GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #94, by Zenescope on 3/26/25, puts the Shang Gang on the trail of infamous vampire Mircalla Karnstein to rescue a friend.
Credits:
- Writer: Dave Franchini
- Artist: Babisu Kourtis
- Colorist: Jorge Cortes
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
- Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
- Release Date: March 26, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 26
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #94:
Recap:
When we last left Skye and the Shang Gang in Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #93, Skye and the Three Musketeers headed to the morgue to investigate the deaths of two women. When they arrived, they found a vampire plague breaking out, courtesy of the new vampire in town, Mircalla Karnstein. The plague was quickly put down with help from resident Grimm vampire hunter Liesel Van Helsing, but more bloody work lies ahead.
Plot Analysis:
In Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #94, Liesel Van Helsing leads the Skye and the Shang Gang from one vampire nest to another, looking for Laura, the partygoer friend of the Three Musketeers who disappeared the same night as the last victims. Laura is indeed in the clutches of Mircalla Karnstein, and the queen vampire can sense her thralls dropping like flies, so she decides to put an end to the nuisance.
Skye gets a lead from one of the vampires before she destroys him, leading to a grave in a cemetery where one shouldn’t be. Liesel digs up the grave and sets off a small explosive to uncover a hidden passageway beneath the grave. The passageway leads to a lab formerly run by one of Liesel’s old enemies, Westenra Industries. Inside the lab, Liesel, Skye, and the rest fall victim to a release of knockout gas set off by Karnstein.
When the group wakes up, they find themselves chained to rocky outgrowths in an underground cavern. Skye blasts herself free and begins to free the others when Karnstein arrives. The issue ends with a swift kick in the butt, a face smash, and a little nibble before dinner.
First Impressions:
Grimm Fairy Tales (Vol. 2) #94 is a solid superhero vs. vampire action comic until it gets to the end. Then, it falls apart. C’est la vie.
Artwork and Presentation:
It’s unclear what happened to Babisu Kourtis in this issue, but the line work quality looks ten times better than what we’re used to seeing from Kourtis. Smooth edges and shadow outlines still need some work, but there’s a noticeable improvement in precision in this issue, especially in the hair.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
If you like reading about your favorite heroes slicing, dicing, staking, and burning vampires, this issue has you covered. Plus, Dave Franchini’s Easter Egg about a connection to Westenra Industries helps pull this adventure into Liesel Van Helsing’s world instead of positioning her as just a convenient cameo.
The Negatives:
Dave Franchini’s ending is where the book turns a great Easter Egg into a big Goose Egg. When Skye is confronted by Mircalla Karnstein, she suddenly forgets how to use her powers and is captured easily. The fight ends badly simply to get to the end, where Mircalla bites Skye, but it doesn’t feel in the slightest bit earned.
Final Thoughts:
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GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #94 delivers plenty of vampire-slaying action when Skye and the Shang Gang team up with Liesel Van Helsing to stop a famous vampire queen. Dave Franchini’s script moves at a good pace and doesn’t shy away from the bloody action. Plus, Babisu Kourtis’s line work quality stepped up a notch. That said, the ending is a boneheaded miss.
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