Heroes will never surrender … even when facing the impossible.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Riveiro, Renato Rei, Giada Belviso & Alessio Mariani
Colors: Juan Manuel Rodriguez & Maxflan Araujo
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
The Cult of Cthulhu has spread the Great Sleeper’s creations across the world in an insidious plot to prepare Earth for the coming of their master. The Starspawn are nearly invulnerable and Robyn is going to need all the help she can get to stop their evil from spreading across the globe. This action packed annual is filled with guest stars as the heroes of the Grimm Universe unite to stop the greatest evil they’ve yet to face.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
As concerned officers check on the status of their fellow unit at Shedd Aquarium, they are greeted by a disquieting silence, the normal ambient noise for Chicago this late at night should be more pronounced than an absence of activity, and yet all this pair of supervisors find are several civilians mindlessly walking into the facility, ignoring everything else in order to get inside. However, as these dutiful protectors enter the building, they are confused to find no one willing to deviate from their route, with everyone plodding toward the main entry hall, only to shocked as they look up and witness an abominable creature a sickening shade of fuchsia perched above the entryway, seemingly directing these willing people toward it. While they may be horrified by the sight before them, it is then when their police training takes over and allows them to begin firing, and yet as several rounds are discharged into the beast, it seems to do nothing but enrage it, effortlessly lifting both into the air with its tentacles and ripping apart the male, sparing the female as it mesmerizes this once screaming woman into another subservient follower, with her first act to call off the alert and then join the rest of the minions, now ready to do their master’s bidding, no matter how objectionable this act may be for all.
Meanwhile back in Arcane Acre, Skye and her stalwart allies are surprised by the sudden appearance of welcomed guests Robyn, Liesel, and Ghosthawk, willing to join the fight against these otherworldly creatures, but as the Guardian wonders aloud what information Shang is once again holding back, the mustached mentor confesses they are not ready for this newest challenge, the learned man recalling what he knows: this oldest of evil in the universe have returned, waking from centuries of self-imposed hibernation in order to once again conquer humanity and rule over all the realms of power, starting with the Nexus. While they have fought valiantly against the pawns of their game, including nightgaunts, deep ones and other interdimensional horrors, they have barely been able to defeat these frightful creatures, but what they will face going forward will be worse than all of those beasts combined, in other words, the starspawn, and somehow Mary has now formed a connection with these foul enforcers which she cannot comprehend, yet somehow she can feel their strength growing. Although she may not know where they are, perhaps with Shang’s help Mystere can glean the location of their formidable foes, but as the respected headmaster lays his hands upon her forehead and Robyn sarcastically comments upon what they are about to see, the joined pair struggle to understand what is revealed to them, with a backlash of mystical energy separating toss them aside, but not before Medina witnesses their destinations, with three of these cruel behemoths headed to aquariums in Chicago, London and Los Angeles, and though she may not know what they have planned, Mary does realize it will be horrible and happening very soon.
In Summary:
As we have become fascinated by the expansive change to the Grimm Universe over the past year as an ominous evil slowly made its presence known, attentive readers have also noticed the otherworldly darkness approaching with oppressive creatures menacing humanity, and yet as we wonder who this new threat might be, it is the fulfilling insight granted us by Grimm Tales of Terror Quarterly: Rise of Cthulhu which answers those worrisome questions, with the utmost of foreboding malice from true terror making itself known to the Realms of Power and the citizens of the Nexus. However, as the haunting menagerie of provocative tales continues to hinder our heroines with ever-worsening dangers, each growing in strength to the point where a concerned audience hesitates if this may be the last we see of our favorite protectors, it is the increasing anxiety we witness within the flagship title that makes us consider if the final battle may be quickly approaching, only to have our suspicions perhaps confirmed by the sinister connotations at the end of Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 2 #72, urging us to look forward to some sort of dramatic resolution within Robyn Hood Annual: Invasion, with the chance of those lingering mysteries might finally be answered.
Yet as writer Joe Brusha attempts to weave an intriguing tale within Robyn Hood Annual: Invasion, it is the suggestive closure for the aforementioned flagship issue that causes observant readers wonder what will happen, made optimistic due to the hopeful wording within the tease for the following book, using the word Then to allow us to make the anticipated assumption there will be cast survivors to lead the fight within the main title, with those ideas happily confirmed since we witnessed who lives after this horrific melodrama within last month’s issue of Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 2, all due to confusion caused by bad release management on the printer’s and/or Zenescope’s schedule. Even if we can overlook this minor stumble, and the ominous downfall of Chicago’s Finest may cause loyal readers to be hesitant of what is to come, it is Shang’s leading statement of “… we are not ready for this challenge.” and Robyn’s sardonic response “When has that ever stopped us before?”, prior to the mustached mentor’s revelation about their foes which fuels warranted speculation of what is to come, causing an interested audience to reflect upon the psychology of the underdog and how it would unfold during the following story. Due to this conscious assembly
of the narrative, with the foundation of the tale a continuation of the Star Spawn short story from Grimm Tales of Terror Quarterly: Rise of Cthulhu, we cannot but consider the special will be boldly constructed upon several predictable moments from which our heroes will be faced with impossible scenarios, this hesitation ignited by several convenient plot devices to aid the gathered with their tasks, the initial mechanism being Mystere’s curious connection to the namesake creatures, allowing them to glean the location of coming invasions, something which we never would have guessed without this outside information.
While we know our heroes will not allow darkness to befall humanity, readers cannot but collectively shake our heads as other chance device suspiciously falls into their hands via Shang’s secretive ways, since the destinations are in scattered locations, he readily has enough teleportation crystals to scatter the assembled into powerful groups, each haphazardly forced to face one of the indomitable star spawns, all as other convenient allies join the developing battles when the fight seems to be going the wrong way or an implausible idea becomes the solution to their forced dilemma. It is from these small steps where the special continues to formulaically tumble forward like narrative dominoes, every beneficial opportunity allowing for advancement appearing as a welcomed signpost to this supposedly harrowing journey, placed by the unseen hand of Brusha as he manipulates circumstances in their favor. While we may chuckle at Robyn’s sarcastic remark about the ridiculous nature of her bestial foe, any obligatory challenge of heroes forcing themselves forward is not as dire as it would seem, if only they would wait until the right chance to fall into their laps, whether it be: the present Britney helping in battle as Liesel creates a favorable solution, Hellchild with her overly effective magical blade or Ghosthawk and his new powers against a turned ally, there is nothing they cannot overcome within the limited space of this special, producing a rather uninspired story for such an ominous title, one from which we would think there would be more dire consequences if they failed, and yet the audience never had any doubt our valiant protectors would ultimately succeed.
Although the overall artwork for this special is fascinating in its dramatic presentation of our heroes, it is the glaring to the point of almost becoming blinding white page framing which massively detracts from this title, and while it may not be as distracting in the printed version of the book, the digital version which was sent to reviewers is highly noticeable when one glances at the opening page, making any image color from normal artwork appear a few degrees brighter, with this discrepancy readily apparent when we are allowed the rare chance to compare double spreads of somber tones or witness the two techniques side by side, only to painfully switch back to the dazzling brilliance of those bleached frames once the darker colors sadly pass. While it is unknown if this choice was by the illustrators themselves, since is spans the work of all of these talented artists, or was the decision of colorist Juan Manuel Rodriguez, either way it is an alarming manner to display their talent, for instead of allowing the audience to enjoy what could have been an exciting diversion within uncertainty for our heroes, the special swiftly devolves into a visual eyesore which readers might have wished for better results, since it could have been dealt from a more pleasing manner with now pronounced insight.
One cannot but feel the immediate stress from the actors in the opening page, to witness constricted eyes and furrowed brow allows Riveiro create a worrisome scene amid amazingly detailed background scenery, yet as anxiety builds and readers question what could be causing such concern, it is Juan Manuel Rodriguez’s pale palette which make us wonder if some overly attentive movie grip has overlit the area, with some areas beautifully balanced in shadow, but close-ups of the police have faces which are almost bleached, perhaps made worse due to the white page frames. However, this annoyance is soon dismissed once we turn the page, allowing the reader to slowly survey the transition between calm panic to the starting horror of a frightening sight, the sickening fuschia of a fierce starspawn with flailing tentacles perched over its victims, those piercing crimson orbs glaring down, almost feeling the fetid breath spreading upon all. Yet as we turn the page and Riveiro attempts to build heightened tension, those distracting page frames blare up again, almost negating any terror we see with hopeful brightness, even upon seeing elegantly shaded actors amid splashes of crimson, and while we may feel genuine strain due to morose inner panel tones, those pronounced white decorations negate most of the apprehension we are supposed to feel due to optimistic surroundings.
This painful framing trend continues as Renato Rei’s delicate linework portrays our heroes at Arcane Acre, and while we may be fascinated by Rodriguez’s haunting colors for the opening panel, we cannot but be concerned by odd artistic perspectives from Rei, leaping from a muddy group shot to the riveting view of seeing characters directly addressing the reader, and yet those same nuanced images are distracting once we see a lone Skye appear distorted and almost squat when viewed from a downward camera angle, making this formidable beauty appear distant when seen this way, all as the same overly zealous spotlights wash out the lower panel of three heroes. However, those minor discrepancies are quickly forgotten as Shang creates an ominous mood when recalling what they must face, the chilling depiction by Rei producing a tantalizing tension due to the amazing detail placed in each visual component, with our mentor at the center glaring at the audience in shadow from Rodriguez’s talented hand, every panel a monumental element of what is to come, either being an obstacle they must overcome or a reminder of failure civilizations who attempted to fight the coming evil. But as we stare in awe as to this single page, it is the stunning double spread which emphasizes the anxiety, to see a serene Mystere attempting to recall her connection, made more tense due to the sternness of Shang’s expression, he knowing they must succeed in this ritual or it will only mean failure for all, his black suit wonderfully contrasting against Mary’s tantalizing ebony covered curves of dark skin, the importance of the scene almost swallowed up by the otherworldly menace in the background, a fierce starspawn threatening to destroy everything in its path.
As we shudder at the ominous tension of preparations, it is a welcomed sight to see a new artist to Zenescope make her thrilling debut, Giada Belviso provides brief yet frenetic displays of the heroic beauty which we have come to know from this publisher, with the grand opening image of Sea Life London Aquarium becoming a dramatic backdrop for the excitement, but as the progressive transition between panels keeps the reader riveted to the page, one cannot but be enticed by the glowing allure of these women due to Rodriguez’s gentle touches of blush and pale skin tones against provocative costumes. Yet as Belviso attempts to repel us with a disgusting mass of tentacled horror, we gaze with hypnotic fascination at the manner by which the beautiful Britney is portrayed with flared nostrils and piercing eyes full of enraged fury, yet at the same time we cannot but stare at the boldness of her prominently exposed cleavage, as if both visual displays are outright challenges to her opponent, showing she is not afraid to charge forward if it means tearing something apart with lupine claws, even as we feel a chill run down our spines from Van Helsing’s focused glare, knowing something will be meeting a gory end. But as we progress further into the story to Long Beach, we cannot but become more impressed by Belviso’s wondrous artistic display, for while it may become less pronounced due to Rodriguez’s choice to use brighter colors, the intensity does not diminish, even as we remain entranced by the dynamic balance of feminine allure against the ridiculousness of a transformed apex predator, made more comical due to Robyn’s humorous quip referring to a cult classic from pop culture.
With the final battle quickly approaching, it is Alessio Mariani’s serene portrayal of Ghosthawk that creates a stunning impression upon the reader, nuanced yet indistinct linework suggesting a spectral nature for the individuals, made wondrously entrancing due to Rodriguez’s translucent colors, and yet when the page is turned, it is hard to imagine the harshness of the real world is portrayed by the same talented artists, for while Mariani’s gently detailed heroines still entice us to gaze in amazement, it is Rodriguez’s constantly changing palette which makes the unfolding of the story seem tonally unbalanced, shifting between bleached skin one moment to subtle shadows on the next page, as if different light sources are illuminating the same moment, but from opposing angles or times of day. Yet as the transition between dimensions becomes crucial in this battle for survival, an attentive audience may be made uneasy due to the necessary brightness of the Spirit Realm, allowing the ethereal nature of the combatants to become more pronounced, even if we may not appreciate the glaring whiteness of the pages, forcing us to cope with the moments while tension grows. It is not until our heroes return does the palette become brutally robust, all due to Maxflan Araujo’s grounding colors which permit for sincere satisfaction of the final blows, each one having a sense of resonance and making invested readers amazed by how much Mariani’s artwork can be transformed by a different colorist, allowing the gloom of the closing pages to cast a somber light upon simultaneous victory against the darkness and the prospects of a lingering doom.
While Robyn Hood Annual: Invasion may attempt to weave a somber pronouncement for the alluded doom in its title, it is an odd selection of words plus bad release management which causes an invested audience to question if this supposed visitation will be an ultimate confrontation or a rewarding underdog story, with the slanted narrative utilizing too many formulaic plot devices to be anything but unsurprising, sadly leading to a predictable outcome for what could have been an enthralling tale of Good versus Evil. Yet as fascinating artwork produces a captivating unfolding of our protectors’ epic struggles, it is a curious choice of page framing and shifting colors which makes the special visually pleasing while also equally disappointing, with too much glare to allow full visual enjoyment as we wonder what could have been done to balance this into something more pleasing. But as this unsettling conclusion warns our heroes against what they may face in the very near future, it is the ominous tremors which still linger that are more foreboding, with each hour that passes another moment of freedom to cherish, even as the clock counts down to what may the final sunrise for humanity.
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: July 12, 2023
MSRP: $7.99
