GRIMM SPOTLIGHT: CINDERELLA VS. THE TOOTH FAIRY, from Zenescope Entertainment on October 26th, 2022, follows Cindy Monro, aka Cinderella, as she encounters the Tooth Fairy trying to eat her best friend, Gerald. It only gets weirder from there.
The Details
- Written by: Dave Franchini
- Art by: Manuel Preitano, Jordi Tarragona
- Colors by: Manuel Preitano, Robby Bevard
- Letters by: Justin Birch
- Cover art by: Jeff Spokes
- Cover price: $5.99
- Release date: October 26, 2022
Is It Good?
Well, GRIMM SPOTLIGHT: CINDERELLA VS. THE TOOTH FAIRY is an odd one. Dave Franchini dusts off Cindy Monroe for another wild, wacky, madcap adventure to save her friend Gerald from the toothsome clutches of the Tooth Fairy… but not really. When it comes to Zenescope’s Cinderella, the story is never what you think it is, and this issue is no exception.
The highlight of Franchini’s story is the palpable level of enthusiastic fun and creativity in the script. Cindy’s (mis-)adventure is chock full of cannibalistic gnomes, piranha-like pixies, alien-ish shapeshifters, and gravity-defying lands. That’s a whole lot of imagination (and “-“s) to cram into a single issue, so credit goes to Franchini for swinging for the fences.
You may be wondering, “Is this a comedy?” Not exactly. You have monsters, murder, and general mayhem, but it’s a farce because Cindy’s too nutty to take anything happening to her too seriously. If you’re familiar with the DC character, Cindy is a more pure version of Harley Quinn. In short, you get action, violence, and fantasy elements, but it’s all tinged with a silly tone.
The downside of Franchini’s story is the general lack of a Tooth Fairy. You could make the case that the title of this Spotlight is a bait-and-switch since this issue seems to be an excuse to get Cindy into Fairyland. The Tooth Fairy only shows up for a third of the issue.
The art in this Spotlight is great. This comic is the first time we’ve encountered Manuel Preitano’s work, and the results get a big thumbs up. The line work is clean and clear, the background and foreground art is detailed, and the colors are vibrant.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Cindy Monroe, aka Cinderella, having a dream about her best friend and raccoon, Gerald. When Cindy wakes up, she spends time rummaging for food in dumpsters until she suddenly hears a screech that sounds just like Gerald. When Cindy rushes to find out if she’s found her long-lost friend, she discovers Gerald is about to be eaten by Gwen, aka the Tooth Fairy.
Cindy leaps to attack, but Gwen tries to calm her down to talk about whatever is getting Cindy so worked up. During the charge, Cindy and Gwen accidentally fall through a portal to Fairyland where Cindy, Gwen, and Gearld all land in separate locations. Cindy has no choice but to survive weird dreams, attacking gnomes, swarming pixies, and gross eggs to find her friend.
We conclude the issue with the enemy of my enemy as my friend, job counseling, and a story continued.
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Final Thoughts
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GRIMM SPOTLIGHT: CINDERELLA VS. THE TOOTH FAIRY is a colorful, imaginative, wild, and wacky story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The action is over-the-top, jokes mostly land, and the silly tone is amusing.
Related Information
What’s Cinderella’s real story?
Rhodopis is the earliest historical account of a Cinderella-like character that could have inspired the story. Rhodopis was a Greek slave girl who married the King of Egypt circa 1 A.D.
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