Ink and Steel: The Tale of Romeo and Juliet

When I picked up this short-story version of Shakespeare's well-known Romeo and Juliet, I was hoping for something more original than the humorless versions that have emerged in recent years. When I finished Ink and Steel, I felt more than rewarded! If you think about it, one of the most marvelous aspects of the Bard's original was the way it fearlessly blended drama with a huge dose of comedy. Author Guy "Cannonball" Maddix preserves that unique blend, but also throws in a big helping of his own ingredient into recounting the feud between the Capulets and Montagues- anarchy! All of these characters play out in a tale filled with richly detailed tattoos, body piercings and raunchy language, amid situations that range from hilarious to romantic and dramatic to sexy. Each of them is memorable whether they are lovable, despicable, clueless or doting. The striking artwork accompanying the narrative adds rich detail to this unique version of a classic tale.

Romeo and Juliet succeeds on a number of levels. Practically every modern version of this timeless romance transplants Shakespeare's characters into the contemporary world and focuses on the grim or sober aspects of the story. Not this one! Instead, Guy "Cannonball" Maddix casts all the classic characters in a medieval Italian carnival. He highlights the playfulness and comedy in Shakespeare's original, which make it so enduring and endearing. All of the characters are adorned with vividly detailed tattoos and body art as the title, Ink and Steel, infers. And rather than depict them as glum, doomed figures, Maddix infuses them humor, raunchiness, vigor and romance. Told in brief novel form with over 40 brilliant two-tone and full-color illustrations, Ink and Steel: The Tale of Romeo and Juliet plunges headlong into fast-paced storytelling. When the story ended,I truly felt entertained in so many ways, and that I saw the classic through the eyes of a unique- if twisted- storyteller.