The Tempest
The Tempest, By William Shakespeare, Adapted by John McDonald, Jon Haward & Gary Erskine, Classical Comics
SHAKESPEARE'S THE Tempest tells the tale of folk shipwrecked on an island as a result of a magician called Prospero. Various challenges are then brought to bear upon the characters, and separated as they are; their true nature’s surface.
Prospero is in fact the rightful Duke of Milan, and among those now trapped on the island are his brother and the King of Naples, both of whom once brought about his downfall. In between the dark tragedies that unfold love blossoms between the magician’s daughter, Miranda, and the king’s son, Ferdinand.
The tale is one of puppets being worked on a string, rarely responsible for their own destinies; one I’ve always found had metaphors regarding class and religion, at least for the time it was written. As a story it tends towards linear predictability but the bumps along the road for us to get to its conclusion resonate with intrigue and many half-glimpsed stories of the individual characters and their own backgrounds.
Garen Ewing (creator of The Rainbow Orchid graphic novel series) previously adapted The Tempest for his own small press company, King Rat Comics, and hear Jon Haward draws his version, inked by Gary Erskine. Let me say right from the start that Jon and Garen are personal friends of mine, so you may assume there to be some bias or conflict of interest on my part. Not so. It’s against my nature.
What’s interesting is how they both approached such matters. Garen’s version was earlier work from him, but it still had grace and an uplifting spirit to it, whereas Jon’s revels in the darker side of the fantasies that unfold, and perhaps shows the conflict of good over evil a little more clearly.
Jon’s version of the monster Caliban lends itself toward a Jack Kirby New Gods influence, while his Propsero is Dr Strange attired but facially resembling some former–Hawkwind fan who’s turned professional accountant, and pretty apt at that!
This is a very good example of how Classical Comics’ lengthy, but not leisurely, adaptations work to the benefit of the story. John McDonald’s pacing is splendid; characters are brought onto the page and allowed room to come alive, and the scenes do not rush until we head towards the climax as emotions are raised.
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