Legendary Comics is putting its own spin on one of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedies.
Tragic will serve as a retelling of Hamlet in the modern-day, with an LGBTQ+ lead. The story will follow Harper Hayes, who suspects foul play when her father passes away under mysterious circumstances and embarks on a journey with her friends to discover the murderer’s identity. However, Harper is haunted by a teenage version of Hamlet as she struggles to face her own demons. Tragic will be written by Dana Mele, with artwork from Valentina Pinti and colors by Chiara Di Francia.
“Tragic is a YA thriller family drama mashup with an intensely visual presentation,” Mele said. “I was inspired by a story very close to my heart, Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Years ago, I played Hamlet in college and what I love about retellings is the familiar heartbeat of a beloved story in sometimes a strange or quirky, unexpected form. I’ve always seen Hamlet as a queer character, as someone with a deeply intimate relationship with Horatio. And if Hamlet were written today, I think it would be a psychological thriller, so that’s the story that came about organically. Tragic, in essence, is about anxieties surrounding identity, obligation, and mortality.”
Tragic is the latest in a series of young adult graphic novels from Legendary Comics. Other entries include The Heart Hunter, Lupina, The Witches of Silverlake and Championess, which will be adapted into a television show.
“It has been great to work with [Mele] on bringing a new queer version of Hamlet to the page, and Tragic is such an intriguing retelling,” said Legendary Comics editor, Nikita Kannekanti. “[Pinti] and [Di Francia] have done a fantastic job capturing the human and theatrical elements in the vivid art of this tale, and I am really looking forward to sharing Harper and her messy life with readers.”
Tragic goes on sale in Spring 2022.
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