WONDERLAND ANNUAL: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, from Zenescope Entertainment on January 25th, 2023, brings Calie Liddle to the edge of madness and beyond when she’s given a chance to live a “normal” life.
The Details
- Written by: Raven Gregory
- Art by: Allan Otero, Dario Tallarico, Massimilliano La Manno
- Colors by: Leonardo Paciarotti
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $7.99
- Release date: January 25, 2023
Is It Good?
WONDERLAND ANNUAL: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE is an above-average dark fantasy that brings Calie Liddle, Alice in Wonderland’s daughter, back from a long hiatus to experience what life would be like if she had never been to Wonderland. Filled with a high volume of weighty moments, maddening imagery, and character growth, this annual has a lot of drama and chills for your dollar.
Raven Gregory, returning to one of the properties that established him as a creative force in Zenescope, packs a thoughtful punch in a story where Calie gets a chance to live a normal life. Just like the namesake of this annual, Calie soon finds that her life has a more profound impact on everyone around her than she realized. Unlike the namesake of this annual, Gregory shows the horrific consequences of a hero not fulfilling her purpose, so if you’re into fantasy with a bloody edge, you’re going to enjoy the dark corners this annual uncovers.
That said, this annual is triple-sized, and the pacing suffers for the number of pages. The first act is muddled and slow. The muddling may be intentional to underscore the jumbled madness always pressing on Calie’s life, but it doesn’t read well, so you may find yourself tuning out in spots during the first act. Thankfully, the story’s pace evens out into the second act and beyond.
The art ranges from good to great. As you can see from the credits, an assortment of artists worked on this annual, and while multiple artists is a red flag, the transitions here are smooth enough to not throw you off. The non-human character designs are intimidating, the bloody gore is restrained-yet-impactful, and the coloring work is excellent. Special kudos go to Taylor Esposito for the unique lettering with the disembodied voices.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Violet Liddle arrested by the police as she quietly sits next to a man with his throat cut. A madness has permeated Violet’s mind, and she’s powerless to stop it.
Later, Calie Liddle, Violet’s mother and savior of Wonderland, receives a call about Violet. When Calie pays Violet a visit in jail, Calie recognizes the signs of Wonderlnand’s madness, echoing her own struggles with the infection. Still working her way through sobriety and grief from the many deaths resulting from her adventures, Calie spirals into despair in a drunken binge. When Calie reaches her lowest point, a hooded figure appears and offers her a chance to live the life she never could.
We continue the annual with the consequences of a missing hero, death, destruction, and remembering.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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WONDERLAND ANNUAL: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE brings back the long-absent Calie Liddle for a fairytale within a fairy tale as Calie gets to find out what life would have been like if she hadn’t assumed her role in Wonderland. The dramatic elements are thoughtful and mature, the violence and fantasy elements are horrific, and the art is strong.
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