A hero must be willing do anything … if they wish to save the world.
Creative Staff:
Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini & David Wohl
Writer: Dave Franchini
Artwork: Sergio Ariño, Alessandro Uezu, Guillermo Fajardo & Saint Yak
Colors: Jorge Cortes & Maxflan Araujo
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Taking over after the death of her mother, Sela, Skye Mathers is the new Guardian of the Nexus. With the help of Shang, her mentor, and her friends at Arcane Acre, she is learning the extent of her new powers and trying to figure out her place in protecting the universe.
A new threat has risen, The Dark Princess, a tyrant that has broken free from a crumbling universe not much different than ours. Along with her generals, The Swarm, she began her assault on the Nexus by expelling Skye, Shang and their allies, scattering them across the realms.
Now they are desperately trying to find their way back to Arcane Acre to stand up to the Dark Princess before it’s too late.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Above the desolate sky of the Grand Canyon, a massive crimson beast and its respective rider continues its eternal conflict with one of their own, but as torrents of flame bombard a helpless rival far below, it is his turn to be surprised as the terrestrial victim emerges unscathed with his own dragon companion proving to be an equal for this traitorous brother, with neither willing to concede defeat as the battle takes to the air. As the two exchange equal blows, this righteous crusader who thought he had the advantage suddenly finds unexpected treachery as a shadowy beast strikes from their blind side, easily subduing both confused human and dazed reptile, to then be brought to a secluded base in the Shadowlands, where a shocked protector watches in horror as his once valiant steed is quickly drained of its power, vitality transferred to a place unknown. But beneath the structure of Arcane Acre, it is the Dark Princess who takes great pleasure for a new use she has found for underutilized dragon potential, channeling mystical energy through her scarlet gem and persuading a hateful guest, Daughter of the Jabberwocky Joselynn, to join her growing army to conquer this universe and thereafter reshape it in her image through the influence of Wonderland.
Yet as this wicked monarch has deranged fun with an enraged captive, Skye and her allies find themselves in a less welcome venue, with the foul smelling tunnels of New York City’s sewer ways becoming their battleground as they hear the unnerving skittering of several legs rushing through the water, their corresponding eyes and dripping fangs fearlessly progressing forward as the valiant ladies show no mercy to these arachnid marauders. As Sam questions how Robyn could allow these monstrous abominations take over these underground corridors, the joking vigilante attempts to defend her inaction due to other problems which have been plaguing her life recently, only to have the tense argument cast aside as the acerbic Julia wonders if they can get some fighting done without needless banter. But as deadly assaults continue upon these overwhelmed women, they cannot but relieve the tension by exchanging some lighthearted quips, even as the blonde archer and Queen of Hearts manage to find some common ground during a pause in the action, only to have humorous admiration broken as more eight legged sentries press their numerical advantage. However, once a hasty explosion clears the area and Julia is mildly reprimanded for her deafening solution, these determined heroines cannot see any other option than boldly pressing forward through the elevator, being a safer choice than scaling a silk laden exterior, even as all recognize the impending danger they may be stepping into within the unknown penthouse, only to have their apprehension realized as a mocking voice greets them as the doors open into the darkness beyond, with the speaker unfortunately revealing herself to be none other than the ferocious Spider Queen.
In Summary:
It is hard to believe that it has been over a year since we were first introduced to a certain vile tyrant in Grimm Fairy Tales Myths & Legends Quarterly – Dark Princess, with her toxic influence so prevalent throughout the Grimm Universe that many of Zenescope’s heroes have had to face her detestable generals as they tested these stalwart protectors, perhaps to deem if they were worthy of joining their foul ranks or weed out troublesome individuals before their vile invasion began. And yet as Skye, Julia and the saviors of Arcane Acre were themselves exiled to far flung dimensions prior to the conquest of the school, one could not but question how story creators Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini and David Wohl could have interwoven all of these varying encounters as the Dark Princess attempted to recruit other like minded miscreants to further bolster her forces, and yet as writer Franchini continued to inundate a diligent audience with massive barrages of information throughout this story arc, making us wonder how he would bring everything together into a cohesive conclusion, with Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 2 2022 Annual being the resultant tome which leaves observant readers with more questions left unanswered than solutions satisfyingly resolved.
When the Dark Princess first appeared before the remnants of the Dark Horde within her namesake book, from this cruel woman’s home dimension accompanied her version of the Child of Darkness, Scorpion Queen, Spider Queen and the King of Serpents, and yet this formidable group was not at the forefront to conquer the realm of Myst, making necessary to immediately recruit Baba Yaga and Ares shortly after arriving within our world, to be quickly overcome by the Realm Knights and her imminent defeat only thwarted after securing a new gem of power, which has been the key to this entire story arc. But as the Guardian, Queen of Hearts and the allies of Arcane Acre were forced to defend themselves from various attacks by these generals, both within the home realm and parallel universes, this cruel conqueror did not stop trying to finding new subordinates, such as the Dragon Clan, Lord of Flies and finally the Jabberwocky and his daughter Joselynn, all in an effort to broaden an already forceful base of followers. Yet when this supposedly intimidating army attempted to begin their conquest, every futile effort to confront one of the dauntless heroes such as Robyn or Peyton was thwarted with each encounter, and only after supposedly destroying these protectors at Arcane Acre with the all powerful jewel did the Dark Princess finally seem to make some headway in her effort to dominate a new universe, but it is after this encounter where her efforts seem to stagnate. Although Skye and Julia learned of how the scarlet gem was the key to corrupted mirror dimensions and grew stronger via promising interactions with familiar faces, the audience never learns what this despicable woman does within a world freed from infuriating saviors, with the series instead concentrating upon those delightful parallel departures or a deceptive Shang and the former Guardians attempting to find a way to bring their friends home.
While this heroic interaction may be essential to the title itself, to witness other incarnations of villains seems meaningless after their return home, aside from strengthening bonds between drastically contrasting women, with Skye wishing to save everyone and Julia frustratingly knowing from first hand experience that loss is a part of war, with even her own powerful Sela falling under the hands of evil. It is due to a stagnation of information within the home universe from which this Annual relentlessly bombards inquisitive readers with boundless details to make up for past missed opportunities, the special’s opening reminding us about the Dragon Clan’s prior hatred once again occupying their battle to confirm sky supremacy, only for that chance to be cast aside as the shadow dragon takes advantage of strength in numbers, and returning their prisoners to the supposedly unreachable Shadowlands. Although this burst of excitement may create a sensational moment, what follows are all too familiar scenes of clichéd brevity: a overconfident tyrant boastfully bragging how she will break Joselynn and use her to create a world in her own image, our confident heroes breaking through troublesome resistance to confront one of the minor bosses with an expected bluff to turn the tide, only to be surprised by unexpected allies who turn out to be traitors disguised as past friends, thus leading into meaningful reunions and discussions which will reveal more than we expected. But even as these unwelcomed visitors join forces with the Dark Princess, it is the puzzling first and only usage of dragon power which makes inquiring readers wonder why they were never utilized before during the initial assault of Arcane Acre, since it was this cruel tyrant who approached the riders at the end of Grimm Fairy Tales Myths & Legends Quarterly – Dragon Clan and proposed the resurrection of the shadow dragon.
But as the two determined armies face off before Arcane Acre, and treacherous travellers unfold their intentions before their new ally, it is the arrival of the Daughter of the Jabberwocky Joselynn which allows everything to fall in line like carefully placed dominoes, raising a new question as to why the alternate versions of Robyn, Liesel and Mary chose this time to come Skye’s world, with these two factors having a percussive effect on the Dark Princess and causing her to stutter for an unexplained reason. And yet as Mathers and Allexa work together to banish this common foe, attentive readers cannot but question if Shang’s supposition about their shared strength as Guardians has a deeper meaning, only to fantastically materialize into reality once they face a wondrous threat on the field of battle, with the resulting frenetic clash of fanatical forces converging and equally fevered commanders striking with every intention to bring an end to this futile conflict any means necessary. And yet it is the mystical challenge which crystallizes before the audience with a mysterious excursion inside the scarlet gem that leads us to the momentous moment between a trio of powerful women, with two saviors intent on defeating a maniacal threat and the ebony enchantress willing to destroy everything if it means no one will be left to stand in her way. But even as we witness the inevitable confrontation between good and evil, those who remember classic epic sagas will suddenly realize Franchini has been manipulating the narrative since the beginning of this formative adventure, skillfully forging a once naive Skye who was willing to help everyone into a polished blade which will deftly cleave away the darkness, with no hesitation of what must be cut in order to save the realms, even if others may violently reject such a rash decision. It is from this classic trope of heroic sacrifice where the formulaic closing of this story arc molds what is to come, with all of the meaningless death and destruction which the Dark Princess created in her quest for power, only to end with a pitiful whimper, and while her loyal generals may surprisingly endeavour to save their once fleeting empire, everything predictably comes tumbling down with a thoroughly satisfying ending, even if multiple questions are left unresolved and the answers we received are lacking in the finality which loyal readers deserved for their steadfast dedication to this boundless journey.
Yet within such an overwhelming sense of heroic drama as presented by this moving special, one cannot deny the importance of the visual spectacular which allows the reader to become immersed within the harrowing actions which unfolds before us, with each captivating page a new adventure into excitement, all as we are enticed to surrender to the splendor of inspiring imagery that seems endless in its desire to lure the audience into a world of ceaseless despair and rousing moments of hope. It is due to the intense opening sequence by Sergio Ariño from which we cannot but be in sincere awe by the primal ferocity of a savage beast, heavily delineated musculature making the explosive torrent of fury more intimidating as Jorge Cortes’ somber yet vibrant palette emphasizes the scathing nature of the flame, as matching deep crimson scales embody the very nature of destruction, almost making the puny rider seem unnecessary with his meaningless command. But as we focus in on these confident figures sure of their victory, it is this pair of virile men who cast new dominance upon the scene thanks to Ariño’s deeply etched creases he places upon their faces, with Cortes’ wondrous application of shadows emphasizing the furrowed determination to defeat the other, all as their ferocious beasts stare with equally harsh expressions almost eclipsed by glowering looks encapsulated by the stunning reptilian armor which is mirrored upon their fearless riders.
Even as we remain amazed by the sensational display of muscle, scale and testosterone, one cannot but longingly gaze at the rapturous beauty disguising the brutal cruelty of the Dark Princess, this captivating woman with high cheekbones, sultry eyes and enticing cleavage as teasingly portrayed by Ariño, allowing Cortes to cleverly apply touches of smoldering shadows to enhance the allure of evil, disturbingly amplified as she takes great pleasure in punishing her prisoner, even as that demeaning smile creeps across her face, with the dual purpose serving as a merciless tease and provocative innuendo to the audience itself. While we may be disturbed by this monster disguised as a human, it is the following scene of true heroes facing an arachnid foe which is seductively exciting, to witness skin tight costumes hugging every pleasing feature of Sam, Skye, Robyn and Julia is both arousing and invigorating, to see such gorgeous women struggling to stay alive cannot but cause the audience to become enticed into a sense of admiration, worried if they will live to see another day. But as Ariño’s amazing visual presentation sadly comes to a close, with his sensational illustrations fittingly closing the special, it is wondrous how much his heavily delineated imagery can take on such a differing tone with a change in colorists, allowing Maxflan Araujo’s dull toned palette to create a melancholy relief to see everything come to an appropriate conclusion, but at the same time, there is a lingering sadness as we witness close friends saying goodbye. While we know their separation may be temporary, it is the tangible emotional veil hanging over all which makes us feel a sense of regret, even if we may understand in the back of our minds their parting will still hurt as much as any loss on the battlefield, with their eventual reunion teasing what could be for the near future.
While we may still be staggering from remnants of prior excitement, it is Alessandro Uezu’s crisp illustrations which lend a sense of foreboding due to his delicate depictions of the characters, allowing you to tangibly feel the tension due to gentle delineations of characters’ downturned brows, with Jorge Cortes’ muted color selection amplifying the serene atmosphere of the tented gathering. But at the same time, it is frustrating to witness muddied figures amid this emotional frenzy due to strange visual perspectives, with the questionable people only recognizable from signature costumes. Though it is understandable to have fewer details when we see people at a distance, it is disconcerting for Uezu to take advantage of this undefined focus multiple times, creepily leaving familiar visages blank and stretched over bony canvases or overemphasizing facial structure due to heavy applications of shadowing to highlight a nasal ridge or sunken eye sockets. Even if his fragile illustrations do bring an emotional impact due to this same shading, the addition of dimmed under shots cloaked in blackness is troublesome, permitting Cortes’ somber palette to take over the page and making visual elements frustratingly indistinct, causing the audience to swiftly glance over essential events without a want to linger due to blurry portrayals, with half of the artistic section bringing graphical satisfaction and the other infuriating readers due to unnecessary obscurity which leaves too much to an already stressed imagination.
Yet as the expectant battle between uneasy armies finally erupts in an exciting explosion, it is Guillermo Fajardo’s frenetic double page which fascinates readers due to the stunning array of features he has placed within his opening salvo, a captivating combination of fantastic linework emphasizing too many surprises and Jorge Cortes’ vibrant palette of light and shadows magnifying the dazzling color scheme that breathes life into this hectic event. While we cannot but be drawn to the centerpieces of the spread with Allexa and Skye boldly leading the charge, their prominent displays of cleavage focusing the reader’s attention, it is the sensational amount of detail within this overwhelming panorama that forces the audience to gaze longingly into this visual abyss, teasing us to glean every hidden element which a cursory scan would miss, and wanting to find each valiant hero as they fight for their lives amid this grisly collision of flesh and steel. Although this initial introduction may be enough to satisfy most readers, it is due to a spectacular transformational layout which makes us want for more, with Fajardo and Cortes not disappointing in either illustrative or tonal techniques, their amazing synergy of both artistic disciplines combining to create an epic visual which does not disappoint, urging the audience forward to delve ever deeper into the engrossing arrangement they have laid out before us, which only becomes more enthralling once the Dark Princess emerges onto the field. As three dominant forces finally confront one another, Fajardo reveals another nuance in his unfolding melodrama, for as the wicked tyrant approaches and easily holds off the Guardians, you cannot but stare in mild satisfaction to see the same wild-eyed fanatical expression which their wily opponent wears is now reflected to a lesser extent upon Allexa and Skye, with captivating neon bursts from Cortes’ palette amplifying the climactic event as the tension reaches a memorable moment.
It is as the battle nears its conclusion where new Zenescope artist Saint Yak makes his fascinating debut, and while the crimson fractal environment is disconcerting and usage of halftone screening distracting, what draws the most attention is the radical transformation in Allexa’s face, for while the surprising change in venue can be understandable, it is the innocent and doe-eyed impression which is a drastic departure from the seething hatred she had for the Dark Princess, denoting a clear transition to crisp linework and severe shifts in expressions. While Cortes’ wondrous colors continue to fascinate the reader within this immersive scarlet atmosphere, at the same time, the depth of dark shadows which almost smothers everything makes one wonder if the bewildering scenery is due to tonal choices or an additive effect from the artist’s decision to overemphasize the oppressive nature of this new location. The suffocating scenery lends an almost claustrophobic feeling upon the audience, and though Saint Yak does attempt to create a dramatic environment due to constantly shifting camera angles, the lack of focus due to burdensome shadows and unclear or muddy expressions from those same ebony veils are overwhelming, resulting in a tumultuous introduction which collapses under the frenetic weight of too much with a limited moment.
As the hectic Dark Princess story arc resoundingly comes to a satisfying close, attentive readers cannot but wonder how long we will have to wait until newly risen questions are answered, leading into more mysteries for Skye and her exhausted companions as they attempt to rebuild their shambled lives and the disaster which was once Arcane Acre, even as new friends depart leaving gaping holes within reassuring relationships. And while spectacular artwork and sensational colors create an immersive environment for a majority of the special, there are still some visual diversions which cause the attentive audience to stumble along the way, but even these minor distractions are not enough to completely derail this wild roller coaster of excitement. But as an optimistic outlook for the future was once threatened by the delusions of a power-hungry tyrant, Mathers never gave up and was valiantly urged forward by courageous friends who saw the promise for a better tomorrow, all due to the compassion and determination of the Guardian of the Nexus.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: August 24, 2022
MSRP: $7.99
