From Renegade Arts Entertainment, creators Lovern Kindzierski and John Bolton, comes the hardcover collection of the acclaimed graphic novel trilogy SHAME , which packages together all three volumes, behind-the-scenes info, a preview of the sequel, an interview and MORE! The hardcover is available to purchase now – here is my review.
When the purest woman on earth allows herself one selfish wish, it is enough to conceive the most evil woman the world has ever known. Collecting Lovern Kindzierski and John Bolton’s acclaimed fantasy series for the first time.
Disclaimer – I had not read Lovern Kindzierski and John Bolton’s dark fairytale epic ‘Shame’ until diving into the gorgeous hardcover collection which packs all three volumes into one spellbinding tale. Think Sleeping Beauty by way of Antichrist director Lars Von Trier and you’ll start to understand the twisted vibe of Kindzierski and Bolton’s comic. I was blown away by the watercolor art style that Bolton utilised in bringing Kindzierski’s world to life, in a way that almost felt like I was walking through a haunted art gallery in Rome, such gorgeous paintings all telling this story that felt like a nightmare that I once had, but then it came to life in one of the most bizarre and disturbing fantasy tales I’ve ever read.
One day, a mother who is known for taking care of a village’s children, decides that she wants one for herself. A demon by the name of Slur is listening, so obviously a deal with the devil is struck and a baby by the name of Shame is born. Out of regret, Shame is abandoned by her mother to live in this hidden world called Cradle, where she is raised by mystical creatures until she refines her powers and plots revenge. In the process, yet another child is born – named Virtue, and the cycle starts all over again, but this time with Shame breaking free and becoming the villain in her own story.
There’s also some bits about re-incarnation, which further complicate the relationship and I won’t ruin them here, but be prepared for some of the most weird and fascinating drama you’ll likely ever read. I loved the bits with Slur, this demonic force with eyes sewn shut and gnarled teeth, looking like the Xenomorph from Alien if that franchise was combined with Hellraiser. Slur is plotting world domination and doing so by pulling the strings behind Shame’s rise to power and her clash with Virtue who eventually grows up and befriends a warrior named Merritt. I love Merritt so much – to have a character who is mentally challenged be the knight in shining armor in this tale is a major win in itself and further helps to distance the Shame trilogy from anything else that comes close in scope.
‘Conception’, ‘Pursuit’ and ‘Redemption’ are the three chapters that comprise this hardcover collection, along with a short tease of the upcoming fourth volume. I’m 100% engrossed in this strange adult fairy tale, which is loaded with some of the most captivating and wonderfully macabre imagery that one is likely to ever see in a comic book. Spells, demonic forces and a mother/daughter rivalry for the ages all make Shame a must-own for lovers of dark fantasy. Even if you own the three existing volumes, this hardcover set which is packed with additional material is a must-own and one of the sexiest collected works on my shelf.
Rating: [star rating=”4.5″]
ABOUT THE CREATORS
Lovern Kindzierski is a successful writer, colorist, and illustrator based in Winnipeg, Canada. As a colorist he has received several Eisner, Harvey, and Schuster Award nominations. As a writer, he has worked on some of the comic industry’s most culturally resonant and far-reaching franchises including Spider-man, Wolverine, and Star Wars. His writing on Tarzan garnered him a Harvey Award nomination for Best Writer.
Based in London, England, and described by director Robert Rodriguez as a “god” for his art for Peter Straub’s The Green Woman, John Bolton is one of the most revered comic book illustrators of all time, with stunning painted work for all franchises including X-Men, Batman, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, and the fantasy classic Books of Magic, written by Neil Gaiman. He was seven when he first encountered a paintbrush and it was love at first sight, offering him a way to create what he saw in his mind and set it to paper. Thus began a lifelong ambition of creativity connected by one underlying theme – the interesting and bizarre.
Contact Alexander Finbow at Renegade Arts Entertainment alexander@renegademail.com 1 403 688 1089 for media enquiries, images and interview requests.
