Sherwood, Texas #1
Written by Shane Berryhill
Illustrated by Daniel Hillyard
Colored by Charlie Kirchoff
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire
Cover by Andrew Robinson
12 Gauge Comics
Release Date: July 16, 2014
Cover Price: $1.00

Sherwood, Texas #1 is a reimagining of the classic Robin Hood tale, set in present-day Texas. Written by Shane Berryhill and illustrated by Daniel Hillyard, the first issue infuses themes and characters from the original story with intense additions such as sex trafficking and biker gangs.

As a fan of the legend of Robin Hood and having read and seen many versions of the character over the years, I was thrilled to review this comic. When I saw Andrew Robinson‘s incredible cover, it only furthered my initial enthusiasm. As I began Sherwood, Texas #1, I enjoyed the pacing that Berryhill set forth as the major players were revealed; however, that excitement was short-lived. As the saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

While the plot surely is unique to the prince of thieves’ lore, the overall execution doesn’t seem to be done well. The dialogue and relationships between the characters is fairly contrived, causing almost each of the characters to seem flat. Berryhill’s melding of an existing fictional cast in a new setting with a new story just seems too forced.

Hillyard’s drawings, however, worked well for the story. The newly envisioned character designs fit with their classic counterparts. Hillyard’s understanding of panel transitions and perspective help the comic run smoothly.

Sherwood, Texas #1 is a bit of a letdown. I don’t think I’ll be adventuring again with Rob Hood anytime soon.