GRIMM TALES OF TERROR QUARTERLY: BACK TO SCHOOL, from Zenescope Entertainment on June 29th, 2022, assigns you four tales of schoolyard terror to make detention look like a trip to an Amusement Park. Staying after school never hurt so good.
The Details
- Written By: David Wohl, Dave Franchini, Franco Giacomarra, Dan Bookbinder, R. Honor Vincent, Max Robinson
- Art By: Massimiliano La Manna, Alessandro Uezu, Allan Otero, Eduardo Garcia
- Colors By: Walter Pereyra, Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Maxflan Araujo, Leonardo Paciarotti
- Letters By: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Art By: Al Barrionuevo (coverA)
- Cover Price: $8.99
- Release Date: June 29, 2022
Was It Good?
GRIMM TALES OF TERROR QUARTERLY: BACK TO SCHOOL imagines what happens when Keres, Zenescope’s omnipresent Goddess of Death, takes a position as a school guidance counselor and unleashes Hell on teachers and students with a bone to pick or a dark desire to satisfy. As with practically every anthology, some shorts are stronger than others, but on average, this is one of Zenescope’s better quarterlies.
The strongest story of the bunch is Fitcher’s Egg. The protagonist, Cecily, encapsulates the stereotype of the ugly duckling, but the creators are careful not to go overboard with Cecily’s transition when a supernatural situation gives her the chance to bloom. It’s a strong morality tale about getting what you wish for and the consequences of letting success go to your head.
The weakest short in the set is Don’t Be Afraid for two reasons. First, the clarity of what’s happening to Julie, the protagonist, as she’s stalked by a shadowy figure isn’t clear and doesn’t make sense until the “twist” ending. Even when the twist happens, the progression of Julie’s ordeal doesn’t make a lot of sense. Second, the art is generally good, but the rendering of Julie’s father is odd. He looks way too young and presents as a slightly older brother than a father.
Despite the weakness of Don’t Be Afraid, it’s still a serviceable story with a creepy monster lurking in the shadows. When you consider the weakest short is still okay, that’s the sign of a positive anthology overall.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
As with all our anthology reviews, we’ll touch on each short briefly to let you know what it’s about and what worked or didn’t.
Don’t Be Afraid
Julie is haunted by a shadowy figure lunging at her from every corner and doorway whenever she’s alone. She soon finds out the figure is tied to a satanic pact in which Julie is an unwitting participant.
Again, this is the weakest story of the bunch, primarily because the juxtaposition of Julie’s stalker, and what the public believes is the ordeal Julie is suffering through, isn’t clear. Everyone around Julie acts as if she’s suffered through a painful event, but what that event is and how we’re supposed to react to it isn’t spelled out.
Fitcher’s Egg
Cecily is the shy, awkward girl who doesn’t have her act together and constantly suffers through the taunts of the mean girls’ clique. One day, Cecily is given an assignment with an egg to nurture and protect as if it were a child. Cecily soon finds that protecting the egg is rewarded with wishes that make life better for Cecily and worse for her enemies.
This is the strongest and most Tales from The Crypt-like story in the bunch. It’s a morality play with a clear premise and a perfect “monkey’s paw” ending.
The Flayer
Austin is a budding artist who can’t seem to get attention, aside from the unwanted abuse by his local bully. When Austin finds some online tips about creating sigils to make your wishes come true, his light brush with mysticism leads him down a path to creating a tulpa, a being created through mental will, to carry out his commands. However, Austin soon finds that creations sometimes take on a life of their own.
This is a well-done take on the Pandora’s Box concept. Austin’s desires are selfish but not harmful, and it’s his impatience that unleashes something terrible. Again, it’s a morality play centered on success through persistence and a warning against shortcuts.
Hell Night
A teacher, Cara Lewison, has a sexual taste for her younger, male students. Unfortunately, one of her conquests committed suicide over the affair, and his classmates turn to the dark arts for revenge.
This is an okay take on karma coming back to bite you, especially when your appetites prey on the innocent. The leadup to Cara’s fate intentionally keeps readers off-balance to mirror the main character’s confusion, and the ending is the goriest outcome of any story in this book.
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Final Thoughts
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GRIMM TALES OF TERROR QUARTERLY: BACK TO SCHOOL is one of the better horror quarterlies from Zenescope with a 4-story anthology that plays on the insecurities and angst of High School life. The weakest short is fairly serviceable, so you’re going to enjoy this collection on the whole.
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