For every end there is a beginning … and with every beginning there is an end.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Renato Rei
Colors: Grostieta
Letters: Fabio Amelia
What They Say:
The mysterious Order of Tarot has emerged from the shadows with its sights set on ruling the Realms of Power. With the courts of Swords, Cups, Wands, and Pentacles at his command, the Emperor is ready to launch his assault on the Grimm Universe. The only thing that stands in his way is a wildcard named Talisman.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
The Order of Light has finally taken the fight to the Order of Tarot, however all is not going as planned. Even as they attempt to surreptitiously find their way to the throne room, it appears the enemy has always had the upper hand, waiting for the intrusion and keeping the group in check. And now with several fronts within this conflict, friend and foe are barely able to keep track of each other, but the most crucial event is Jericho facing the Emperor himself, however old rivals still have grudges to settle. But as the leaders find themselves otherwise engaged, Shimmer and Talisman can do nothing but defend from blows coming from all sides, with none paying heed to the prize hidden within the chaos. None were to harm Dupart, though in the heat of battle, Cinder forgets himself and lands several strikes which could end the man’s life. Although this alone is enough to make most retaliate, it is not until the muscular henchman begins attacking his white haired ally does he do the unthinkable – release the power and turn the tide of the fight.
Although both sides are now confused as to this sudden interference, none are as stunned as the Tarot, their forces unable to defend themselves. With venomous foes now supposedly helpless, Jericho wishes to press his advantage, but the Forsaken One knows they are still too powerful and in their injured state, the Light would not be able to deal a finishing blow without suffering in the process. Although it may seem wrong, there is little choice but to retreat, tend to the wounded and return at another time. As Nataliya leads the way through familiar tunnels, Talisman has a strange feeling something is not right, but before he can thoroughly voice his concerns, they arrive at an exit to the surface, supposedly free of any pursuit. However as they leave the passageway, it is clear their escape was not as certain they were lead to believe, with the Order of Tarot waiting patiently and the Empress wasting no time to claim her revenge. Is this the end of the Order of Light or can they claim victory amid what most would think is certain defeat?
In Summary:
When Grimm Fairy Tales: Tarot first began, I had hoped writer Joe Brusha would create a title which would fill the power vacuum from the death of Malec, but was soon disheartened by the lack of any true development toward that direction. It appeared this title would be a sequel for Grimm Fairy Tales: Day of the Dead, and as such, continue following the chase of Talisman and Mary by the Order, but that soon fell short when Mystere did not appear and began her own series. This is strange since their partnership started with the intention of making them the King and Queen of Pentacles, but once again, we were in for disappointment with a noticeable lack of our dynamic Latina. While this was not irrecoverable, it was the progression with Nataliya and Shimmer which made the title once again promising, especially when both began to encourage our hero to embrace and understand his powers, rather than shun them like he did in the aforementioned series. However while this premise was hopeful, once the concept and obsession of factions within the Order began vying for power, that was when the story started to lose any tangible impact. In lieu of weaving a narrative which encompassed a savior who could promote a peaceful solution, Brusha seemed more interested in crafting a tale to further various political agendas instead of a fascinating look into the human psyche. This is a shame since he developed some intriguing characters and an organization to oppose Tarot, but none of them blossomed with vigor, which would allow them to survive in some form until the end.
Foremost was the repetitive theme of Nataliya – in previous incarnations spread across the Zenescope books, she always represented Tarot’s mistrusted agent. Only the Emperor used her effectively, all others only seeing her reputation as the Forsaken One, the meaning of which has never explained. I liked her character, someone who is the public face of the Order, enforcing their actions and always carrying out her orders, even if she had few friends within the group. It was only within this title do her actions change, trying to help Dupart for some unknown motive, all while risking the wrath of betrayal, and it seemed she could change any minute back to serve her master, yet it did not happen. This type of moral shift is what makes a character interesting, but when the reasoning was not revealed by the conclusion, her individuality as a unique woman faded and she became another disposable pawn within the twisted mechaniations of the Order of Tarot.
Then we stumble upon the glaring idea of some group brave enough to stand against Tarot, the Order of Light, its leader Jericho and his beautiful second in command Shimmer. When I first saw them displayed upon the page, of course the sparkling display seemed too much, that of pure white costumed fighters against people who represented darkness. Additionally, to make matters worse, none of their motives were ever clarified, the reason why the organization was formed or why anyone joined, even if opportunities for such an explanation could have been injected into the story. Conveniently this group appears when Talisman and Nataliya needed help, a way to oppose their enemy, but could not due to an obvious lack of strength. But stranger still was the hint of a romantic triangle once the white haired woman was introduced, but it was never pursued even if clues were dropped, all to make room for more important moments. This group has so much potential, but it was never fully realized due to no longer having a need within the story, which is a shame since they could have been a challenge to Tarot, if they were allowed to continue.
However within this labyrinthine narrative crisis, confusing political intrigue and convoluted royal melodrama, throughout this title it was the magnificent artwork of Renato Rei which kept readers glued to the page with exciting action and his mesmerizing depictions of the human form, with this finale being no exception. And yet these pages would be lifeless without the masterful control of light, shadows and a sensational palette of colors manipulated by the skillful hand of Grostieta. From the beginning this talented team had our attention, and this issue does not leave us lagging, but instead makes us want for more from these outstanding pages, with a stunning example as they open the book with Nataliya confronting the Empress in both the past and present. The haunting use of somber tones only extenuates those feminine forms – a gypsy looking all of the more seductive in her signature crimson tie top and head kerchief, plus those hip hugging ebony pants, but to add her rival stripping down to a nightgown … how can they tempt us with such lusciousness? Every panel within this book then projects the power of the battle, darkness versus the light, and yet both sides are just as vicious as they defend what they hold most important. The grimness of death is made all the more tangible with Grostieta’s selection of stunning colors, mystical ethereal tones grounded within an ominous gloom, but through this enviable strength of emotive characters and gripping tones, we receive what makes this title a visual treat and a joy to watch.
Grimm Fairy Tales: Tarot may have started as a well meaning story, but it quickly became bogged down with too much political substance and lost the true essence of what it should have been – a tale of choices for Talisman. The ambitiousness of Brusha’s tale created a well meaning narrative, but as more characters and factions within Tarot were introduced, this power struggle overtook the human factor in favor of back stabbing deals for allies to use in future conflicts. As a result, the tangential elements which introduced fascinating characters were brushed aside once their usefulness was at an end, which is a shame since most had potential once this series was over. All in all, Grimm Fairy Tales: Tarot had the potential to become something interesting, but with an overabundance of components it attempted too much and sacrificed many all in favor of creating a stepping stone for something bigger. Thus this series is lacking any gravitas which makes it memorable, leaving the reader with a narrative which unravels in the end, ignoring all it had established in lieu of excitement and a hollow conclusion.
Grade: B
Series Grade: B
Age Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: June 06, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
