In New Orleans the people never sleep … and neither go the spirits.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Anne Toole
Pencils: Marc Rosete, Eduardo Garcia, Renzo Rodriguez & Joe Sanchez Diaz
Colors: Ceci de la Cruz, Slamet Mujiono, Fran Gamboa, J.C. Ruiz, Alek Marmontel & Walter Pereyra
Letters: Fabio Amelia
What They Say:
It’s that time of the year again, for the Grimm Fairy Tales Halloween Special! Join, Mary Medina as she goes on a haunted tour in New Orleans where the ghosts may turn out to be a little more than just urban legends!
Content (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It seems things have settled down for Mary Medina in the time being, though it was not too long ago the Order of Tarot was determined to make her their Queen of Pentacles; however as she tries to relax after coming back with their take-out order, she finds a mysterious letter from her partner in crime Talisman, notifying her this shadowy organization is after them again, and he wants to lead them off. Disgusted by his need to protect the newly unveiled Mystere, she decides to blow off some steam and take a walk – opportunely encountering a ghost tour called the Dark and the Dead. With nothing else better to do, Mary take this chance and joins the group … after all, what can happen from a leisurely walk through the haunted French Quarter of the city?
But as they listen to the guide who she leads them through the various sites of the meandering journey, it is abundantly clear something is not quite right with the adventure. Once they arrive at the first stop, Lalaurie Mansion, a shift in the setting triggers something within the new mistress of the undead as her clothes and appearance change to fit the era. The plantation is once again in its heyday, an ominous storm on the horizon is rolling in, and a young maid is beckoning Mary to come inside via the light of a flickering lantern. The quaint atmosphere is no longer the New Orleans Mary remembers and this girl was not on the tour when they started. What happened since she heard the last words during the tour and how does Mystere now find herself within the antebellum South? There is only one way to find out – and it may not be pleasant trip after all.
In Summary:
This is the way you start the time for ghouls and haunts, with a good old fashion ghost story, and writer Anne Toole knows how to set the mood within this special Halloween edition. The sights, sounds, and legends of New Orleans are a brilliant setting for this issue and who better than Mystere than to participate in this devilish delight? While it may start off innocently enough with the aftermath of Grimm Fairy Tales: Day of the Dead, the basis takes full advantage of the holiday and atmosphere from the haunted French Quarter. Ghost tours are the main staple of the area so it fits nicely into the premise of the narrative, then add the underlying stress of being chased by the Order and their obsession of making her the Queen of Pentacles and Mary is caught completely unaware for this night of terror. But what makes this story so all-inclusive is the idea of her participating in the adventure, both mentally and physically, with the disturbing real tinge of Twilight Zone nostalgia to push this narrative over the top in creepiness. With each passing stop on the tour we become more and more enraptured within the history and culture of the Big Easy, drawing the reader away with tales which become more graphic and sinister, leading us to an eerily satisfying conclusion for both the issue and Mary.
But of course, how could even this marvelous narrative be done justice without the talented array of artists and colorists who brought this story to life? The key to the success of this tale was the shift of skillful pairings after each change over in both story and setting, allowing for a different viewpoint to bring about a new interpretation for each act within this special; the transition of both illustrator and colorist helps to bring about a new mood for the story, reflecting a different time/place in history and thus, opens up the possibility of additional ghoulishness to an already gripping tale. Marc Rosete and Ceci de la Cruz do a wonderful job establishing the normalcy of nightlife within the Crescent City with his sobering realism and her attention to details. But it is not until Eduardo Garcia and Slamet Mujiono grab hold do we even notice a change in the narrative nor understand what happened to the story, which is a stumbling block to a smooth dynamic; Garcia does such a great job in disguising Mary with period clothing and that stumble causes confusion, making us question what happened, jarring the reader for a few minutes and pages to figure out that she has shifted into a different time, following the tour’s location. Even with Mujiono’s poignant grasp of colors, his mood-altering setting is like welcoming the veil of night, not evocative but still essential to the tale.
However now that we have an understanding of these temporal shifts, the rest of the story continues onward with little doubt, all marvelously connected by the Rosete/de la Cruz intermissions. But it is not until Renzo Rodriguez’s disturbing depictions with Fran Gamboa and J.C. Ruiz’s harrowing colors does this tale take a turn into something all more fitting for the season; the first time you see the maniac who looks like he crawled out of a nightmare it sends chills down your spine, that sadistic grin and a distinct pleasure of masochism makes you know the story took a serious detour, and we may never make it back to sanity. And while a breath of calmness may try to reset your emotions, it is the final leap into the deep end with illustrator Joe Sanchez Diaz and colorists Alek Marmontel and Walter Pereyra who present us with a moment to question why must this all must happen to Mystere. Diaz’s gore is not as overt as in previous stories, but is the subtle palette of Marmontel and Pereyra which makes this act such underestimating selection; the costumes and retro set designs serve to disarm our attention and display a sense of calm, but once we see that menacing grimace of a classic stalker, everything falls into place. The use of pronounced action lines, offset perspective and tense drama close the tale and sets us up for the finale, with Rosete and de la Cruz bringing everything into brilliant perspective. We may have been expecting another serene recess, but it that preset complacency which makes the ending all the more unexpected and brings everything into focus. The big reveal is so shocking in its gorgeous colors and stunning audacity that it makes this conclusion all the more rewarding, especially when it is followed up by a splash page that gives us such undeniable clarity that have to stare at it to absorb all of the unbelievable details and unearthly beauty. This is the way to close a Halloween special worthy of being another Zenescope classic.
Grimm Fairy Tales 2017 Halloween Special may have started off with an unusual premise, but the roller coaster of chills and thrills makes it well worth the wait. With diverse artistic and coloring styles, this variety helps to establish different acts and reinforces what could have been a sloppy design if not for an imaginative narrative. And finally, disarming intermissions help to smooth out minor bumps and a phenomenal ending makes this issue something which cannot be forgotten, all worthy of making this a holiday classic, in the truest sense of the spirit.
Grade: A-
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: October 25, 2017
MSRP: $5.99
