Once & Future is a horror comic by Kieron Gillen, with art by Dan Mora and colors by Tamra Bonvillain, about King Arthur. It is published by Boom! Studios.
Synopsis When a group of British nationalists perform a supernatural ritual in order to resurrect King Arthur, they discover that Arthur has his own agenda. As Arthur leaves a trail of death and destruction in his wake, octogenarian Bridgette McGuire — a retired monster hunter — and her grandson Duncan must try to stop him before other creatures from stories begin emerging as well.
Reception The first Once & Future trade paperback (Once & Future: The King is Undead, comprising issues #1-6) was a finalist for the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story,2021 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved April 30, 2021 the third trade paperback (Once & Future: The Parliament of Magpies) was a finalist for the 2022 award,2022 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved May 14, 2022 and the fourth trade paperback (Once & Future: Monarchies in the UK) was a finalist for the 2023 award.2023 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved July 20, 2023
Screen Rant calls it "(t)he best modern King Arthur adaptation", because it is set in the present day and "explores the power of stories" rather than "the myths themselves".The Best King Arthur Story is A Comic Book, 'Once & Future', by Thomas Bacon, at Screen Rant; published February 23, 2021; retrieved April 30, 2021
Comic Book Resources considers it "a more successful adaptation [of Arthurian mythos] than most", and posits that this is because Gillen "plays fast and loose with Arthurian legend" and acknowledges that there is no single canonical version.Once & Future: How the Fantasy Comic Successfully Adapts Arthurian Legend, by Samantha Puc, at Comic Book Resources; published April 28, 2020; retrieved April 30, 2021
Collected editions Boom! Studios has collected issues of Once & Future as trade paperbacks: Once & Future - Volume One: The King is Undead () Once & Future - Volume Two: Old English () Once & Future - Volume Three: The Parliament Of Magpies () Once & Future - Volume Four: Monarchies In The UK () Once & Future - Volume Five: The Wasteland ()
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