BELLE: CURSED, from Zenescope Entertainment on 9/27/23, takes Belle on a wild hunt against beasts from her past that got away.
The Details
- Written by: Dave Franchini
- Art by: Rodrigo Xavier
- Colors by: Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Maxflan Araujo
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $5.99
- Release date: September 27, 2023
Is BELLE: CURSED Good?
If you’re going to a recap/montage/refresher comic to remind readers what happened to the hero over a year ago as a prelude to what’s coming next, BELLE: CURSED is as good as it gets. With the Year of Lovecraft in the rearview mirror, Dave Franchinni wastes no time putting Belle on the hunt for more beasties, but this time, all is not as it seems.
Franchini’s script centers on Belle racing through the city to capture a cloaked woman responsible for poisoning Mel. Coincidentally, the chase runs Belle afoul of Priya the Serpent Queen, Jenna the werewolf, and more. The coincidences pile up until Belle finally realizes something else is happening.
Yes, that’s right. BELLE: CURSED serves as a way to get readers back on track with Belle’s personal story as well as refresh the readers about past storylines in preparation for what comes next. What’s coming next? Well, that’s for Zenescope to know and for us to find out, but it’s a sure bet that whatever is coming will be painful.
What’s great about BELLE: CURSED? Belle is a beast hunter, so what better way to get the title back on track than fighting a collection of beasts? Franchini puts you straight into the action on panel one and doesn’t let up until the epilogue. As a bonus, Franchini forces Belle to confront her feelings of guilt over the people she couldn’t save, so the stage is set for character growth.
What’s not so great about BELLE: CURSED? Readers will feel the light bulb turn on at about the halfway point about what’s happening, but the story feels confused and incomplete up to that point. In fairness, the disorientation is intentional, but it goes on longer than necessary.
How’s the art? It’s good. Rodrigo Xavier has a firm handle on Zenescope’s house style, there’s plenty of action to keep your eyeballs engaged, and the coloring is solid.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s BELLE: CURSED About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Belle chasing a cloaked figure across the building rooftops of Philadelphia. Through the taunting dialog, we learn Mel is dying from poison, and the cloaked figure has the antidote. When Belle catches up to the cloaked figure, she seems to know all of Belle’s moves and weaknesses, knocking Belle out.
Later, Belle wakes up and pursues the cloaked figure into the sewers with the help of a tracker she placed on the cloak during their fight. Suddenly, Belle is attacked by Priya the Serpent Queen, leading to a fight with Jenna the werewolf, which proceeds to a fight with Alex the Beast.
We conclude the issue with evil doppelgangers, apartment searches, and a calling out.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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BELLE: CURSED takes Belle on a walk down memory lane to fight beasts from her past that got away. Franchini’s memory refresher serves as an effective reminder of her past adventures, leading to a setup for a greater challenge, and the art team delivers a perfectly suitable house style.
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