In GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #49, available from Zenescope Entertainment on June 23rd, 2021, Skye, Sam, and Jasmine make plans to enter the book to free Shang, but an evil Skye doppelganger arrives to test Skye beyond her limits.
The Details
- Written By: Dave Franchini
- Art By: Julius Abrera, Moy R.
- Colors By: Jorge Cortes
- Letters By: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Art By: Martin Coccolo, Ivan Nunes (cover A)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: June 23, 2021
Was It Good?
Yes, it was good because it changed Skye Mathers with a cool upgrade.
When a character is backed into a corner or pushed beyond their limits, readers expect to see some net result from the character being forced to adapt. Too often these days, creative teams push their characters and then go right back to the status quo. It’s fair to say Skye’s status quo is on a new level.
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The story and dialog are very good in this issue. Skye is forced to confront her insecurities, fears, and darker impulses head-on. By facing and overcoming the worst parts of herself, she shows an additional layer of growth beyond the power upgrade. Change is good when it’s done right.
The art is typically good Zenescope quality. There are no surprises with the art but the creative team does get to flex some imagination muscle by visiting the cosmic/esoteric innards of the book, and they pull it off successfully.
You can check out samples of the creative team’s work in our GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #49 preview.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Skye, Sam, and Jasmine spend a casual morning planning their trip into the book to rescue Shang. Now that all escaped monsters have been captured, the path is clear for Shang’s rescue.
Skye heads out to get food for everyone as a potential last meal. before she gets back, another Skye enters the office and attacks Sam and Jasmine. This second Skye is an evil doppelganger released from the book at the end of the last issue.
Still confused? Read our Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #48 review to get caught up.
When the real Skye gets back with food, she finds the office in a shambles from some sort of battle and an exact copy of herself standing over the book. Evil Skye was created by the book to stop her from completing her mission and to show her how much power she could have if she would let go and let loose.
Skye, only concerned for her friends, leaps into action, and the two Skye’s duke it out. Evil Sky seems stronger and more powerful, constantly Skye with her insecurities and fear over her failures since she’s a copy of Skye in every way, concluding her memories.
As the fight progresses, Skye appears to be losing badly. Then, Skye begins to realize that if Evil Skye is this powerful as an exact copy, that must mean Skye is just as powerful or more. Glowing with magic beyond anything she’s used before, Skye destroys her evil twin and dives into the book.
The entire fight and its conclusion exactly represent the type of hero’s journey every comics fan loves to see. The villain is (at least superficially) more powerful, and the hero needs to beat the superior foe and their own hangups to win the fight. The fight pushes growth, and that makes for good storytelling.
When Skye enters the book, she’s confronted by the gigantic librarian, the entity who sent Skye on her mission to capture the escaped monsters. At first, Skye is grateful to see a friendly face, but suddenly, the librarian reveals she sent the doppelganger and captured her friends. The fairies weren’t responsible for all Skye’s troubles. The librarian started it all to destroy the Guardian of the Nexus and leave the book forever.
We conclude the issue with the librarian trapping Skye in one of her many books.
How Does It End?
Each book is like a prison. A book’s inhabitants remember where they’ve gone and what they’ve done once they leave their book. Skye’s new cellmate remembers her very well… and wants some payback.
Final Thoughts
GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #49 is a strong example of a hero fighting her way out of an impossible situation to level up. The art is strong, the writing is stronger, and the 50th issue promises to be a big bang.
Score: 8.5/10
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