Trailer for Megan Kearney's Beauty and the Beast
“Beauty and the Beast (my favorite fairy tale) combined with Placebo’s Running Up That Hill (my favorite song) to make a trailer for a webcomic by someone I’ve respected for 10+ years? Well color me intrigued!”
Those were my first thoughts when I discovered Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast via its trailer, and the story Kearney has published so far has delivered on the promise of the video and then some. Her webcomic is well-written, well-researched - she’s expert on the fairy tale and all of its different versions - and has beautiful artwork that conveys the emotions of her characters well. The art has also evolved considerably from this trailer, as you can see in the pictures below.
The cast of Kearney’s story is small - less than a dozen characters - but that is to the webcomic’s advantage, since it allows for us to dig into the hearts of her characters and the at times magical ties that bind them. The titular characters are especially well-developed, with the relationship between them building slowly. Again, this is to the story’s advantage, because it gives their relationship considerable depth and maturity, which is not often found even in Beauty and the Beast novels.
Yet beyond that, there are forces at work around these characters that leave readers intrigued. Magical contracts are central to the story, though the exact details of the ones we see - concerning Beauty, concerning the Beast, and concerning another character I won’t name here - and the fine print of those contracts has not yet been revealed. However, this leaves readers with room to speculate, which makes following the pages as they comes out just as enjoyable as reading the comic from its archive. The prologue shows us that the stakes are high and that this version of Beauty and the Beast will be a darker one, though it’s not without its romantic or light moments, either.
Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast, “Prologue: 8.”
Then there are Beauty and the Beast themselves. I’ve already mentioned that they are well-developed characters, but they also feel unique among Beauty and the Beast retellings, too. In a change from more traditional versions of the story, Beauty is neither a woman of great virtue or of great intellect (that would be her sisters, who are a far cry from the vain and selfish sisters Beauty has had in the past). That is not to say that Beauty isn’t intelligent or compassionate - because she most certainly is - but the Beauty we meet is not certain of her place in the world, and mostly defines herself in the context of filling the spaces between other people. This makes her a very relatable protagonist and, as she grows, we see hints of the amazing woman she is going to become, despite her doubts about herself. We also completely understand why the Beast is falling for her.
Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast, “Act Two, Chapter Two: 23.”
Yet the drama surrounding the Beast is perhaps where the webcomic shines the most. His struggle comes not from being turned into a monster - though that does contribute to it - but from what came before his curse. Subjects like child abuse, animal abuse, psychological torture, amnesia, depression, suicidal thoughts, and quite possibly murder, are all explored through a series of flashbacks and the Beast’s present day musings.
Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast, “Act Two, Chapter Five: 2.”
The Beast’s animal side is also underscored here. As much as he tries to cling to and reclaim his humanity, he is no longer fully human, and Kearney doesn’t balk from depicting that. This is a Beast that has to hunt for his meals and, at times, is overwhelmed by his predatory instincts. If all of this wasn’t enough to show that this webcomic is intended for an older audience, then there are references to sex in the story. Both Beauty and the Beast are knowledgeable about the subject, though of the two, the Beast is the only one who has had experience with it. Whether or not Kearney will take this one step further and explore the implications of the original story by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve is not yet known. Either way, this is probably not a comic you should be handing to a child to read.
Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast, “Act Two, Chapter One: 8.”
In addition to this, Kearney’s webcomic doesn’t shy away from how awkward a relationship between Beauty and the Beast could be, considering that he isn’t human. The titular characters both struggle with the idea of it as the story goes on. Kearney doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of their situation, either: that Beauty is at the castle against her will, and that no matter how much she might like the Beast, that isn’t something she can just forget. All of this makes this retelling much more realistic than some of the other versions I’ve encountered, which overlook these issues in favor of the romance. For that, Kearney’s telling of Beauty and the Beast has become my favorite version of the tale.
Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast, “Act Two, Chapter Four: 13.”
Also, there is plant symbolism in the chapter title pages, which I find delightful.
Megan Kearney’s Beauty and the Beast, “Act One, Chapter One: 1.”
So with all of that said, for those looking for a detailed and mature retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I’d highly recommend picking up this webcomic! It updates every Tuesday and Friday. If you like it and want to see more from Kearney, consider donating to her Patreon account as well.
Her Webcomic: http://www.batb.thecomicseries.com/comics/1/
Her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/megankearney?ty=h
Kearney also does commissions on her website, The Quietly. From personal experience, her artwork and her willingness to work with her commissioners does not disappoint, so I’d consider looking into that too.
The Quietly: http://www.thequietly.com/
Finally, Megan is a super sweet person and loves engaging with her readers! You can find her Tumblr and Twitter accounts through these links:
Her Webcomic’s Tumblr: http://batbcomic.tumblr.com/
Her Tumblr: http://megan-kearney.tumblr.com/
Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/spookymeggie
Happy reading, everyone!