Welcome to another installment of Just Another Zenescope Monday. This week I will cover all of the Zenescope Entertainment comic books that were released on 5/14/14. Big thanks to Pat Shand for making sure that I always have copies of every comic to read. He works really hard and probably deserves a raise.
This week, I have three comics to review for you. Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Robyn Hood Legend #3 continues the tales of Robyn. Grimm Fairy Tales Annual 2014 and Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Dark One and both direct tie-ins with the Age of Darkness. So, strap in for some Zenescope Grimm Fairy Tales fun.
Reviews
Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Robyn Hood Legend #3 – We saw last issue that the spell used to heal Will Scarlet was wearing off. Gisbourne fights with Much and, after besting him, heads off in a huff. The rest of the party takes their leave as well, while only Will, Robyn, and Much are left behind. Robyn and Will have a tearful discussion about love, or the lack thereof, while Guy, Marion, and Avella have traveled a ways and stop for camp. Marion continues her training, but Guy is off ranting at a grave… the grave of Friar Tuck. the next morning, Guy takes the group to a lake, the final resting place of a witch who turned against the king. Marion, however, sees a spirit of water rising form the lake claiming to be that witch, Delphina. This issue is all about the preparation for war. I like the way that Pat Shand has written some powerful insights into the people of this group instead of just the team dynamics that seem prevalent in other types of comics. Larry Watts draws some clean lines and great expressions and Slamet Mujiono’s colors really make the images pop off the page.
Grimm Fairy Tales 2014 Annual – Continuing Age of Darkness with “Realms Fall: Part One”. Also this is Part 1 of the countdown to Grimm Fairy Tales #100 and Realm War! We start off with a terrorist attack at Big Ben, killing a famous American football star. Upon joining in a meeting of Sela, Giedeon, Robyn, and Shang, it is revealed that this man was a level 5 Highborne and that Hibocorp fears that the Dark Horde has been targeting these powerful Highbornes for some time now. There are very few left that Hibocorp knows of. Each of the members is assigned to a powerful Highborne to warn and protect. Sela is assigned to Andre Payne, someone familiar to those reading Grimm Fairy Tales presents Godstorm Hercules Payne #1, which I reviewed in my April summary. A whole army of the Dark Horde is out to kill Andre who, after taking a couple of bullets and getting zapped by lightning, is charged up to battle all of them. Sela shows up and it is an all out brawl. Sela takes Payne back to Hibocorp and then jets off again to save Shang. Gideon fails to find his target but removes the Dark Horde threat while Robyn shows up to find her target two days dead and an ambush waiting for her. When Sela arrives to rescue Shang she too is ambushed, but by a very special group called forth from the Nexus by the Dark Queen herself. I won’t spoil that big reveal, but you should really check out this story from the Zenescope team and written by Ralph Tedesco and drawn and colored by Andrea Meloni and Valentina Cuomo.
Grimm Fairy Tales presents The Dark One one shot – Another integral Age of Darkness tie-in. Want to find out the secret that the Dark One holds? This is like a secret origin book for one of the nasty villains of the Age of Darkness storyline. Malec is the Dark One, formerly known as the evilest evil, but now that the Dark Queen has come, she has taken that title. This is an interesting look inside the life of the Dark One, an origin not just for him for but for another player in this game, his daughter Lucine. The reader also gains an interesting insight into the relationship between Malec and his Dark Queen. This story, written by Raven Gregory and Heather Finley, with art by Ricardo Silva and colors by Mario Gonzalez, tells a sad tale of love and loss that will make you think again about the intentions and motivation of the Dark One. I know I think differently after reading this one.
That all for this week, folks. Still trying to get ahead of things, so maybe next week will include the upcoming comics as well. I appreciate you returning here for all your Zenescope news and reviews. Comment if you like this kind of thing and we will keep it up. Remember to come back next week for Just Another Zenescope Monday.
too bad the big two couldn’t snag some of these zenescope artists. they’re all pretty great!