WONDERLAND ANNUAL: REIGN OF MADNESS, available from Zenescope Entertainment on September 22nd, 2021, spins a yarn of two sisters from Wonderland who wage war for control of the realm when one is bewitched by the Jabberwocky.
The Details
- Written By: David Wohl
- Art By: Eman Casallos, Ismael Canales, Juan Francisco Mota, Allan Otero
- Colors By: Maxflan Araujo,Walter Pereyra
- Letters By: Kurt Hathaway
- Cover Art By: Igor Vitorino, Ivan Nunes (cover A)
- Cover Price: $7.99
- Release Date: September 22, 2021
Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.
It’s 100% FREE. Sign up NOW!
Was It Good?
It was surprising.
Realm-hopping is nothing new for Zenescope and this isn’t the first visit to Wonderland. However, this is the first time in recollection that readers have gotten such a full and complete story with relatively original characters that read at such a miraculously brisk pace. This book flies by.
In terms of all the story elements you could want, it’s all here. There’s character development and growth. This is an adventure/fantasy comic so you get a fair amount of monsters, magic, and battles. You get a clean story all the way through that makes sense, doesn’t appear to have any plot holes or characters that don’t act in a relatable way, and wraps up with a satisfying conclusion that leaves the door open for more.
In every sense, this is a solid, complete comic.
The art is generally good, Zenescope house style. The character designs are original, the action and little bits of horror are creative and executed well. The one minor down point is the lack of whimsical designs for the surroundings. This is Wonderland, so you’d expect to see a lot more oddity in the designs of the land, forests, and towns, but as it is, the general surroundings are generic. It’s not terrible, but it lacks a Wonderland aesthetic.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Eve and Ada are twin sisters growing up in Wonderland. Eve is the kind and generous one who acts from the heart. Ada is the curious one who always acts with her head.
One day, Eve finds an ancient cave while exploring the woods and accidentally awakens the sleeping Jabberwocky. The monster tries to seduce Eve into spreading its infection of madness but Eve rejects the offer and runs away. Ada curiously retraces Eve’s steps later and finds the Jabberwocky. The offer is too strong to ignore for Ada and she becomes Jabberwocky’s Queen of Madness.
As the sisters grow and mature, they begin gathering their forces as Eve’s attacks against the citizens of Wonderland escalate. Eve takes over towns by infecting everyone with Jabberwocky’s madness. Ada takes in the refugees and survivors to help rebuild the destruction where they can.
We conclude the issue with a war for the mind and soul of Wonderland, a sister-against-sister confrontation in that ancient cave, and a display of Jabberwocy’s powers of resurrection.
Final Thoughts
WONDERLAND ANNUAL: REIGN OF MADNESS fleshes out a full epic about sisters brought to opposite sides of the war for Wonderland. The art is typically good Zenescope quality and the writing packs in a ton of story and character development for a deceptively quick read.
Score: 9/10
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com