This graphic novel aims to tell the darkest version yet of this tale of witchcraft, murder, manipulation, and unbridled ambition...
When we first meet Macbeth, he is a hero. He has fought valiantly for his country and saved Scotland from invasion by land and sea. But a mysterious encounter with three witches, who claim to see his future on the throne, spurs his interest in being king. This sets in motion a chain of events as Macbeth pushes destiny and descends ever deeper into the abyss.
This 114-page book began as a Twitter challenge to illustrate Macbeth in just 28 days. #28DayGraphicNovel
Stewart based his drawings on Prague Shakespeare Company's adaptation of Macbeth, infusing the illustrations with the starkest memories, places, and myths of his homeland. The pacing and images serve to clarify aspects of the play that can be hard to understand on the stage. Shakespeare loosely based Macbeth on actual events. The witchcraft is almost certainly based on Newes from Scotland, a London pamphlet on the North Berwick witch trials of 1590. Extracts from this pamphlet are included in Stewart’s book to allow the reader to decide to what extent Newes from Scotland and Macbeth share the same political subtext. In addition, PSC’s thirty-page script is reproduced at the back.
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Shakespeare Magazine Interview (Shakespeare Magazine 11)
“This is a superb production. The stark black and white style is so sympathetic to the story. And the self-imposed tight deadline is a great idea because deadlines are at the heart of Anglo-American comics and we need them to make our graphic dreams come true.”
— Pat Mills
(Marshal Law, Charley's War, Slaine)