GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #90, by Zenescope on 11/27/24, sends Skye and Sela on a mission to Myst to save the Dragon Guards from The Dark One and his acolytes.
Credits:
- Writer: Dave Franchini
- Artist: Babisu Kourtis
- Colorist: Jorge Cortes
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Luca Strati (cover A)
- Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
- Release Date: November 27, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 26
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #90:
First Impressions:
Writer Dave Franchini’s latest entry in the arc that pits the Shang Gang against the Dark One’s growing influence is decent enough. Some of the choices made by Sela and Skye come off as forced to make their predicament worse than it needed to be, but Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #90 gets the job done.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Skye and the Shang Gang in Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #89, the Congregation of the Dead kept up random attacks against Skye and her friends. Meanwhile, Sela and her allies fought desperately against the Dark One’s armies in Myst. The issue ended with Sela mysteriously materializing in Shang’s kitchen.
In Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #90, we get a flashback narrated by Sela as she explains what happened on the battlefield in Myst before she teleported to Earth. The Dragon Guard engaged the Dark One’s army in a savage battle. Suddenly, a new warrior leaped into the chaos and decimated most of the Dragoon Guard. Without a formal introduction, Sela deduced the warrior was the Dark One’s son, Merran. Before Merran could wipe out Sela, her sword instinctively teleported her to Earth.
In a comic that relies on action, it’s frowned upon to have big developments happen off-panel. Dave Franchini wisely uses a flashback to fill in the gaps created by the last issue cliffhanger with a rousing and disheartening defeat in battle and a strong introduction to Marron.
Sela tells the Shang Gang she has to go back to rescue whoever remains from the Dragon Guard and find a way to stop the Dark One. Everyone except Diego offers to go with her, but Sela explains the Shang Gang needs to stay behind in case she fails. Only Sky changes Sela’s mind because Skye’s role as Guardian of the Nexus brings all realms under her responsibility, including Myst.
Sela’s explanation to have the Shang Gan doesn’t make a lot of sense. Sela was no match for Marron, so why would she think she could gather a remnant of the Dragon Guard and do better? Wouldn’t it make more sense to gather the most powerful allies she has for a coordinated attack? In Sela’s plan, the outcome is almost certainly a failure.
The issue concludes with Sela and Skye finding out what happened to the Dragon Guard soldiers who were kept alive and Skye meeting Ivy, but not really.
Overall, Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #90 develops a seemingly insurmountable challenge for the Guardian of the Nexus and her allies, which should make for a strong adventure. That said, Dave Franchini makes the characters make unwise choices to make the task ahead much, much harder.
Artwork and Presentation:
We dinged the art team pretty hard in the last review for sloppier-than-usual inks and a bizarre lettering choice that made portions of the dialog unreadable. Unfortunately, none of those problems have been addressed, so you get a generally solid set of panel layouts and compositions, but the inks are downright sloppy in several spots, and the Dark One’s dialog is difficult to read.
Art Samples:
Final Thoughts:
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GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #90 follows the Dark One’s march to take over Myst by decimating the Dragon Guard. Dave Franchini’s script paints a solid picture of impossible-to-beat villains, but the heroes make boneheaded decisions that don’t make sense. Plus, the art continues to look uncharacteristically rough.
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