Robyn Hood So Far

Robyn lived in a world of greed and corruption.  Men who believed they could take what they wanted without any consequence.  So, after Robyn finds herself wrongfully imprisoned, she is suddenly transported to another realm by a mysterious woman who claims Robyn can become the hero of the land.  Skeptical, but motivated, Robyn must find a way to put an end to the King’s tyranny if she’s ever to make it back home.  Read the series that takes a new spin on the classic tale of Robin Hood and really hits its mark.

I never thought it would happen, but I am completely enthralled with something RavenGregory didn’t write.  Way to go, Pat Shand.  Not quite as violent and gory as Raven’s books, but still action-packed nonetheless.  Based on the story of Robin Hood, this series gives the classic character a gender swap and changes the name to Robyn Hood.  Here we find her an orphan, neglected and abused and the constant target of corrupted men.  She stands up for what she believes in, even if it puts her own life at risk.  Even when she had found herself trapped, she was given a chance to become a symbol of hope for the people of a completely different realm altogether.  Her time in Bree gave her the opportunity to become the hero she was always meant to be.  There is just so much to like about this series so far.  All of the crap she goes through and how she deals with it all is just amazing, plus you gotta like that costume.  This series definitely ranks right up there with my top picks for Zenescope books.

              

So, here in issue one, we’re introduced to Robyn and basically she had a pretty terrible childhood (high school wasn’t much better).  Now, she’s in the realm of Myst and with several knights pointing swords at her throat.  This issue presented a cool new take on Robin Hood.  It’s a got a bit of a Harry Potter feel to it what with Robyn being left in the real world only to be transported to where she came from later on when she became older to be the savior of all.  She just carries herself so well and doesn’t take crap from anyone.  The thing that really stands out for me is just how good the writing is.  It just feels so natural and fluid.  I don’t believe I’ve ever read anything from Pat Shand before, but now I’m definitely going to be on the lookout for any of his future works.

The second issue gets Robyn acclimated to and aware of King John’s tyranny over his kingdom and especially the town of Bree.  At first glance, she just wants to get back to the real world, but eventually her selflessness wins out and  she decides that it’s time to put a stop to the blatant corruption.  Again, the writing in this issue really gets me glued to the story.  It just reads so realistically that I can’t believe these are fictional characters.  I’m pretty sure this’ll be my response for the rest of the series, but I’ll try to change it up a bit.

               

 Issue three sends us a year later and Robyn has made quite the name for herself in Bree.  The king has taken noticed and plans to squash her one-woman rebellion before it gets out of hand.  It’s here that Robyn meets up with the Merry Men, who appoint her the symbol of freedom for the people.  Now she’s in full costume and truly living up to the name Robyn Hood.  This issue does a great job of introducing some more of the staples of the Robin Hood story, like Little John and Friar Tuck.  It adds that bit of whimsy and humor to the bleak and brooding mission that Robyn has set herself upon.  Just something to lighten the mood.

With the fourth issue, Robyn has decided to follow along with the plans set out by the Merry Men and joined the tournament that the King has put on.  Fully aware that it’s a trap, she is prepared to face whatever the king has to throw at her, but is determined to only die on her terms alone.  I really like Robyn’s sheer will and determination to make things right.  She knows there’s only one way to end these people’s suffering and she’s willing to go to any lengths necessary in order to accomplish it.  I’m a big fan of the sexy, bad-ass girls in comics and I’m happy that Robyn can be counted among those I admire most. 

So, I’m really diggin’ this series.  It has a lot going for it, but there was one thing that bothered me in the fourth issue.  While Robyn is participating in the tournament, it was a bit of a stretch that no one could tell that Robyn was there for one thing or that she was a woman.  I mean, the fact that she was wearing her usual costume aside, that cloak wasn’t doing much to hide the rest of her.  Maybe I missed something, but while reading it, there were times when at least the announcer still didn’t have a clue, even after the archery contest.  The only other thing is that there’s only one more issue left in this series. Something should be done about that.

Robyn Hood has done a fine job of knocking me into its fan base.  Pat Shand has come up with something pretty special here and I already can’t wait to see what befalls my newest favorite girl.  She’s got it all, guts, skills, compassion and sex-appeal. I can only hope for more books with her in them.  So yes, definitely go pick up these issues because I know I already have.  They’ve really hit a bullseye with this one.  For more info on where to find these books, visit the Zenescope website or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received copies of these books for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Editor's Note: Robyn Hood, the trade paperback will be released in February. To make sure you get your copy, you can pre-order it on Amazon now!