The best stories may be fiction … until they come to life.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Billy Hanson & Joe Brusha
Artwork: Deivis Goetten
Colors: Maxflan Araujo
Letters: Fabio Amelia
What They Say:
The last of the campers are driven even deeper into the Hockomock Swamp – pursued by the strange and terrifying creatures that have hunted the region for centuries. The face of the ancient evil that dwells at the very heart of the Bridgewater Triangle is finally revealed!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
As the night drags on, Danny continues to entertain his friends with stories concerning the lore of Hockomock Swamp, but as Blake continues to mock his fascination with its inhabitants, the teller is quick to remind him they are cryptids and not monsters – creatures not widely accepted by the scientific community. While they may scoff at his interest concerning beasts like the thunderbird with its local encounter, their attentiveness is stirred as he broadens on the topic of non-indigenous big cats and giant serpents also being spotted in the vicinity, but what sparks the most curiosity is the prospect of bigfoot also roaming the area. However when Terry begins to ridicule the notion of this wide variety existing within such a concentrated space, it is only then does Danny expand upon the foundation for all of these encounters: the legend of early colonist John Laxton and of how he slaughtered the indigenous Wampanoag, resulting in being cursed and additionally opening the Bridgewater Triangle to this variety of beasts. With everyone now tired by this amusement, their host declares he is going for a walk in the marsh and asks Rachel is she is willing to join him, to which she bluntly and harshly rejects his advance to charm the skeptical girl.
Following the venting of his anger within the serenity of the Swamp, Danny returns to his tent for a good night’s sleep, but his irritation quickly returns after hearing the girl he was interested in being seduced in the next shelter, much to his utter annoyance. As dawn comes and the storyteller is woken by someone whispering his name, he decides to put all of his anger into something productive, such as finding real evidence of the elusive creatures. After taking a few peaceful pictures of his surroundings, the haunting murmurs continued and as he turns to locate the source of this taunting voice, only to be met by a spectral entity addressing him directly and warning of the curse. Running in a panic in an attempt to return to the campsite, Danny soon finds himself becoming lost as the ghost continues to chase him, only to emerge from the undergrowth and having a bright light shone in his face. A helpful patrol officer has found him in the swamp as he was escorting a pair of hikers also lost after indulging too much and offers to guide them all out, only to offer some friendly advice not to believe all the stories they hear about the Swamp. But as they near his truck, a loud screech echoes from above, and while the policeman may dismiss it as a noisy hawk, Danny recalls the tale of the thunderbird he told his friends last night … only to realize the facts had now become surprisingly real.
In Summary:
With the series finally coming to memorable end, it is somewhat disappointing a majority of the narrative was dependent upon the clichéd trope of slasher films: drive characters into an impossible scenario and then slowly pick them off one by one, and sadly this conclusion was no exception with Danny finally finding what he was searching for throughout the title. Although it was satisfying to see the foundational elements which writer Joe Brusha had created within Grimm Universe Presents Fall 2019 make a return with literary contributions by Billy Hanson, the issues leading to this finale were more based upon human needs and fears rather than a stirring basis for the curse of Hockomock Swamp: the slaughter of the Wampanoag by John Laxton which lead to cryptids being released into the area. But thankfully Brusha and Hanson are able to refocus our attention to the true intentions of the original tale, and as such we are given something which is truly rooted to the underlying meaning and thus the thrills of this finale are more meaningful to what Danny always intended this trip – to search for the elusive creatures which drew him to the Bridgewater Triangle. And while we were momentarily lost, this wondrous closure helps to round out the introduction and bring everything full circle, allowing for the tribe to have a new voice which is all the more repercussive thanks to his loss, with the trauma made more purposeful as Danny relives memories and see his friends and their painful suffering, allowing the details now burned into his consciousness all as he thinks his escape is complete.
Even as we are submerged within the gloomy setting of Hockomock Swamp, one cannot deny it is the incredibly intense illustrations of Deivis Goetten which allow the audience to become so enthralled with these stunning stories, with the emotional emphasis and pronounced anxiety brilliantly displayed within Maxflan Araujo’s glorious scenery, which are so elegantly painted with such definition one cannot but stare in awe to witness the nuances one misses after a casual glance of the page. This spectacular combination of visual elements allows the reader to become absorbed within this memorizing panorama of the unknown, and while you are stunned by the forgotten features of firelight reflecting off an actor’s face or a subdued full moon making people appear to be even more mischievous, it is this undeniable synergy that makes every panel a masterpiece unto itself. You cannot but smirk as Danny tries to impress Rachel and then feel his pain as he wallows in misery, all while hearing someone else succeed as he attempts to ignore the celebration which threatens to keep him awake all night. This somber expression is a welcomed introduction of something menacing to come, even if there is no musical cue to signal the event, it is the inescapable horror etched onto his face which allows us to know something is approaching … and this time we acknowledge it is the last to face his fears, even as the audience strives to steady our nerves for the frightful turn of events, all with the charming embrace of adrenaline which we know is warning of a chilling end.
While Grimm Tales of Terror Presents: The Bridgewater Triangle may have begun with an interesting premise for the title, however somewhere along the way it became sidetracked via tangential stories instead of being dominated by what could have been a more memorable foundation. However with amazing imagery and spectacular colors, one cannot deny the series still was able to keep our interest until it was maneuvered back onto the right course through this morbid swamp, allowing the reader to become mired within the fear contained within. With the premise now set, we can only hope a welcomed sunset will greet us once again over the horizon for a chilling welcome back into the stories of a forgotten but wondrous place of true horrors.
Grade: A-
Series Grade: A
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: December 18, 2019
MSRP: $5.99
