absolute favorite is how the art and colors splatters as the freshly risen Beowulf makes a forceful statement that makes me melt!
Final Thoughts
Horror, fantasy, and drama…OH MY!!!
ONCE & FUTURE #7: Old English
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 8.5/108.5/10
- Art - 8.5/108.5/10
- Color - 8.5/108.5/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10