Mary Medina is gone … now there is only Mystere. But, is that a good or a bad thing?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Dawn P. Marquez
Artwork: Marcelo Salaza
Colors: Marco Lesko
Letters: Kurt Hathaway
What They Say:
As the Order of Tarot looks to rise to power, Mystere will either become the Grimm Universes newest and most powerful hero, or her take her place in the evil Order of Tarot as the Queen of Pentacles.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
The High Priestess has succeeded in completing the ritual, and so Voodoo and the Page of Swords watch as a person once known as Mary Medina is no more … there is only Mystere. She has been transformed into a being which is a bridge to the spirit world and it is now she can test her new powers against a former ally. Talisman Dupart, the man she once knew as an untrustworthy friend presents himself before her, and the Order wishes for his power, but this one must be pacified first. With such hopeless odds standing before him, is there even a chance he can rescue the girl who was once such a combative individual? She seems lost, obediently following the commands of her new masters, having truly accepted a new title as Queen of Pentacles. But this rebel will not give up on the woman who entered into this contest unwilling, a pawn only to be manipulated by such vile beings so as to fulfill some twisted and unjust destiny.
New Layfayette Cemetery, it is now the place of their final challenge, a battlefield where only the past surrounds them to welcome the present. But even as these two face off, one armed only with inked charms all over his body and the other with abilities unknown after the ceremony, there is no clear winner. However, Talisman has said he does not wish to use the markings left by his mother, in the off opportunity he will be corrupted by the dark magics contained therein. So, with this conscious decision of leaving himself open to attack, does he have any prospect of success in this one sided fight? With the Order of Tarot not worried about damaging their prospective King of Pentacles, Mystere has full reign in unleashing the might her powers. But is she as forgone as everyone thinks, or does some inkling of humanity still exist within the light polluted by the High Priestess? Talisman is willing to place his life within her hands, even if it means they both are forever lost to the misery of a corrupted fate.
In Summary:
With the conclusion of the final issue, now in hindsight it is apparent this title was laborious and hurried, with what should have been a defining battle being condensed to an eclipse and the turning point for Mystere a flash in the pan; in other words, if you blink during the first quarter the story, you will miss it and that is a great shame for a character who has so much potential, but now has been reduced to another pawn for the Order and once again placed into minor status within the Zenescope universe. It was as if writer Dawn P. Marquez felt it was more important to wrap up Mary’s epic struggle so she could prepare us for the aftermath of the story. While I can appreciate preparing for the future, by what was implied in the last pages, it suggests the struggles which Mary and Talisman had to undergo were in vain, and only necessary to prepare groundwork instead of placing importance on what was just completed; if that is the case, then why extend the opening act needlessly in lieu of creating a story which is concise and integral to any upcoming titles? There was so much flotsam within this series that it bogs down any thrust propelling our heroes, at times meandering from the central stream and casting us into one of many the tributaries, until the flow gradually merges back into main. Instead of lengthening the journey, it would have been safer and quicker to forego all of the side trips and give the readers a succinct narrative, which leads us into the primary mission of the Order of Tarot within the tale, but instead, we receive the jetsam and are left to salvage our own conclusions.
Surprisingly in most titles where amazing artwork saves the reader from a mediocre story, it is within this finale where we are offered a last minute change with a transfer of artists – from the somber and dark illustrations of Allan Otero to depictions of Mystere relishing in her new powers, thanks to the strength of Marcelo Salaza’s drawings. While this diversity in portrayals does not affect the effectiveness of the narrative, what does shatter the mood of the story is the poor decision to switch from a palette of dark tones as utilized in previous books, to ones which are almost luminary thanks to Marco Lesko’s questionable selection of brighter colors. Why go through all the trouble to produce a melancholy atmosphere within the previous five issues if you are going to dilute them and thus spoil the panels which project the nuance of the story? It is as if we shifted from midnight blue skies unlit by a new moon into an almost comical night illuminated by a full moon; in short, this glaring difference makes everything too bright to express any true anger, rage or satisfaction within a new departure for the character. It is understandable to use these colors in the latter half of the issue when Mary and Talisman are looking forward to a new future, but to employ this selection during a pivotal fight against the vile forces of the Order, it forcefully cancels out any ominous overtones, no matter how many shadows may be deployed to enshroud the canvas. This is a shame to end the magnificent artistry of this series on this low note, since all of the gruesome scenery established in this title have now become null and void.
Grimm Fairy Tales: Day of the Dead, began as an interesting premise for one of the under used characters within the Zenescope mythos – Mary Medina, but it has ended in disappointment. The lead up to this finale was challenging but as more story elements were introduced, the search for meaning behind Mary’s powers was misplaced in order to fulfill the Order of Tarot’s ambitions and thus, build a foundation for future stories. If the narrative was kept simple and focused on the immediate problem, then this title might have been acceptable; however, a watered down plot and the need for a speedy closure thanks to a clichéd plot twist only results in a story which never truly blossoms, and therefore opens more unending questions within this substandard tale.
Grade: C+
Series Grade: B
Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: July 5th, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
