GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #93, by Zenescope on 2/26/25, sends the Shang Gang on a vampire hunt when the world’s second most famous vampire comes to Philadelphia.
Credits:
- Writer: Dave Franchini
- Artist: Babisu Kourtis
- Colorist: Jorge Cortes
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
- Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
- Release Date: February 26, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 26
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #93:
Recap:
When we last left the Guardian of the Nexus in Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #92, Skye met Thumbelina, a warrior able to shrink in size using her magic gem. When Thumbelina’s gem connected with Skye’s power, the two were shrunk to microscopic size and fought a tentacled menace who wanted the gem for himself. The issue ended with Skye and Thumbelina returning to the land of the big, not realizing the menace followed them.
Plot Analysis:
Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #93 begins with a battle on the streets of Philadelphia. Skye fights a shadowy figure, causing destruction and death in the surrounding streets. Skye eventually gets a good look at her opponent – it’s her or a future version of her infected with darkness. Suddenly, Skye wakes up in her bed from the nightmare.
Later, two women exit a Philadelphia nightclub to catch their ride. A limo pulls up, the driver gets out, and he opens the door to the passing ladies with an offer of a luxurious ride. When the limo driver promises there will be no extra fees, the clubgoers accept the ride. When the ladies settle in for the luxury trip, they soon see they’re not the only ones in the limo. Unfortunately, the unsuspecting victims are the next meal for the infamous Mircalla Karnstein.
Days later, Skye joins Winter and Carmen for breakfast. Their casual chit-chat is interrupted when a special news report comes on the television announcing the identity of one of two missing women found dead in Philadelphia. Winter and Carmen recognize the dead partygoer as a friend from school, prompting the trio to head to the morgue to investigate.
That night, the trio suits up and arrives at the morgue, but the cadaver drawer where the body should be resting is empty. Skye notices a pool of blood spreading underneath the door connected to the coroner’s office. The issue ends with the undead spreading their curse quickly and the arrival of Zenescope’s resident vampire hunter.
First Impressions:
Overall, you can’t go wrong with vampires. Writer Dave Franchini makes the welcome choice to use another famous literary vampire that isn’t Dracula, so there’s plenty of fresh potential in this start to a new arc.
Artwork and Presentation:
Babisu Kourtis may have finally found the script material that suits his penchant for dark shadows and heavy figure lines. Vampires are the best example of a creature that works in shadow, so Kourtis’s typically rough line work looks much better when the details are organically hidden.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
Zenescope is no stranger to vampires, but this is the first time the Shang Gang has faced vampires in the current volume against this particular vampire, so you can make the case that Dave Franchini is giving readers a unique twist on a familiar theme.
The Negatives:
This point may seem small, but it underscores a thematic struggle with this series. When the trio of heroes pop into the morgue separately, they make a lot of noise and mess just to get a laugh. The reason for the mess is explained, but the explanation is weak, and there were ten other ways to get the same job done without mess or noise. The joke was intended to show how the younger team members still have things to learn, but it’s silly, and it lessens your respect for the characters.
Final Thoughts:
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GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #93 sets up a new arc that pits the Shang Gang against the second most famous literary vampire. Dave Franchini’s script sets up a vampire plague beautifully, and Babisu Kourtis’s rough inks are a good fit for a horror tale bathed in shadows. That said, a few moments of jokiness kill the tension.
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