They say if you’re coming for the king, you best not miss. And in the case of William of Newbury, writer-artist Michael Avon Oeming is coming for two very specific pop culture royalty when Dark Horse Comics describes the book as “Hellboy meets Redwall.” So, did he miss his shot big time, or is the author onto a truly winning formula?
Well, I’m mostly assured that William of Newbury could be a real gem — even as there’s also real evidence that things may ring just a touch too familiar.
In some key ways, Oeming has found a way to blend and merge both of his primary “inspirations.” What we get, then, is the endearing fantasy of anthropomorphic animals in a medieval setting muddied up and made gritty thanks to a solid injection of Mike Mignola-esque magic. The visuals really are that proper mix of cute and creepy, silly and scary — they ride the line in such a way that every idea and sentiment gets to ring true all on its own.
It makes for a world that feels nostalgic and yet wholly new, even unfamiliar in some cases, and that further balancing act makes William already feel like a character we’ve known and loved for ages. There’s a certain realism that informs the look and feel of this world, and yet it’s regarded with just enough whimsy so that there’s just so many different directions and ideas that can fill this space. And in that way, William’s take on medieval England is already very much alive.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
At the same time, though, there were several instances across the first issue where the Mignola-adjacent influence felt almost overwhelming. Be it certain font choices, the design of certain demons/monsters, and even the use of characters (like a ghastly skeleton) as a kind of visual interlude/storytelling device, I regularly felt like I was reading some lost Mignola property. Not that it’s a bad thing — we need way more of that kind of weird and romanticized storytelling, and Oeming is clearly the kind of fan who understands the true power of the Mignola-verse in telling a specific but novel kind of horror and fantasy. But we also need stories that take this core and run with it a little further down the road.
It’s a problem further complicated by the story structure itself, which seems to focus on a kind of one-and-done approach with a thin, overarching skeletal story. (William goes around ridding the world of ghosts/demons as he contends with a larger potential threat from his own abbey.) Now, Mignola doesn’t own said structure, but it already feels like the book is working from a kind of deficit. It leans too heavily on its “heroes” when it’s very clear that Oeming has the skills and insight to make William of Newbury feel more refreshing and closer to an homage than an outright Mignola spin-off.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
That’s because, outside of the core visual identity and basic narrative tidbits, I think Oeming does make important decisions that make William of Newbury feel wholly unique and singular. That centers primarily around the fact that William is both a neurotic, cowardly racoon (afraid of everything, like a holy Adrian Monk) and a total badass when it comes to smashing the enemies of God. It’s a little gimmicky, sure, but I think that it sets William apart from some other, more stoic or deliberate heroes in the Mignola vein. That’s going to be huge as the story develops and we need something to make William of Newbury feel increasingly novel and able to stand on his own to feet/paws.
Similarly, while Mignola-created stories touch on history and vaguely political nations, Oeming has used William of Newbury to focus more deliberately on these rather important ideas. Specifically, these notions of faith and religion, and what they represent in a money-obsessed society; the power of words over actions, and why intelligence may be our greatest tool; and even how the 12th century civil war referred to as “The Anarchy” may be relevant to our own messed up timeline.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.
Like the “neurosis” stuff, these little bits of “reality” make William of Newbury feel both varied and textured and like a book trying to actively set itself apart. (Yes, Mignola also delves into history all the time, but here it just feels more essential and with a focus on using this historic timeframe for a specific means/end goal.) There’s certainly concern on my end that this stuff may also prove overly gimmicky as we move deeper into the book, but we’ll cross the bridge when we arrive to it.
It’s far less accurate to say this book is middling, or that it’s got ups and downs. (Even as the latter feels just accurate enough.) Rather, I think it’s just that, as the story begins, there’s a surge of familiar energy, and William of Newbury is a prime example of what happens when you channel too much of another universe. This story could easily distinguish itself, and there’s a mix of charm, humor, historical relevance, and general enthusiasm that could make William of Newbury a proper addition to the fantasy crowd (that also happens to be just similar enough to Mignola). I hope and pray that a few small tweaks are possible, as this book has nearly won me over with the story of a deeply human (non-human) lead trying his best to bring a little light to the world.
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