Noe’s Comics Nook: Prince of Cats

Review

While Romeo and Juliet is far from my favorite play (how could it be when Taming of the Shrew exists), it begs to be adapted in all manner of ways to match the tone and conversations of the time. With so many of these adaptations out there, I don’t say this next bit lightly: Wimberly’s Prince of Cats is, without question, the most unique approach to the world of Romeo and Juliet I have ever had the pleasure to experience.

Cats is a “B side” to the famous story, focused on the minor characters (don’t tell Tybalt he’s minor), set in a 1980’s aesthetic New York City besieged by warring familial gangs armed with swords, and steeped in hip-hop and punk cultures. If that description doesn’t sell you on the spot, nothing will. Wimberly masterfully pairs direct quotes from the original play and his own lyrics – “Yet, knowing thy skill’s bounds is survival’s key” being a favorite of mine – and pulls the reader into the feeling of life in the world he’s created. And while the wordplay is great, if you focus too much on it, you’ll miss out on all the colorful graffiti lining the pages. I did this and had to reread the work just for the “background” art alone! In fact, Prince of Cats is a prime example of the value of reading a comic multiple times, back-to-back, so you can dedicate the attention each aspect of the medium deserves.

As a heads up, this comic does include significant violence, adult language, and nudity – it earns the Mature rating Image gave it. That said, I do stand by it being appropriate for students in the junior and senior years of high school because the characters are that age and honest representations of life as a teenager are important for students to have (not the setting necessarily, but the emotions driving our characters). Prince of Cats is a wild ride and a perfect pairing to bring students attention more fully into that rite-of-passage reading of Romeo and Juliet.

Elements of Story

Plot: Focusing on the “minor players” from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Prince of Cats tells the story of Tybalt, his quest to prove himself the best swordsman (yes, katana wielding in 1980’s NYC), and his ultimate tragic fall.

Characters: Sampson, Gregory, Tybalt, Ibrahim, Saul, Balthazar, Romeo, Friar Lawrence, Petruchio, Petruchio’s Grandmother, Luciano Canolio, Donatello Canolio, Rosalyn, Juliet, Jaquelyn, Roxanne, Mercutio, Barabus, Benvolio, Noh Mercy Killers, Tybalt’s Mother

Major Settings: New York City (including a barber shop, two territories, subways, Juliet’s school, a club, Wonder Wheel park, Rosalyn’s apartment, and more)

Themes: Family, Loyalty, Pride, Respect, Hip Hop, Tragedy

Lesson Plan Idea Using Common Core Standards (CCS)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7 – Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)

Directions:

For this assignment, students should read both Romeo and Juliet and Prince of Cats.

In the original Romeo and Juliet play, we hear bits and pieces about our large cast of characters in Prince of Cats, but enough is left open for a wider lens story to be told. Now that you have read both books set in this shared universe, let us consider the different approaches in each. Choose at least 5 characters shared between the books and provide details about their motivations, their relationships, and how they contribute to the larger themes of the story for each book (2 to 3 paragraphs per character), providing textual evidence for your details. Once these details are in place, analyze how the two different approaches to the story impacted each character – if at all. Provide evidence for your claims from each text (2 to 4 paragraphs per character). Finally, choose one character who you most identify with and discuss which central theme they most exemplify and why (3 paragraphs).