Mystere may try to forget the past … but history will never release her.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Babisu Kourtis
Colors: Grostieta, Fran Gamboa with J.C. Ruiz
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Mystere has been an orphan, a victim, a lover, and a queen. But through it all she has always been Mary Medina. Now, residing in downtown New Orleans and in charge of her life for the first time, everything is going perfectly. That is, until a new threat, or make that threats, have come to menace the life of our local necromancer, and after this outing she might be the one in need of resurrection.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
In the year 1821 on an isolated inlet off Charleston, South Carolina, a broad chested man with sigils painted upon his dark skin along with matching white face paint stands before a calm sea, before raising his hands skyward and calling out to Sogbo and Bade to do his bidding, his fervent devotion taking form of radiant energy that erupts from his palms into a powerful storm which then easily destroys a fleet of incoming ships. With his disturbing work now done this ominous bokor turns to the person who has hired him, addressing the dapperly dressed gentleman as Master Solomon and coldly stating this man now has control of the sugar trade in the area, but as his employer praises this priest’s significant power, he is still not satisfied with this empty admiration. This arrogant practitioner of black arts brags he is more exceptional than any human, openly proclaiming to be even more powerful than any loa, only to have his bold declaration challenged by the supreme beings he called upon to perform the amazing elemental display. The great spirits look down upon the puny man they know as Domingo as the heavens open up behind them with an inky blackness comparable to their unadulterated anger, the primal rage which emanates from their massive forms makes Solomon quake in fear, before a grim hand descends to deliver a suitable punishment for such insulting pomposity.
Mary has adjusted to her satisfying job of managing the New Dawn Shelter, no longer scamming people with her powers to convince them they are being haunted to earn a few quick dollars, and as of late she has found no need to use abilities which seem out place within this new life. However as Medina looks over the busy dining area filled with regulars, she immediately notices an unfamiliar face and takes a seat across from the elderly woman, asking if she would like anything to eat. Although she rejects the generous suggestion, this boldly charming lady introduces herself as Calista or Mama Cal and accepts the young girl’s offer of help before it is spoken, taking advantage of this open discussion and stating she needs a ride to Charleston. Confused by this curious turn of events, Mary attempts to calmly explain this place is only for food and a place to sleep, they do not provide transportation to anyone who asks, even as Mama Cal attempts to take advantage of this kind charity with some forceful persuasion, it is only from a welcoming hand which implanted an unexplainable urge which convinces her benefactor finally give into her demands. But as they finally arrive at their suggested destination, Calista is still evasive with her reasoning for coming to this place, only have all curiosity shaken once they enter the overturned remains of the entrance and a frightened scream echoes from the back.
In Summary:
Ever since we were given a glimpse of Mary’s new powers as gatekeeper in Grimm Universe Presents Fall 2019 and a further taste in Mystere where her more gruesome abilities to control the dead and their essences was finally revealed, I have wanted to see more of this mysterious keeper of spirits, and now with Grimm Spotlight: Mystere Voodoo Dawn we have a beguiling glimpse into the darker side of what she is capable with her unique abilities, and yet the special is not without its own noticeable flaws. Writer Joe Brusha has created an immersive tale which delves heavily into Haitian Voodoo, bombarding the audience with several unknown terms and names which may cause one to pause reading in order to look up the meaning, thus interrupting the spontaneity of events, which could have been remedied with Editor’s Notes or a page delineating the foreign cast of actors so as to make sense of how they fit into the story itself. And while this minor misjudgment may be troublesome at first, it is easily solved once we understand how these odd players and words fit into the narrative, even as we are enshrouded within the foreboding terror embodied within this epic tale, only to run aground due to a new problem which only observant fans of this captivating heroine may have notice within this special. When we were first exposed to the compelling backstory of Mary in Grimm Fairy Tales #114, the story unfolds with her parents Jorge and Estrella immigrating from Mexico when she was a baby to live in San Diego, her abilities first manifesting when she was seven to have the corpses of local pets follow the confused girl home; it is from this ghoulish incident that her family has an exorcism performed by a Catholic priest, this being the religion of their home country and the deceased man wearing black cassock and white clerical collar, however these facts are now contradicted by the events and mysticism behind the narrative of this special.
While we were never given a clear understanding of how Mystere acquired her powers, it within a conversation of this spotlight where Mama Cal gives new meaning to Medina’s existence: “You have been mounted by a loa yourself and given some of his power. You have the power of he who rules the crossings … Papa Legba.” Why would a loa or spirit from Haitian Voodoo take interest in a young girl who does not worship such beings, especially at such a young age when the child would more than likely follow her parent’s belief in the traditions of Christianity? It would be more than likely to have this intermediary grant his powers to a pliant follower, and even if you could make the uncommon assumption that Mary was granted her abilities when she came to New Orleans and may have been influenced by Louisiana Voodoo, it still would not explain the prior event from which everything within her world fell apart. And yet Mystere is a promising young woman who has a confusing history, however Brusha still manages to create a fascinating literary tapestry which immediately keeps us engrossed by the past and present, allowing for this mesmerizing special to weave readers into the explosive world of ethereal magic and otherworldly creatures, all while allowing us to stare in disbelief at how Mary can so readily embrace this new world as we await what may come next for this fearless woman.
Even within such an overwhelming amount of magical and explosive excitement, one cannot deny it is the fantastic illustrations of Babisu Kourtis which viciously seize our interest from the beginning as we stare in amazement at the minute detailing and haunting presentations that pleasingly compose the visual essence of this special, made all the more monumentally captivating thanks to the entrancing colors of Grostieta, Fran Gamboa and J.C. Ruiz which easily breath life into the embodiment of foolish men and the fury of supernatural beings. To watch this story effortlessly unfold is what allows for the fluid transition between panels, easily constructing an engrossing tale around traditions which most Westerners would know little about, all while boldly utilizing clever camera angles to guide the viewer along a fantastic journey which only gains in momentum with each teasing page, allowing word, image and color to manifest in a gripping diorama of shifting tones. And yet even as we are shown the intimidating scowl of Domingo and the domineering loa which he dares to compare himself to, you immediately realize this opening sequence is but a single step into what will certainly be a traumatic experience due to the ominous display of supremacy, made all the more intimidating due to the dark smothering change in tonal presence.
However, when Mary makes an appearance, the pacing of the narrative feels a bit rushed due to the compact nature of her conversation panels, with each picture lacking definition until we reach close-ups of our heroine and Mama Cal, only then pausing to delicately outline the sagacity of the elderly woman and the patience of Medina as she tolerates the wily schemes of this newest visitor to the shelter. But even as this foldout might suffer from complex details, Kourtis returns to his distinct dynamic sequencing becomes dominant once Mystere begins fighting the voodoo warriors within her tantalizing skin tight costume and calavera mask, with the chilling nature of the battle made mystical due to grounded backgrounds and prominent neon pastels from Grostieta, Gamboa and Ruiz, allowing for the magical nature of the combatants to come forth and create looming presence for the rest of the story. But even as we adjust to the pulse pounding primal nature of powers yearning to burst out and beyond our understanding, it is the sincere nature of the reactions from ordinary people which makes readers ache to the misery their battle is causing, even as Mary must cope with this new side of her uncertain life.
While Grimm Spotlight: Mystere Voodoo Dawn is a sensational exploration into the depths of Mary’s newly found powers, it lacks the grounded certainty for such an intriguing character, all while the scintillating nature of her future makes the title worthy of sincere delight. With spectacular illustrations which lure you into the enthralling story and provocative colors that keep your attention glued to every panel, the building tension which underlies an ever expanding story is graphically hypnotic after each turn of the page and makes you want for more of this dynamic tale. However due to the tentative nature of the narrative and promptness of visuals, it feels at first if the tale is unsure on where it wishes to lead the reader, with the explosiveness of the presentation attempting to distract us until the every end, only to be resolved with an endearing conclusion which leaves us with a need to see more.
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: April 21, 2021
MSRP: $5.99