The Tempest...

A Review of the graphic novel…

Hi Guys,

This time around I thought I would review my good buddy and fellow comic artist, Jon Haward’s latest 144 page graphic novel for Classical Comics, Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

My personally signed book arrived the other day and I have spent a while looking through and reading it.

I have the black cover original text version, so there is a lot of dialogue, because after all, the book is based on Shakespeare’s famous play, The Tempest. Yet once again the skill of Jon and his abilities to lay out clear storytelling makes this a joy to look at and read. It doesn’t look like there is a lot pf dialogue, when in actual fact there is.

Like its predecessor, Macbeth, the book is an impressive tome. Jon manages to weave a visual feast from start to finish. The artwork is typical of Jon and full of action and yet, as dictated by the story, there are also quiet contemplative moments where Jon slows the pace down and alters the layouts to suit.

His work in the superhero genre is self-evident here once more with exciting dynamic pages full of wonderful action sequences, offset by the more sedate moments, when the reader is allowed to come up for air once more.

Adapted by writer John McDonald and ably abetted by inker Gary Erskine and the vibrant bright colours and lettering of Nigel Dobbyn, with design and layout of the typography of the book by Jo Wheeler and Carl Andrews, Classical Comics’ Clive Bryant looks set to have a new hit on his hands, in no small measure down to Jon’s artwork.

This is a great opportunity for children, as well as adults to view the works of classical stories by such writers as Shakespeare and my hat is off to everyone, for making this so.

I hope schools do the obvious thing and order copies for the library and to sell to the children too, especially during book week. As I have said before we have some terrible literacy problems in the UK, despite living in a world full of information technology, and books like this go someway to addressing such problems.

All the guys should be proud of this work and I think I can safely say to Jon and the team I think you have another winner here, so make room for more awards.

I still haven’t found a favourite page yet, but it’s early days and I keep changing my mind, as upon each visit one sees more and more to remember.

Thanks for the book Jon, it rests on my shelf next to Macbeth in the studio, here at the Keep.

My advice to you guys, even if your bag is superheroes…go out and buy a copy, you won’t be sorry you did, honest.

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins…

October 17th 2009