Disney’s Robin Hood Leaps Into Comics!
That infamous bandit champion of Sherwood Forest is back, to rob from the rich, and give to the poor! The beloved Disney interpretation of Robin Hood is leaping into his first comic book series in over 50 years, and superstars of the Dynamite era of Disney comics adventures are teaming up to tell this spectacular saga, with scripting by Eisner-nominated writer Nate Cosby, plotting by Cosby and legendary Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman, and awe-inspiring illustrations by Alessandro Ranaldi. Fans can tune into these all-new, totally true tales starting this November!
There’ve been a heap of legends and tall tales of the mysterious Robin Hood. All different, too. The folks of the animal kingdom have their own version, and readers will get to learn the story of what really happened in Sherwood Forest. This new comic series from Cosby, Weisman and Ranaldi reveals the never-before-told-but-totally-true stories of history’s most famous archer.
Each issue of Robin Hood will shine the spotlight on different characters, telling an interconnected story that focuses on Robin, Maid Marian, Prince John, Friar Tuck, Lady Kluck, Alan-A-Dale, and more of everybody’s favorites!
It all kicks off when Robin Hood gets in a heap of trouble by breaking into Prince John’s castle every single day for a week straight. The only problem is, it takes a while to figure out exactly what he’s been stealing. But when Prince John finds out what’s missing, the hunt is on and it’s going to take all of Robin Hood’s skills and heroics to make it out in this uproarious adventure,
Across the pantheon of Disney classics, Robin Hood has surprisingly been one of the least prolific in comic books. Over 50 years ago was the last major American tales of the people’s hero, and even across the globe the character’s four-color fables have been limited. Dynamite and the creative team are excited to bring this hero to this perfect medium to chronicle his brushes with the law and ultimate feats.
Disney’s vision of Robin Hood originally hit theaters in 1973, and has wowed generations since. Transforming the canonized 12th century English legend into an anthropomorphic adventure epic added a new twist to beloved characters including Maid Marian, Little John, Friar Tuck, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and many more. Readers will get to see artist Alessandro Ranaldi’s gorgeous interpretation of these classic characters in the new comic series.
To mark this historic splash in comics for Robin Hood, editor and writer Nate Cosby has assembled a squad of superstars for gorgeous covers. Joshua Middleton and David Nakayama return to contribute even more instant classic visions of Disney icons. They’re joined by two legends of comic book archers, David Aja and Phil Hester. Nathan Szerdy rounds out the initial cast, plus some exciting surprises that collectors can check out via the mystery blind bag!
Merry Men #2 is mostly focused on the backstory of Robin Hood, his relationship with King Richard Lionheart, and why the queer Merry Men got thrown out. This is a comic dealing with important and relevant issues like homophobia and Islamophobia under the guise of an alternate history of medieval England. There is a scene where Prince John and his evil ally, the Bishop of Hereford, look at the Bible and use one vote in Leviticus to ruin Richard’s supporters, who are gay and bisexual men, that reminded me a lot of contemporary Republican politicians who take the Bible out of context to justify their hateful legislature.
As a young lad, I really enjoyed reading the Roger Lancelyn Green Robin Hood stories, and their tales of rebellious derring-do as Robin Hood and his colorful band of warriors protected the disenfranchised of England from the evil Prince John while King Richard the Lionhearted was off on the Crusades. Merry Men #1, a new comic from Oni Press, is true to the Green stories as well as the various legends and ballads they were based on, but with an excellent twist: all of Robin Hood and his followers fall somewhere on the LGBT spectrum. Robin Hood and Little John are a power gay couple, the flirtatious bard Alan a Dale is bisexual, and Scarlet is a trans woman. There is even a Middle Eastern character named Sabib al Hasan, who is skilled with the scimitar. Writer Robert Rodi, artist Jackie Lewis, and colorist Marissa Louise transport readers into an alternate version of 12th century England where Robin Hood is exiled not for some political reason or hunting the king’s red deer, but because of the man he loves. Rodi and Lewis do ensure that the conflict between the Anglo-Saxon and Norman inhabitants of England is a factor, like in Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, but it mostly takes a backseat to the Sheriff of Nottingham’s oppressive homophobia.
of Elton where his friend and Scarlet’s lover, Daniel of Doncaster is being held captive as he stealthily and brutally takes out the main guards. She works well with Rodi’s writing in a later scene that captures the heady blend of tender love and violence in Merry Men as Alan tells Scarlet that the Merry Men believe in equality for everyone, but protect it in a way that can be bloody. These high ideals are juxtaposed with a montage of hacking and slashing from Robin Hood and the Merry Men as they take out Prince John’s men in Elton. Marissa Louise also uses more jarring colors like blacks and dark pinks whenever there is fighting in contrast with the warm verdant palette used for Sherwood Forest.