Issue 3
The last Issue of Tales of Nottingham dealt with some of the backstory of Maid Marian. Delving into how she came onto Everard Blackthorne’s radar and her connection to the Hood. In Issue 4, the story switches to Friar Tuck and his involvement with the Merry Men. Which all started with the church’s greed and someone’s willingness to take some of their wealth back.
Scene of the Crime
It is Nottingham 1193, and a heinous crime has been committed. One of the clergies has been killed and the tithe been taken. Needless to say, when such an event takes place, the Sheriff is one of the first people on the scene. He stands at the crime scene with Friar Tuck. An arrow is impaled through the clergy’s head. For Everard Blackthorne, that makes the prime suspects Hood and the Merry Men. Tuck is not too sure.
The church had never had a problem from the Merry Men before. However, a witness described those responsible as wearing a Demon’s face. Which certainly fits the Merry Men’s MO. But the Friar has a more important thing to attend to at the moment. As much as he might wish otherwise. The archbishop has arrived at the church expecting the collected tithes. It will be Friar Tuck’s job to report the unfortunate events.
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It’s All About the Money
At first, the archbishop shows no pity for the dead clergymen. As far as he is concerned, that is the Sheriff’s problem. At least until he learns that the tithes had been taken. That made the situation worthy of his attention. He bellows asking who would dare steal from the church. By then the Sheriff enters the room and states his belief that the Merry Men were responsible. And when asked about finding them, he explains that the popularity of the supposed “benefactors of the people” only makes finding them harder. Not that the archbishop cares. He only worries about the missing money. It was his decision that the tithes be collected again from the parishioners of Nottingham. This time, DOUBLE the amount.
24 Hours
Friar Tuck protests, asking why the simple people of Nottingham were being punished due to the deeds of the few. He pleads with the archbishop to give him some time and he will retrieve the lost tithes. Tuck is given 24 hours to retrieve the money owed. If not, the archbishop would “milk Nottinghamshire dry as a penance and hang Tuck as an accomplice.” Nice guy.
The Sheriff mildly scolds Tuck for being so foolish as to involve himself in what has become a giant mess. But the Friar could not allow for the people to be unjustly punished. Everard could understand that. But he also reminded Tuck that even if he wanted to, he was in no position to protect Tuck if things went south. The friar acknowledged that. They must both follow the path the lord lays out for them.
A Meeting with the Merry Men
As for Tuck, that meant going into Sherwood to talk with the Merry Men. He was still not convinced they were responsible, but they were his only lead at that time. He walked courageously into the forest and found himself surrounded by them in no time. Led by the Hood himself. He asked Tuck what he was doing there. Although he had been informed by Marian that the friar sometimes had useful information.
Tuck wished that was the case but instead, he had come to ask for assistance. Little John was inclined not to listen, but Hood was willing to hear what the man of God had to say. Tuck explained the situation about the missing tithes, the dead clergy, and the archbishop’s ultimatum. The Hood was curious why Tuck believed they might have been responsible. He explained about the demon masks and the arrow through the clergy’s head. Just those facts alone pointed toward the Merry Men.
Locksley explained that if he were responsible, he would have shot the man through the neck, not his head. Regardless of that, Friar Tuck hoped to get their help. If they were innocent and stood for the people like they claim, they should be willing to keep the people from suffering from the archbishop’s edict. Tuck then told them he was not above begging if that is what it took.
Pointing in the Right Direction
The Hood told him that they were not that unalike. Begging would not be necessary. He would point him in the right direction. A group of boys who had taken to disguising themselves like the Merry Men were responsible and camped close by. John was not that happy about their whereabouts being disclosed. He felt like the youngster might prove to be useful at some point. But Robin reminded him that the boys’ actions were drawing attention to them. Unwanted attention. And while he didn’t make any promises about assisting, he did tell Tuck that they would be watching.
Finding the Boy’s Camp
Nearby in the camp described by the Hood, the boys are counting their newfound wealth. They snipe and joke with each other until their accomplice Tom enters their camp. Followed by Friar Tuck who uses a club to hit the boy in the back of the head. That spring the other boys to action. Tuck fends them off, telling them he has no desire to fight. He just wants the tithes back. Although, Tuck’s fighting skills seem to say otherwise.
Seeking Vengeance
Eventually, the boy he hit originally came to and joined into the attack. He wanted vengeance for the death of his brother, Will Scarlett. Killed while in the Nottingham prison (See Nottingham, Vol.1 Death and Taxes, Issue 2). This anger made him tough to fight. That and the fact that Friar Tuck was familiar with the boy (Tom Scarlett) and the situation. Eventually as Tom got more brutal, Tuck went into self-defense mode and grabbed the tithing chest and hit Tom with it. Again, and again…losing his restraint.
Prayers
It was the arrival of the Merry Men who finally stopped him before he could continue. The boy was under their protection. He should take his chest and leave. Which was what Tuck did. But not without regrets. He had strayed from the righteous path. Upon his return to the church, he prayed for the protection of Tom Scarlett and the people of Nottingham. Both had no idea of the evil that they had embraced. Because of this, he feared that Nottingham’s days were numbered.
Thoughts
Once again, Tales from Nottingham brings events from the previous volumes into clarity while also telling a self-contained story with another collection of fresh talent. This time mirroring the events from Vol. 1, the death of Will Scarlett and the fact that his brother did not know who actually killed him. It also however, displayed a paradox where Friar Tuck knows that Locksley and the Merry Men were not who the people think they are. But in Vol. 1, Issue 3, the friar seems to defend the Merry Men, saying they are doing the Lord’s work. Something must have happened in the few years between these two events. (1191 – 1193) But in Nottingham, that’s a very long time.
Issue 4 gives the creative team of writer Dylan Essex and artist Miguel Puerta a go and they take the material and make Nottingham proud. Puerta does an especially nice job of capturing the likenesses of both the Sheriff and Friar Tuck as established by Shane Connery Volk. While still displaying his own talents for endowing the panels with energy and when necessary, somberness. Not to mention archbishop slobbering.
Speaking of the archbishop, Essex really brings it with that scene. It took only a short bit for the reader to totally dislike the man. While at the same time, skillfully contrasting Friar Tuck and the Archbishop and their idea of doing the lord’s work. A very nice job.
Mad Cave Studios Tales from Nottingham, Issue 4 by Dylan Essex, Miguel Puerta, Diana Sousa, and Taylor Esposito is available now on Mad Cave’s Subscription site and where all great digital comics are sold.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.