Evil may be clever … but Mercy is relentless.
Creative Staff:
Story: Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini & David Wohl
Writer: Ralph Tedesco
Artwork: Daniel Mainé
Colors: Maxflan Araujo
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Lettering Assist: Mariano Benitez Chapo
What They Say:
Mercy Dante is back! From the depths of the Inferno rises the demon-hunting, ex-gun-for-hire, assassin with a conscience on a new mission for the Devil. This time around, Lucifer sends Mercy to Las Vegas, aka Sin City, where she must track down a most dangerous enemy with a personal connection to the leader of Hell, who will stop at NOTHING to remain free.
Content (please note that portions of athe review may contain spoilers):
In a luxurious hotel called the Incarceration Inn, hidden somewhere in the Nevada desert, a confused guest named Bill is checking into his room, but as the looks around the spacious entryway and is eventually given his key, this curious man cannot but be hesitant to relax in unfamiliar surroundings, finally arriving and calling his girlfriend as he voices concerns of not remembering how he arrived at this location. But as this anxious visitor meets an overwhelming chambermaid, it is Mercy who is also welcoming unwanted intruders to her apartment in North Hollywood, with the unwise men entering without first announcing themselves, thus soliciting an appropriate response from the forceful bounty hunter. As they nurse their painful injuries before Dante is about to administer a closing punishment, the foolish men finally declare their employer is waiting outside, causing all to stride forward to a waiting limousine as Mercy confronts Lucifer, questioning her boss why she is here when this agent is still fervently looking for her partner Frank, only to have that query abruptly answered as the supposedly missing man is sitting comfortably next their powerful patron. Before any pent up animosity can erupt into a full blown argument, the domineering demon states she has a job for them in Las Vegas, to hunt down a motivational psychic named Nora who in actuality is a soul taker in disguise, having desperate people sign themselves over when they are most vulnerable, allowing her to keep their spirits in a hidden place, with this reunited team to find the location by any means necessary.
In Summary:
For ardent fans who have been following Mercy’s intense struggles over the years, watching helplessly as Frank sacrificed himself to exile Raum at the end of Inferno: Resurrection, to the recovery of Pandora’s Box during the conclusion of Hellchild Inferno One-Shot, it was hopeful we might have a satisfying resolution as to how our relentless bounty hunter could find a way to bring back her unwilling partner, and yet as story creators Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini and David Wohl unravel that lingering mystery, it is writer Tedesco who surprises all with a curious reveal which is honestly quite disappointing, resolving the ongoing melodrama with an anti-climatic conclusion that cruelly cheapens all of Dante’s relentless searching for almost a decade and sadly spoils an invested audience’s tension for a cheap comedic moment.
The lasting anxiety devoted readers have felt for Mercy’s dedication over prior series and specials has been brushed aside, reducing the agonizing investigation into essentially a distraction for the current main narrative, which rushes forward to create a new dilemma for this reunited pair without any time to discuss what happened to Frank, with Lucifer conveniently stating she called in some favors to free her missing bounty hunter, all as Dante echoes the audience’s frustration for an explanation as to what happened during the interim. Yet neither ourselves nor Mercy receive any plausible response, with Tedesco perhaps hoping the following story will cause all to forget the past eight years of searching, with the hunt for Nora’s true purpose thus feeling hollow due to the grandiose scheme of this villain, particularly when we take into account Lucifer’s suspicion behind the thefts, making the resulting clash in Incarceration Inn clichéd since its depiction unfolds like any other action packed movie. While the closing moments of the special are mildly surprising, they are all too familiar due to the classic theme of betrayal which is revealed between these squabbling rivals, making the closing moments much to be desired due to the empty build up for this tenuous special.
As we contemplate the structure of this boisterous narrative, it is the expansive imagery of Daniel Mainé which immediately grabs your attention upon seeing the impressive facade of Incarceration Inn, the manner by which he portrays this fleeing exterior is elegant, all as Maxflan Araujo’s somber color palette reflects something sinister happening within, with a vibrant tonal shift showing off the teasing grin of the receptionist, even as the reader smirks to themselves due to Bill’s reaction, making his reaction upon seeing the house staff almost comical due to the wildly exaggerated expression of horror and surprise. And yet it is the initial appearance of Mercy which carries on an amusing tone for the story, making us laugh at her welcome for these intruders and made all the more painful due to the explosive action line burst and her knowing smile, making males in the audience to subconsciously flinch due to the imagined reaction, as fluid transition between panels allows for a welcomed view from these static pictures as we watch this dynamic woman defend herself. However, it is the placid scenes between bursts of action which quickly defuse any momentum which we saw with Dante’s introduction, and while we are kept interested by Mainé’s intriguing depiction of expressions upon each face and Araujo’s immersive color selection, the extended time to arrive at the final destination is too lengthy, causing any tension which we once knew to quickly disperse. It is only the closing act of demonic extermination which makes the wait worthy of our patience, with the wild dance of carnage allowing us to appreciate how such a beautiful woman can ruthlessly butcher those who prey upon the helpless, with a wide grin showing how much she enjoys her grisly work.
While Grimm Spotlight: Inferno may welcome back the dynamic exploits of Mercy, it is the unawareness of past tragedies which make her return hollow for those who recognize the burden of her loss, instead boisterously pushing unknowing readers forward with a new story in hope we will not remember what happened before, while those who do recall question the absence of any satisfying conclusion to prior events. Although dynamic illustrations and immersive colors help to expand upon this welcomed distraction, it is the serenity between bursts of action which feel out of place, causing any momentum we might have experienced to quickly disperse before ramping up again with a new explosion of gory pleasure. But as we wonder what may lay in store for Dante and Frank, with the mercurial personality of Lucifer their only guide for what happens next, one has to question if this is the last we will see of prior dilemmas, allowing for ignorance of the past to pave the way for a new tomorrow.
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: February 08, 2023
MSRP: $5.99
