- Writer: David Hazan
- Artist: Shane Connery Volk
- Colorist: Luca Romano
- Letterer: Justin Birch
- Editor: Brian Hawkins
- Book Designer: Diane Bermudez
Thanks to Mad Cave Studios for the review copy!
Nottingham is a series that breathes fresh air into the Robin Hood legend by reimagining the core elements of the story. In this version, the Sheriff is the protagonist and Robin Hood is a menacing, violent, unpredictable character. Issue seven extends the story beyond the conflict between those two (which has largely been told through Nottingham’s eyes), while still keeping true to its interpretation of the story’s origin.
This issue features new alliances and a new character. It also features some welcome development of Marian’s character. While there have been hints of potential for Marian, this issue finally delivers on that promise and moves her into a position where she is definitively more than a damsel in distress. With all of these changes, it is also nice to have the Sheriff get back to some of the detective work that has become a defining trait of the character.
Another common feature of Nottingham is plenty of blood, and this issue is no exception. The issue starts with a violent stabbing and showcases the brutal effects of some killings. This series isn’t shy about showing blood and the red splashes often stand out against the largely dark pages. While the fighting catches the eye, Nottingham’s art deserves notice for more than the violence. This issue in particular makes creative use of contrasting backgrounds to make certain panels pop.
Nottingham excels at putting an original spin on the Robin Hood storylines and characters. After the dramatic end of the first arc, I was curious to see if the book could maintain its high level of quality. Issues six and seven have pushed the series into a new direction that has tons of promise. Prior knowledge of Robin Hood isn’t necessary, but some familiarity makes it more fun to see how the book puts its own stamp on the legend. I recommend starting with issue 1 because the book puts a twist on the story that may be hard to appreciate if you start in middle. You can certainly figure things out, but Nottingham lacks a ‘story so far’ page to catch you up.
Nottingham #7 is set to be released on May 11th, 2022.
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