Once and Future #15
Boom Studios
Written by: Kieron Gillen
Art by: Dan Mora
Colors by: Tamra Bonvillain
Letters by: Ed Dukeshire
As if a zombie hoard of mythological characters isn’t enough of a challenge, in Once and Future #15, Gillen has just created a whole new set of obstacles that our protagonists have to deal with. That’s what makes this series so great. Just when you think you know where the story is going, it pivots, yet still keeping true to what makes Once and Future special.
Once and Future #15 isn’t packed with action like the previous issues were, and that’s ok. What we do get is a clearer focus of the motivations of one of the story’s main characters – Mary…I mean Nimue. While a central character in this saga, we knew little about her coming into this issue, and Gillen does a great job of showing us what is driving her and to what lengths she’s willing to go to achieve her goal.
At times, Once and Future can move at a dizzying pace. So, it is very much welcomed when we get a character driven issue to help bring things back into focus. Yet, as character heavy as this issue was, Once and Future #15 still doesn’t lose its charm by introducing us to some new characters – which in typical Gillen fashion leaves you saying “holy s**t”.
(Warning: Spoilers for Once and Future #15 ahead)
Gillen has done a great job so far keeping the reader so heavily involved with the mythology of the story that not once has the idea of the Government playing a role seemed likely. However, with just two quick panels, Gillen has created and burst open the possibilities of where this story can go.
With Nimue sharing her past with Rose, Rose staying defiant, even with a gun pointed at her head, and Lancelot making his inevitable introduction into a King Arthur story, Once and Future #15 continues to deliver. The story is just as fascinating now as it was when it started.