Requiem of the Rose King #11
Story and art by Aya Kanno
Reviewed December 5, 2023
Moving right along with this Shakespearean AU/fantasy and gracing the cover of this issue is William Catesby who at this point is nominally Hastings’ man but has always been first and foremost loyal to the House of York and Richard of Gloucester, and is one of the few who know Richard’s secret.
Here’s what is going on…
Edward IV is dead, and his obnoxious son (also) Edward is poised to become Edward V. The fact is that young Edward and his brother Richard are both very unpleasant characters. Little Ed is selfish and already exhibiting signs of tyranny, while Little Richard (not to be confused with the singer) is a sore loser. Meanwhile, Buckingham and Richard are collaborating to ensure that it's Richard who becomes king, and with those two brats I don’t have a problem with Gloucester sweeping them out of the way…although that won’t happen until a later volume. For now, we’ve got to deal with the Brat Princes.
One by one, Richard and Buckingham are getting rid of the opposition. Members of the Woodville family are eliminated, and Elizabeth is sent to a convent where she continues to conspire against Richard because there really is a plot against Gloucester. Elizabeth manages to get in touch with Hastings and lure him into her plot. She is also helped by Richard’s mother, Cecily, who has hated her youngest son since his birth. Throughout his life, she has berated him, calling him a demon, and now she reveals the secret of his body to Elizabeth, who plans to use it in a smear campaign to destroy Richard’s reputation.
Certain of Hastings’ duplicity, Richard and Bucky have secured the support of the Bishop of Ely and the Duke of Norfolk. These and other events lead up to the infamous council meeting that ends with bloodshed, with Catesby playing a major role…
Another excellent installment in an overall excellent series. I may not be a manga fan, but I’m definitely a fan of this particular manga series. The story is well developed, and the artwork is exquisite.
Long live the Rose King!