Still catching up? Yep, the list is not too long, but there are a few I still want to cover for you all. Zenescope consistently publishes high quality comics each and every month with strong female leads and well thought out stories. Yes, there may be a little less clothing than some people are comfortable with… but a lot of times that is just on the covers, and even then only on the variants. So, don’t judge a book by the cover, crack one open and read it!
Grimm Fairy Tales presents Dark Shaman #1 – 4: This is the first time I am going to review a whole series all at once from Zenescope. This four-issue mini-series tells the story of the Dark Shaman. Sela Mathers goes to a flea market and comes across one booth selling some Native American blankets and artifacts. One of the blankets catches her attention and plunges us into the tale. The story focuses on Colby, a descendant of the Timucua tribe that has lost touch with her heritage due to the loss of her father when she was very young. Her boyfriend, Leo, is very focused on uncovering and exploring all types of Native American history. As they travel out to an island vacation, a dark force begins an ancient ritual that could mean death and destruction for any in its wake. Colby has strange dreams of being called by one who is the arisen. That dark shaman calls the animals and attacks each of the vacationers in turn. Colby begins to understand her visions and tries to help her friends understand. The dark one wants revenge for a past wrong and it seems that Colby fits into this somehow. She finally realizes that she is the spirit of the chief of the Timucua tribe, brother to the Dark Shaman, and the showdown begins. You will have to pick up this awesome series if you want to know how things turn out. Another great work by Erica J. Heflin. My Rating: 4/5
Grimm Fairy Tales presents Warlord of Oz #5 + #6: As the Warlord continues to try to revive Zamora, Dorothy and Smynthe continue their quest. Bartleby and Thorne work with the munchkins against the forces of the Horde. King Grizzle attacks and sends up a signal that all the captives follow in their rebellion. However, the real threat turns out to be someone close to Dorothy, as Smynthe proves he is a traitor. Dorothy is captured by Warlord and her blood is used to resurrect Zamora, who surprisingly turns out to be Dorothy’s mother. Talk about a bit of shock. “Help me, Aunty Em!” The battle rages with Adraste swooping into the rescue. As Zamora steals Thora’s power, the final conflict is not necessarily between good and evil, but an internal struggle over our own choices and how we deal with power. What will happen? We shall see. Jeff Massey is a good writer and the artwork of Miguel Mendoca really adds to this story. My Rating: 4.5/5
Grimm Fairy Tales presents Inferno: Rings of Hell #3: The finale of this story of Lucifer and Mercy fighting through the circles of Hell. Everyone thinks they are dead, but Lucifer and Mercy continue to battle, with this issue starting in the 7th ring of Hell. While the Dark One continues to struggle with the feelings of humiliation and degradation that he feels because of the Dark Queen’s treatment of him, he struggles to reassert control, but the loss of Lucifer has hit him harder than he expected. In the 8th ring, Lucifer and Mercy look upon the Bolgias, endless ditches filled with the sinners who have committed what are called “minor” frauds; con-men, brown-nosers, and hypocrites. They hitch a ride on a dragon and head on to the 9th circle to meet Satan. Have they been seriously misled by their album covers? Maybe, but they are determined to bring justice to the Dark Queen and pay her back for what she has done. Will they be successful? You have to check out this story, because the end is a killer. My Rating: 5/5
Grimm Fairy Tales vs. Wonderland #4: The big finish to this great tale. The Queen of Spades has been killed and Callie is still trying to bring peace to the madness of Wonderland. The problem is that there is a card soldier with a Highborn power that could undo everything. Will the combined powers of Sela and Callie be enough to stop him? Even combining their powers may not be enough. This is a great story with a lot of action and fight scenes. The ending is pretty cool, too, as it sets things up for a future with some solid villains, as the Age of Spades begins in Wonderland. If you haven’t read this series, I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of GFT or Wonderland. My Rating: 4.5/5
Another catch up article down, only one more to go and we should be back on track. Thanks for sticking with me. I hope this kind of article is what you are looking for as we explore the truly amazing universe that Zenescope Entertainment has developed over the last 10 years. Here’s to at least another 10.
