GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #55 – Review

GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #55, from Zenescope Entertainment on December 29th, 2021, finds Skye and Julia trying to convince the Belle of 1930s-era Earth to help them find the next portal gem.

The Details

• Written By: Dave Franchini
• Art By: Babisu Kourtis
• Colors By: Jorge Cortes
• Letters By: Taylor Esposito
• Cover Art By: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: December 29, 2021

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Was It Good?

GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #55 is a fine entry in the series. It won’t blow your socks off, but it’s okay. There’s nothing glaringly wrong with the series or where it’s headed, but it feels like something’s missing. More on that in a minute.

Franchini does a fine job introducing readers to another alternate universe that takes the characters we know and recasts them into a 1930s-ish setting, complete with Tommy guns and speakeasy’s. The voice of the characters reflects a manner of speaking that feels like something out of an old B&W gangster film, giving the story an air of authenticity. The story feels more like a time travel entry than a multiverse-hopping entry, but it works well for the story Franchini is telling.

The piece that’s missing is any sort of feeling of growth or change, either for the characters or the setting. You can assume Skye is going to win and make it to the next universe, but it doesn’t feel like she’s grown or changed from the last universe. In other words, it doesn’t feel like she takes anything with her from one universe to the next. For the journey to worth it, Skye should be learning something about herself. Or, the conflict in each universe should change her somehow. As it stands, the model seems to be “appear in a new universe, fight, get the gem, leave”.

We’re not seeing how the universe has changed as a result of Skye’s actions or how Skye has become a different character as a result of each universe’s influence. It doesn’t take much. Perhaps Skye could learn something unique about one of her friends that changes how she looks at them going forward.

Likewise, the art in this issue is fine. Kourtis and Cortes do a decent enough job with the pencils, inks, and colors, but to be fair, the pencils are not the best and the colors are not blended well on several panels. However, their work is improving with each issue, so I’m looking forward to seeing how well their work turns out in future issues.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

If you’re curious about how Skye and Julia got from the Cyberpunk Universe to the Early 20th-Century Gangster Universe, first read our GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #54 review.

We begin with Skye and Julia confronted by the Early 20th-Century Gangster Universe’s version of Belle in a darkened alley next to a dead body. Skye tries to convince alt-Belle they mean no harm, but trust doesn’t come easy. Suddenly, a gang of Serpenteers show up looking for their friend (the dead body) and attack the newly-formed trio in retaliation.

Belle, Skye, and Julia eventually defeat the Serpenteers, but they flee when they hear the local police coming so as to avoid any uncomfortable questions. Later, Julia and Skye change into universe-appropriate attire provided by Belle’s friends so they can meet and share information without drawing attention. Skye explains what she knows about the red gem and why she’s after it. Belle explains her brother disappeared when he got mixed up with gangsters working on an illegal shipment of artifacts, including the red gem.

We conclude the issue with an old-style gangster shootout, very personal collateral damage for Belle, and Shang’s lack of communication yielding trust issues back in Wonderland.

Final Thoughts

GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #55 drops Skye and Julia into the next, novel universe for an interesting amalgam of classic gangster hijinx and monsters. The art is decent enough and the story gets the job done, but the universe of the month model is starting to feel formulaic.

Score: 7/10

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