Tales from Nottingham Vol.1

Mad Cave Studios (2023) David Hazan

Netgalley (n,d).

Blurb

Tales from Nottingham explores untold stories from the twisted universe of Nottingham, including the secret origins of Robin Hood and the Merry Men, Marian’s violent past, Aya of the Hashashin’s first kill, and an ordeal that will shake Friar Tuck to his core. Never-before-seen mysteries confront Everard Blackthorne, the Sheriff of Nottingham, culminating in an investigation that will lead directly into the climactic events of Nottingham Vol. 3. This anthology reunites Nottingham series creators David Hazan and Shane Connery Volk, while also bringing diverse new talent into the world of Nottingham, including Eisner and GLAAD nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio (Kim & Kim, Eternity Girl, Doctor Mirage). Netgalley, (n,d).

Robin Hood

Everybody has heard of Robin Hood. But was he real? Were the band of Merry Men fictional, or more solid, like his grave, in Yorkshire, England. Whether he was real or legend, we all know things about Robin. A renowned archer, famed for his skill with a bow, predating the superheroes we have now in popular culture, like Arrow or Hawkeye. He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, something which would bring a smile to every working person’s lips; and a tear to more wealthy ones. Robin Hood has been entertaining us for seven centuries (Mulligan, 2012). There are documents from 1460, speaking of a criminal stalking Sherwood forest and committing robberies, but as with any myth and legend, things tend to be embellished. Read Terry Pratchett or David Gemmell, who can give insight into how heroes are created.

Art

The style is dark, matching perfectly with the medieval period and the dark ages. I read the reviewers copy on my phone, the detail was superb and as with the image above the blood drenches the screen. The contrast of light really immerses you in the dark tale. The transitional scenes between panels were fantastic. For instance, an arrow protruded out of a cadaver and into another panel. The depictions of the Arch Bishops were brilliant. They sat scoffing food, fat and bloated and adorned with jewels; apt for the time period as the purpose of religion back then, was to dominate and keep the peasants down. Shapes and size were also used to emphasise imagery. One such page was dominated by a tree, what tree? Perhaps it is a reference to Major Oak, the tree which stands in Nottingham Forest, speculated to be 1100 years old. I have had the privilege of going and seeing Major Oak, and it is spectacular. I am glad to have been able to imagine the dark forests back then, through the art of this world. Little things made me become immersed in the story as well, such as, motion blur, shown through panels during chase scenes. Blood and gore reigns and ultimately this fits with the story, where we follow the Sheriff.

The Sheriff of Nottingham

The New York Public Library (1883)

The Sheriff of Nottingham is as notorious as Robin Hood, but, as we revere Robin, we loath the Sheriff. Normally, the modern literature which surrounds Robin Hood, follows and builds upon raising up Robin and vilifying the Sheriff. Yet, with Tales from Nottingham Vol. 1 I immediately empathised with the Sheriff. He too was subject to the various ruling Lords orders, and he seems to only be trying to stop the rise and spread of crime. Perhaps this is a flaw with Robin Hood in the modern age, our knights in shining armour have changed over the centuries and we now come to respect the ultimate and last hunter of our ages, working on a barren and depressing frontier known as, the Thin Blue Line. Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Phillip Marlowe, Lew Archer…our generation has seen a hunger for crime literature and with that comes the Great Detective. The hunter of the last and remaining predator we have in society. They sweep in and solve the murder, stop the killer and enact Justice. Times have changed over the medieval period, instead of protectors of the Lords and mob justice, we have a service dedicated to protecting us. Whatever your opinions on The Police, crime, society and civilisation, I am sure we can all agree that, having a number to call (in almost every country) which gives us access to aid, is a good thing. But standing against crime in this story is the Sheriff and as a member of modern society and having been drowned in Great Detective fiction, I found myself having the normal Robin Hood tale turned on its head. The characters were developed, there was intrigue, mystery and suspense – however, the middle ages are rife with stories. But Tales of Nottingham does do a good job of standing on the shoulders of giants.

Story

Tales of Nottingham is the first volume in a series and the story is broken down into flashbacks and other short stories which build up to the main story. It was interesting to be able to get more detail about the Sheriff, Friar Tuck and Robin Hood. We all know “a backstory” to Robin Hood, a Crusader who comes back to England and finds corruption and his land stolen from him. A common theme which resonates with a wide range of audiences. However, we do not normally get a backstory to The Sheriff. I was glad to have one. We see a man of principles, duty and honour going after Robin for the right reasons. The Sheriff is a man of justice and according to the law we all follow, any murder is heinous. But the sheriff is being pushed by the Lords and the church to find Robin Hood for selfish reasons. Although the Sheriff loves Nottingham and wants to protect its people, he is only Sheriff because he is allowed to be. A story of the middle ages just serves to remind you how good the 21st century is.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. In this world bloated by superheros and unrealistic powers, it’s refreshing to see something go back to the roots. After all, since the dawn of humankind, there have been Gods and Monsters. The comic books and graphic novels of the 20th century are the new kid on the block. Before Arrow and Hawkeye there was Robin Hood, someone who has real historical records written about them. There has been tales, stories and glorification of Robin Hood and the Band of Merry Men for hundreds of years. Whether Robin Hood was real, and lived up to the legend, is another debate. It was simply refreshing to see a character based in the Green and Pleasant Land of Nottingham brought to life, with stunning art and a fleshed out story. Buy it, you won’t feel weary – it’s not just another superhero story, it’s the story of a British Legend.

References

Netgalley, (n.d). Tales from Nottingham Vol. 1. Accessed via: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/293179

Mulligan (2012).

Mulligan (2012). Shooting Arrows Through Myth and History: The
Evolution of the Robin Hood Legend. Providence College. Accessed via: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56326413.pdf

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1883). The sheriff of Nottingham cometh before the king at London. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/691d0804-bd61-6122-e040-e00a18062c36


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I am a huge Robin Hood fan, so needless to say I was excited to read Tales from Nottingham V1. One of the things that I enjoyed about Tales of Nottingham is the mystery of the plot. Unfortunately I found this story to be very violent and repetitive. There wasn’t much character development and I didn’t feel connected to the characters.

Overall, isn’t my cup of tea, but I feel that this series will find its true audience!

To be honest, I don't really know what to say or what to think about it.

Let's say it first : the graphics, the drawings are completely insane ! They are powerful and they take you in the story easily. There's no hesitation : if they need blood, there's blood ! I'd say that maybe some scenes could be triggering for a sensitive audience, so please be careful with what you read.

But now, let's talk about this story... It's really complicated to understand what it is going on. There are (too much) different periods of time with their own characters, which are different in every period. We have the past past, the last past, the present... Even in the present, we have multiple places and characters AND we have flashbacks of the past, a few days ago or else. There's too much informations and the book is only 120 pages. I am really confused as I read without even knowing what I was reading nor understanding it.

That's a shame because this could have so much potentiel, with the story and the graphics. I am sad to say it but I will not read the next book of the series.

Still, thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher Mad Cave Studios for that press release ! Always grateful.