Heroes may be eternal … but can they remain ever courageous?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Dave Franchini
Artwork: Sergio Ariño, Jason Muhr & Guillermo Fajardo
Colors: Jorge Cortes
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
There once was a shadow who didn’t like being a shadow and a girl who couldn’t handle the world around her. One day, they decided it might be better to switch places to see if they could help each other out. It worked! But what they did was forbidden, and what became of their partnership neither of them saw coming.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
When Skye became the Guardian of the Nexus, she honestly did not know what to expect, with one danger after another or a constant threat of those who sought to end her life, but no matter the situation, she always knew her friends were there to protect and encourage her, until they were not. But as the night drags on in Arcane Acre and she finds herself searching for answers, Sam roams the halls and is a bit perturbed to see the lights in Shang’s office still on, even more shocked to witness her young ward in the midst of the spontaneous chaos which she efforts have brought forth. Unsure herself of how a relentless hunt for clues to interpret the mysterious journal ended in this jumbled mess of scattered papers and reckless abandon, Mathers cannot explain her obsession for a pursuit of information in which even she has not idea where to start. Even as frustration grips both women, their mentor kept many secrets hidden during his long life, but unfortunately not many pictures or even an album to recall his memories, except for a sketch of someone who Skye assumes is Allexa. However as they question if this person might be the former Guardian, Darren notices a strange crystal necklace has fallen from the rolled up image and begins to glow upon the open pages of the previously unreadable tome.
As the mystical light from the pendant begins to decipher unintelligible text, the fascinated pair soon learn this is indeed the journal of Allexa, recounting a foggy past which began by recounting how Baba Yaga escaped and caught up to her, until finally seeing a young woman who the Book had chosen as the next Guardian, and then emptiness. After waking from a brief nap, she found herself bewildered as to her current whereabouts, surrounded by darkness in front of an ancient building encased by gnarled roots, and yet she still felt powerful magic emanating from within. But as she carefully entered the building and was in awe by the sight of immeasurable knowledge floating within volumes and gathered inside bookcases, a mysterious voice greeted her which came from an extraordinarily tall yet scholarly being. After welcoming a puzzled Allexa to her library who asked if there was a way home, the captivating bookkeeper rejected the notion of looking back and boldly stated her stories only looked forward, to which she handed the confused girl a simple leather bound journal. She then told her visitor this book contained her tale, but when it was opened and found to be blank, the librarian simply acknowledged this truth with the obvious fact that Allexa’s story was just beginning.
In Summary:
With a tantalizing tease from the previous issue hinting of happened what to Allexa, the valiant woman who surrendered her stewardship of the Book to Sela, I always hoped the notion of expanding upon this previous protector’s journey would be possible, and happily writer Dave Franchini obliges upon that utmost wish within this captivating story. However at the same time, it seems strange that both of the known Guardians have had a similar destiny of exile and not some grisly end by their powerful foe: Sela supposedly met her end with Bloody Bones by banishing themselves to the Shadowlands, and now we learn somehow Baba Yaga returned the favor by exchanging places with her captor within the place the witch recently escaped – the Dark Book. While it is plausible that such powerful beings cannot be so easily defeated and thus a need for imprisonment, this convenient plot device seems a bit too coincidental, but at the same time it allows future scribes the possibility for a return of beloved characters or an expansion upon infinite possibilities for growth, to which Franchini has grasped upon the latter for our heroine’s plight. Although his narrative is reminiscent of stranded stories like the movie Cast Away or novel Robinson Crusoe, I sincerely appreciate how he has evolved an initially hopeful approach into something which is more fitting for the Grimm Universe, perpetuating the theme of survival and gravitating toward the overwhelming malevolence which is at the core of the Dark Book. One cannot but sympathize with Allexa, establishing a sense of familiarity with the events from issue #40 when Skye was later thrown into the same world, meeting the spriggans and a captivating librarian, permitting these moments to be connected with the thoughtful actions of her predecessor, and allowing Mathers to gain the journal and reveal the story as it is told now. Yet it is the tragedy of how our former Guardian must suffer which makes this current tale so completely enthralling, reflecting how she shows mercy to arboreal attackers and they in turn allow her to live peacefully among them, and while this serenity may be calming to a troubled mind, it is the eternal hope of returning home which urges Allexa to keep looking for a way, and in turn allows for the poor girl to be tricked so easily. This exquisite stratagem by Franchini of the classic stranded dilemma is what makes her struggle so understandable and relatable – prolonged isolation and a desperate need to escape take an unconscious toll upon our reluctant hermit, making her easily manipulated into what may in the end may be clichéd for a once steadfast hero to become an unwitting villain, and yet it does not make the unfolding any less delicious in its genuine irony. But of course, even with this smothering fate which we do not wish upon someone who is so relentless in her pursuit of evil to become one herself, it is the epic possibility of profound redemption in the near future which makes Allexa’s transformative journey all the meaningful when it comes to a hopefully rewarding conclusion.
Even within a tale of such poignant loss and gut wrenching revelations, it is the magnificently crafted images within this issue that portray such powerful emotions through graceful elegance and striking distinction, allowing the reader to become fully submerged within this graphical splendor. The talent assembled allow for a fantastic contrast of visual practices, with each artist utilizing their distinct techniques to tell a purposeful portion of the narrative, permitting a unique unfolding which as a whole synergizes into an impressive event which took ages to unfold. And yet to begin our unassuming story, it is fitting to have the calm and sharply defined linework of Sergio Ariño to create the serene setting of Arcane Acre, with his dark undertones of crisp details transforming the opening scene into one of serious normalcy, a place which we have seen numerous times, that became the launching pad of much excitement under his amazingly defined panels which project fervent pressure due to his striking portrayal of beautifully sculpted faces. However as our heroines become emotionally invested within Allexa’s journal and we change the story’s point of view, it is appropriate for Jason Muhr’s relaxed manner of illustrating to display the appealing author, with his attention to softer contours and wide eyed confusion meaningful when we first see Allexa, with distinct features contributing to someone who does not appear very experienced with this new setting and at the same time, her childlike innocence makes her seem unsure of how to deal with the cruelty which she is yet to face within this dark world. However given to Muhr’s propensity to have panels strangely extenuating our heroine’s legs during inopportune times, it is almost comical when the former Guardian enters combat with the spriggans, gritting her teeth in obvious nervousness or unsureness, suggesting this young woman does not have confidence in her own abilities, which is strange for someone who is supposed to be a protector. But with the anxiety of adjustment gone due to the passage of time, we come to the end of the story and our captive now wears the somber and gaunt expression of maturity, wonderfully illustrated by Guillermo Fajardo, with sharp lines and stretched features that make Allexa appear to be someone who has suffered much after her imprisonment within the Dark Book, plus heavier shading upon her facial highlights bring out an aged appearance and subtle attention to the muscles around her eyes are used to communicate anger or exhaustion. The range of angles which this artist uses helps to increase the melodrama of the scene, from confidence to defiance, we see our heroine as an individual who will not surrender to so easily, until the loathsome eventuality of desperate surrender comes to pass, which makes her pain all the more tangible as we watch helplessly once inky darkness swallows a young woman who is tired of fighting, only wanting to submit to the inevitable. And yet even through this unbelievable array of artistic imagery, everything seems effortlessly merged into one smoothly flowing river of ever growing turmoil, gradually becoming more turbulent without the reader consciously realizing the transitions due to the monumental effort of colorist Jorge Cortes, subtly manipulating similar color schemes until they become one due to his masterful hand. Without Cortes controlling the clarity of these tonal transformations, the reader would not have been able to fully enjoy this mildly undulating roller coaster ride, with twists and turns shifting our attention from the brighter exposure of the outside world into something much more sinister, slowly decreasing our dependence of light once we enter the Dark Book and making it seem natural due the visual cue of opening Allexa’s eyes, and with this innocent change, our descent into the dark side is now complete. From there his grounding palette of nuanced darkness and strategically placed light sources helps the audience to become adjusted to this dim world, only to be startled by a mystical burst of energy, with this grim atmosphere a preparation for what is to come – the veil of evil which smothers us once this tale of change closes around us for one last time.
It is sincerely welcoming and reassuring to have this issue create a meaningful transition for Allexa’s descent into darkness, with the Sam and Skye watching helplessly as they see an innocent former Guardian slowly consumed by the maliciousness of the Dark Book, only to have their shock reflected upon the reader once we realize the truth behind Shang’s kidnapping and his true captor. With a stunning array of artistic impressions and techniques wonderfully telling her story and the even more powerful effort of resounding colors which serve to bring them all together, this issue is a memorable event which will be hard to forget, even as the seriousness of the tale reverberates upon loyal fans as we consider the fallout of what is to come. But as the repercussions of such a novel turn resounds within our collective consciousness, it is the gravity of these facts which we cannot ignore once we consider the connection with Shang – and it things will ever be the same again.
Grade: A+
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: December 16, 2020
MSRP: $3.99
