Demons of Sherwood - Justin Szostak

Demons of Sherwood is a new take on an old tale. Robert Tinnell takes the classic characters of Robin Hood, and vaults them into a world where evil isn’t just the tyranny of a king… it is witches, zombies, demons, and other supernatural entities that go bump in the night.

http://www.comicmix.com/comic/demons-of-sherwood-1/

The story takes place years after Robin Hood’s rescue of Marian, where Robin has since not seen her, nor the rest of the merry men. He’s become a drunkard living under a rock. Marian has been captured by witch hunters, and her cousin comes to find Robin and ask that he once again save Marian. He and the merry men are reunited and are set off on another adventure. Robin and his merry men save Marian from being burned at the stake, only to find themselves facing new supernatural evils. They also save a young girl named Brownwyn.On their way they face a horde of zombies, and find solace in the castle of the monks. It is here that Marian reveals Brownwyn is Robin’s daughter. Brownwyn gets kidnapped from the castle, and Robin and his crew must again go on a rescue mission. In the end he saves his daughter, and he, Marian, and the merry men all return home to Sherwood.

The story is a slower-paced horror/action graphic novel that is mainly driven by the sense of justice Robin possesses. He never gives up on doing the right thing, and will always risk himself for the ones he loves. He story is eternally linked to the rescue of Marian, and in this story, his daughter Brownwyn. Robert Tinnell first gains readers attention with a familiar folk story, and then turns it into a new and twisted horror adventure that keeps readers turning the pages (clicking the “right arrow”). Tinnell holds suspense with terrifying creatures, timely action, and his willingness to kill important characters.

The artwork is dark and gritty, which very accurately sets the tone for a horror story. Tinnell doesn’t leave much for imagination (the gutter), he uses a lot of slides to illustrate the action. The colours used are all dark shades, and while it does set the tone, it also can be a little bland and depressing at times.

In the end, I would have liked it if the story moved at a quicker pace, and the artwork was a little more lively, I personally feel the dark and dreary shades and tones can take away from a story that runs for so long. If not for the Robin Hood universe that this story is set in, I would call it a generic, typical plot without much excitement in terms of storytelling. I recommend it to anyone who is a huge fan of the Robin Hood tales, other than that, there are probably better stories out there for a horror fix.


Justin Szostak