When grief takes over … you will do anything to make it better.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Erica Heflin
Artwork: Sean Hill
Colors: Marco Lesko
Letters: Fabio Amelia
What They Say:
As humans we are driven to create for the world, but what happens when your creations come back to haunt you? Sometimes letting go isn’t a choice in the matter and we are left to deal with the terrifying consequences. Be sure to check out this new frightening tale of both loss and love, and the horror that it can bring!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
On the anniversary of his wife’s death, Allen is at the local bar drowning his sorrows, trying to suppress the pain. Knowing he reached his limit, he wisely decides to take a nap to sleep off the effects of his drinks until he is rudely awaken by a phone call. Over bursts of crying and unintelligible chatter, he can barely recognize the voice on the other end as his daughter Alysha, also suffering on this date. However unlike her father, this foolish girl does not have the sense to not drive after she has had a few too many, and as a result, she tragically crashes headlong into a tree. At the funeral, Allen hears his friends and mourners talk about how the two women we so much alike, but most of all, he remembers the comments he is all alone now. For weeks after the event, nothing seems to make sense, it was all a blur … after all, now his life has lost all meaning.
With only his work at the wax museum to now keep his mind occupied, the employees politely ask their boss if there is anything they can do, to which Allen replies with a thank you and leaves them behind. Once in the back office, the poor man wallows in his misery, echoing his despondent thoughts to the hollow clutter of a storage room – all except for a lone sculpture sitting in the corner. Through this lifeless figure he directs his musings, a masterpiece by his own hand which looks amazing like his passed daughter Alysha, and the only way he has to remember his child. It is to this doll Allen makes a futile wish, telling her he wanted to spend more time with her, all to make up for the time he was never there when her mother died. As the next morning comes, this sad widow wakes to the pleasant smell of bacon, in a house where he should be alone. Once he stumbles out of bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes, Allen is amazed to see the smile face of his dead child, making breakfast. Unable to comprehend what has happened, he quickly seats himself and hungrily devours the meal presented, confused as what is happening. This has to be too good to be true … and if it is, can this all be a dream?
In Summary:
After learning the title of this issue was called Wax Museum, I sincerely thought this would be some mediocre attempt in recreating a horror story within that macabre location. But thankfully after reading it, I was pleasantly surprised writer Erica Heflin surpassed all my expectations by creating a tale reminiscent of the myth of Pygmalion and his sculpture which came to life. While we all may be familiar with the children’s version as Pinocchio, it appears she may have also taken some elements from the Jewish tale The Golem of Prague concerning the doll which went out of control. Whatever the source of her magic, this narrative is an exemplary example of how to create a story which strikes a resonant chord for someone who has lost a loved one and turns that grief into further tragedy. It is especially effective if you personally have suffered such loss, but even if you have not, the method by which Heflin crafts the narrative brings about such primal emotions you cannot but feel for the protagonist, more so when it strikes so close to home. The feelings of emptiness, not wanting to continue without them and constant days of remembering, all of these painful perceptions and then if you are given the chance to bring them back, who wouldn’t leap at the opportunity? All of these conflicting components bring everything into focus, and when Heflin adds the suggestion that this choice was a mistake, it adds to her narrative the factor of human emotions, which are never clear or offer clarity. But when the loss of a loved one is involved, does it really matter? This is what makes her tale such a gripping story and brings it into being one of the best of this series.
Even within such a powerfully moving tale, it would not be as effective without equally pronounced artwork which stirs the emotions on a torrential level, and Sean Hill brings forth this impact with his striking images. The ruggedness of his illustrations from the start makes you feel for protagonist, seeing the strain upon his face with the ghastly anniversary, but once you add Marco Lesko’s somber and drab colors, it drags upon your eyes in a way which reflects Allen’s emotional temperament, all allowing the reader to suffer as he does. While this may be negative for other narratives, this combination of provocative images and dour tones magnifies the harshness of the subject, allowing the reader to delve into the issue with full commitment, reflecting the protagonist’s state without undue strain to the viewer. Even within the more joyous moments, there is still an underlying tone of sadness, a gossamer veil of mourning which never vanishes, and reminds us this is not a lighthearted tale, but one in which we know will not conclude comfortably. After all, with the way it begins, such tales never close with a happy ending.
With the combination of an evocative story and artwork which stirs intrinsic emotions, this issue of Grimm Tales of Terror will become a classic unto itself. You cannot but feel for the protagonist with such a loss and when given the chance to correct such tragedy, who could not place themselves within similar circumstances? To live with emptiness or relive with happiness, while it may not be a wise choice, when love is involved, who can say it is not the best decision?
Grade: A+
Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: February 21, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
