GRETEL: SEEDS OF DESPAIR, from Zenescope Entertainment on March 8th, 2023, brings Gretel and Calabar to a mysterious island near Chile where a lethal witch terrorizes the surrounding villages.
The Details
- Written by: David Wohl
- Art by: Allan Otero
- Colors by: Maxflan Araujo
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Jeff Spokes (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $5.99
- Release date: March 8, 2023
Is It Good?
GRETEL: SEEDS OF DESPAIR is another solid creature feature from the fine folks at Zenescope with the latest challenge for Gretel to track down Mother Margaret. The new villain is sufficiently dangerous, the character motivations are clear, and the definitive conclusion plants a seed that something isn’t right with Gretel.
When last we left Gretel, she encountered a series of witchy villains who all have something to do with the worst witch of them all, Mother Margaret. Now, Gretel and Calabar travel the world looking for more witches to stop while they follow Mother Margaret’s trail. This time, a Chilean witch named Despair has developed a taste for children.
David Wohl’s script has everything you want in an action/horror adventure. You have an evil villain who isn’t relatable or “misunderstood,” you get plenty of hard-hitting action that doesn’t hold back on the blood, and the ending is reasonably satisfying.
Between the wow moments, Wohl nimbly weaves in moments of doubt about Gretel’s methods for acquiring power, creating an undercurrent of dramatic tensions between Gretel and Calabar that’s likely to escalate in coming issues. In short, Wohl delivers a great story and builds anticipation for the future.
Likewise, Allan Otero’s artwork is very good in this issue. Maxflan Araujo’s coloring application is excellent, and Taylor Esposito’s lettering is characteristically outstanding. That said, Otero struggled with consistency on the character faces, so it was hard to get a read on whether or not some of the supporting players were 15 or 50.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Gretel and Calabar listening to an old woman describe La Isla de la Brujeria – an island near Chile where a powerful witch is said to kidnap people, especially children, for rituals, slavery, and food. Undeterred, Gretel and Calabar approach the Chilean locals for directions to the island.
Eventually, a haggard woman approaches Gretel and Calabar to tell them about the island. Suddenly, the witch who rules the island, Despair, takes control of the woman and warns our heroes to leave. When Gretel refuses, the woman is incinerated, and Gretel and Calabar are attacked by flying demons who were once children.
We conclude the issue with an unusual hijacking, the death of an innocent, and growing suspicion.
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Final Thoughts
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GRETEL: SEEDS OF DESPAIR is another solid creature feature to challenge Gretel and Calabar in their quest to find Mother Margaret. Wohl’s story doesn’t hold back on the action/adventure aspects and peppers in plenty of drama to keep the character moments filled with tension.
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