GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #86, by Zenescope on 7/31/24, brings Zenescope’s favorite witch hunter to town when an ancient evil draws the attention of Mother Margaret and mercenaries.
Credits:
- Writer: Dave Franchini
- Artist: Babisu Kourtis
- Colorist: Jorge Cortes
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Jeff Spokes (cover A)
- Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
- Release Date: July 31, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 26
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #86:
First Impressions:
GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #86 brings the heat and the mayhem when Dave Franchini starts a new adventure that puts the Shang Gang in the center of a witch fight. Horror-based threats tend to be Gretel’s domain, but Franchini creates a setup that makes sense for the Arcane Acre to get involved. That said, the story is told with parallel plots that don’t come together until the end, so new readers will find the reading experience disjointed.
Plot Analysis:
GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #86 begins with Gretel saddling up to a bar for a beer in the morning. Her peppy bartender is willing to lend an ear to hear about her 400-year-old troubles, but Gretel would rather drink in silence. Suddenly, the patrons turn into snakes, and the bartender reveals himself as John Hazel, a warlock in service to Gretel’s nemesis, Mother Margaret.
Dave Franchini wastes no time getting straight to the action after a brief bit of inner monologuing. Gretel is used to magical attacks, but we’re not used to seeing them in this type of traditional form in a GFT comic, so longtime GFT readers get a bold look into the type of trouble the Shang Gang is in for.
The issue cuts to Arcane Acre where we see Savannah showing off her magical powers to the amusement of the Musketeers and her fellow students. Suddenly, a grenade crashes through the window and lands in the middle of the group. Diego jumps on the grenade to muffle the blast with his unbreakable skin, and the others quickly change into battle gear to prepare for the next attack.
The preceding scene does a fine job of reminding readers about the characters, their personalities, and their powers. Plus, the sudden switch into threat response stacks the energy level from Gretel’s fight. However, the transition from Grete’s thread to the Arcane Acre thread doesn’t transition well and comes across as super jarring.
Meanwhile, Shang takes Skye and Sam through a portal to an unknown realm. After some impatient prodding by Sam, Shang reveals the realm is a pocket dimension created by the glowing sphere he acquired in a previous issue. The sphere can create any pocket dimension from the thoughts of its holder, so Shang believes they have the perfect training ground to prepare their students for war. Sam and Sky like the idea of options, but the thought of training children for war is troublesome.
Franchini uses the scene to set up a cool “toy” that could come in handy later, and the ethical questions Sam, Skye, and Shang debate sound reasonable, but to Shang’s point, how many world-ending threats does the Shang Gang have to face before they realize they’re not taking preparation seriously enough?
GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #86 then flip flops between the fight at Arcane Acre and the bar. The issue concludes with Gretel learning Mother Margaret is interested in what’s happening, mercenaries on a mission, and a half introduction.
Overall, Franchini sets up a perfectly decent start to a witch-centric adventure to justify a team-up between the students and teachers of Arcane Acre with Gretel. The disparate threads are emblematic of the characters and their adventures, and the object that brings them together makes sense. That said, the flip-flopping between two threads is jarring through most of the issue.
Artwork and Presentation:
In general, Babisu Kourtis’s art is perfectly serviceable and marked improvement over recent years. With each issue, Kourtis presents cleaner inks and crisper lines. However, the anatomy proportions still need work, and Kourtis’s facial acting is stiff.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
If you’re new to Grimm Fairy Tales, this issue serves as a solid enough jumping-on-point to get introduced to the characters. You don’t need any foreknowledge to get the general gist of what’s happening because Dave Franchini reveals enough through the dialog and inner thoughts from the key players to bring readers up to speed.
Final Thoughts:
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GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #86 starts a witch-centric adventure that brings Gretel to town to stop an ancient evil. Dave Franchini invents a scenario that makes sense, and Kourtis’s artwork keeps getting better. However, the narrative construction of the comic feels very disjointed, and the art, while improved, has weaknesses.
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