Temptation is the key … making the wait all the more painful.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Billy Hanson, Dave Franchini, Ben Meares & Joe Brusha
Artwork: Oliver Borges, Cleber Lima, Babisu Kourtis, Deivis Goetten & Alexandre Nacismento
Colors: Sebastian Cheng, Jorge Cortes, Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Maxflan Araujo & Ceci de la Cruz
Letters: Taylor Esposito, Kurt Hathaway, Fabio Amelia & Carlos M. Mangual
What They Say:
As the Grimm Universe continues to grow, new adventures await the many heroes that reside inside it. Don’t miss this 64-page issue of epic proportions, as we get 5 all-new, never-released sort stories, spanning from the corners of the realms of power, leading into the future of all things Grimm!
Content: (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Red Agent – Safehouse
After an exhausting fight in London the team of Red Agent and her witch partner cannot continue, however with experience they know resting in the open is not an option but luckily Britney remembers a Highborn Initiative safe house not far away. But as the partners enter this underground facility unfortunately they were too concerned with future plans and comfort instead of paying attention to their surroundings, with the alarm sounding almost immediately and external cameras focusing on a pompous person and his foolish ultimatum for surrender. While Waters and Avril may not consider this little man and his small army a threat, they also did not notice there was someone else inside the bunker until it was too late … and now they have no other alternative than to participate in a sided battle.
Belle: Beast Hunter – Belle: Liberty
It may have started with a normal tour group around the Liberty Bell, but as night falls and security scours the grounds to make sure nothing has been left behind, one guard notices suspicious object and it is the last thing she will ever see of normality. Once a nauseating shade of green capsule cracks open its toxic contents spew forth and splatter forth upon its new host, metamorphosing the poor woman into an insane vegetative abomination which no other purpose than to destroy, with no regard as to its former occupation. However as the beautiful hunter Belle approaches this formerly human creature its new goal becomes readily apparent – to annihilate this witty protector without hesitation and by any means necessary, even if it means to pound her to death with bare fists. With battle axe at the ready DiMarco stands prepared to face off with her opponent, however as Candlestick recites facts about the beast the outlook becomes grimmer with each second and an easy victory is teased out of reach for this confident woman.
Robyn Hood – Pro Bono
Robyn is never hesitant to help people when the need is prudent, but when she is told by her newest client someone kidnapped her daughter, this vigilante cannot begin the job soon enough. There has been no ransom demand and even after informing the police she feels they are not investigating the crime with all expediency, thus turning to Locksley. All the panicked woman has is the note for a clue to her whereabouts, but when offering to pay for the situation half now and the rest upon completion, Robyn flatly refuses any fee stating there will be no charge and will return within twelve hours. The hideout was easy enough to track down although she still needed to be careful with the search since the NYPD was still under the assumption she was the one who attempted to murder Commissioner Gengrich, even if both knew the truth behind the situation. However after doing a cursory scan of the area there was one important item which she could not locate – a kidnap victim. While she could have been hiding from her captors or out of fear from a new stranger now appearing, this entire situation was unusual … and it became even stranger once a robotic guard came out of concealment and began assaulting our favorite archer. Is this all a ruse or is there something more sinister hidden within the confines of this abandoned warehouse just waiting to be revealed behind this unyielding automaton?
Grimm Tales of Terror Presents: The Bridgewater Triangle – Curse of the Wampanoag
For hundreds of years the Wampanoag American Indian tribe once lived in the Nockomock Swamp of what is now Massachusetts and they existed in harmony with the land until they were betrayed by English settlers who came to the New World. Their great Chief Massassoit was friendly with the colonists and traded native goods for foreign foods and weapons, however that all came to a bloody end when the ruthless leader of these invaders named John Laxton desired something the native peoples could never part with – a sacred belt of great power. With this refusal the barbarian brought forth a devastating reprisal with the slaughter of three thousand innocent men, women and children, but the current chief Metacomet would still not reveal its location to this loathsome murderer. It was only by his death did the relic finally fall into the greedy white man’s hands and with it ultimate understanding of what he had done, for while Laxton did gain great power so too did he also acquire a realization of what they had been guarding and why it was never meant for someone who did not live with peace in his heart.
Mystere – With a Little Help From My Friends
Mary has always been one to clean up other people’s messes, but when someone messes with her adoptive home New Orleans she cannot stand by and watch as a crazed demon runs rampant through the city causing grief and wanting for her blood. Although this incident may have started with an unlikely set of circumstances of a novice summoning a powerful entity for power of his own, the outcome resulted in what was always happens when the foolish dabble with what they do not fully understand – consumption of their own soul and possession by a devil. This power hungry minion desired a method to remain in the living world and Mystere’s power over the living and dead served as the means, but she was not willing to surrender willingly or without a fight. However even those wanted abilities have no effect upon his rapidly decaying body and Medina was quickly losing ground in this fight, but she still has one option open with allies just within in reach if underground and only she can reach them in time.
In Summary:
Since the premise of these specials are to form a foundation by introducing new titles or characters into the Zenescope library for both loyal fans and new readers, this example is no exception by exposing us to auspicious ideas from the minds of promising and seasoned writers and artists. And as such the array of series is as diverse as the heroines themselves, we still have the familiarity of knowing what to expect due to their unique personalities shining forth from each memorable tale with all the optimism of their lead actresses. However as one narrative is lacking any prospective lead for the moment, this tale has the potential to become a surprise hit, but we will have to wait in order to see if it can hold up to its likely possibility.
As we step toward new prospects for unexpected insights into cherished characters, the beginning opportunity commences with heroines who we have not seen in quite some time, Britney Waters and Avril Williams, but as the possibility for reminiscing with old friends seems promising, writer Billy Hanson presents a tale that lacks any of the rooted relationships which was established in prior titles. To see these compatriots argue from the start is not what allowed them to survive countless forays into the Human Order’s locations and against the bloodthirsty Alpha, in fact this introduction makes them seem like a pair who have only recently met instead of those who relied upon each other to make it through two series together. While one may attribute these short tempers from being exhausted, it does not reflect positively for fledgling readers who have never encountered either and instead may make the assumption of them being new partners, plus the uninspired illustrations by Oliver Borges does not leave a positive contribution to the overall attitude of the story, with models who are curvaceous but their expressions and movement lack any energy, almost as if being forced to plod through an overly choreographed fight sequence with the actions being micromanaged by a grandiose director. The only saving benefit of the artwork are the visually pleasing colors of Sebastian Cheng, creating a malleable atmosphere whereby the actors can interact, however once they step inside what was once vivid becomes subdued due to luminescent lighting and dim illumination due to the underground arena. While this mood suits what is to come with smoke and debris disguising the action, it also makes one wonder where under angle lights are coming from, shining an unnatural glow upon our heroines to accent every curve and overexpose their faces with mystical energies. Although we can appreciate these moments, at the same time they seem out of place and only allowed to make Britney and Avril the centerpieces of this dance of carnage.
But as we adjust to the somber attitude from a world of espionage, one cannot but become engendered by the witty repartee and amusing banter from one of our favorite monster hunters as written by Dave Franchini, granting upon faithful and new readers the charm of Belle as she battles against a menacing monster, all while retaining her sense of contagious humor intact to keep herself sane within a crazy world of creatures. One cannot but smile was we read the exploits of this confident woman charging forward but at the same time joking while facing mortality, plus an explosive opening splash of beauty versus beast elevates this tale with amazingly defined imagery from Cleber Lima and vibrantly stunning colors and embracing shadows from Jorge Cortes. This synergistic combination of artistic disciplines morphs what could have been a straight forward dynamic into something worthy of a dance of death, with striking illustrations emphasizing each action whether they be a taunting smile or smooth transition of violence between panels. But it is the powerful palette which anchors the emotional fervor of every actor within this urban jungle, allowing slight tinges of black to accent a wrinkle of cloth, the flex of muscles or gruesomeness of nauseating goo to turn the tide and allow viewers to enjoy each picture with exacting care.
From the ferociousness of bestial violence we are turned toward the succinct boldness of a blonde vigilante, with Robyn’s caustic brusqueness wondrously adapted within her story by writer Ben Meares, creating an environment which suits her straight forward attitude and allows Locksley to bring forth punishment without need to care of the consequences. His intriguing tale continues from the previous series and this magnifies the intensity of the narrative, allowing loyal readers to reflect on the consequences of the prior story and understand her need to help after the prior disaster and an understandable hesitation to be wary of what now happens around her in the Big Apple. But what especially anchors this boldness are the outstanding visuals of returning illustrator Babisu Kourtis and colorist Juan Manuel Rodriguez, allowing for the strict structure of imagery that combines stunning linear definition plus a necessary gritty reality and subdued colors which create a somber mood without overwhelming the reader via a suffocating need to bombard them with bright tones. The dull palette works amazingly well with the strictness of structural transition, allowing each panel to stand individually and yet augment prior images into one cohesive page of decisive elements. You cannot but deeply gaze into each portrait to discern missed details on the first read, all while wondering how color plays such an important role within this stunning array of graphic satisfaction through this battle of woman versus machine … heroine against terminator.
As we divert from modern ambiance to a more serene setting of early colonial America, this next story written by Joe Brusha has my interest sparked thanks to the horror aspect set amongst Native American mythology and the treachery of greed plus a need for power. The narrative is noteworthy since part of the tale is based upon historical facts, but at the same time unless you know this period or look up the information some elements can be confusing especially if you do not realize Metacomet and King Phillip are the same person. However even with this small stumble the short quickly grows in intensity, allowing the masterful illustrations of Deivis Goetten to emphasize the brutality of the settlers and the rich colors of Maxflan Araujo to ground the artwork within the nature which the indigenous peoples wished to protect. The grimness of the fantastically defined artwork produces a smooth transition between panels, allowing each element to delineate the story in striking detail plus the richness of natural tones clash once your eyes individualize every horror hidden within the frames, highlighted by separating them with contrasting colors like black or crimson to itemize every menace and allowing reader to visually absorb it within what was once a serene daydream of peace. This sincere tale materializes the truth behind travelers who want for more than they should take, showing the tragedy behind primal human emotions and the understandable need for karmic justice when arrogance takes precedence over mutual respect for all.
And so with an appropriate closure to this collection of marvelous tales enwrapped within each personality’s complexity, it is fitting the gatekeeper between life and death should end our escapade within the Zenescope Universe, allowing writer Ben Meares to introduce us to his rendition of Mary Medina, also known as Mystere. This often overlooked heroine is neglected for more forceful temperaments and it is refreshing to see her now in the forefront, displaying her own mentality and insight as to how the world has treated for being an outcast, especially when you take into consideration those same powers caused her parents to reject her. Even within this short we see her heroic persona and it is excellently portrayed with non stop excitement due to Alexandre Nacismento’s frenetic art style and Ceci de la Cruz’s enticing use of color to graphically captivate the reader with stunning visuals and amazing displays of mystical energies. Even if the panels may be overwhelming at times due to too much action being displayed on page, this story encompasses the possibilities of what Mystere is capable of and only tempts us with what should be an amazing series with her at the forefront and allowing the audience to appreciate this valiant woman and the struggles which made her the heroine she is now.
While each tale may be short in length, the dedication of the literary and artistic teams allow them to have a repercussive force which leaves an impression for all readers, both loyal and new to the publisher. To be given a taste of each personality is enticing and it is even more incentivizing to know each story is glimpse into what is to come for their respective titles, allowing us to await in satisfaction. Although this special issue may be finished, it has served its purpose and with our appetites now whetted the wait for the full titles is all the more painful even if we may stave of the hunger with a revisit of the tales, all while knowing the future holds many truths and promises.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: August 28, 2019
MSRP: $7.99
