Reviews - Van Helsing: Vampire Hunter and Grimm Fairy Tales
Out this week from Zenescope Entertainment
Out now from Zenescope Entertainment are three new comics - Van Helsing: Vampire Hunter and two Grimm Fairy Tales comics. Here are some of my thoughts.
Van Helsing: Vampire Hunter #1
Return to the Victorian Age for a classic tale in the life of young Liesel Van Helsing! To this day, the Van Helsing name haunts the waking hours of vampires throughout the world. But, in the late 1800s, at the height of the war of the night in Europe, a new, yet forebodingly familiar evil is rising, and this time, even the famed Vampire Hunter may not be formidable enough to stop it.
Writer Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini, David Wohl & Pat Shand, Writer Pat Shand, Artwork Giulia Pellegrini, Colors Robby Bevard, Letters Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editor David Wohl and Production & Design Christopher Cote
You’d think that with the history of Van Helsing, there would be more of these adventures. Nevertheless, this is a welcome addition, adding to some of the lore behind the character.
In this issue, we get an introduction to Van Helsing - her background, how she is, and the team who work with her. The grotty Victorian London works well as a launch for this, but after a short amount of time, we are whisked away into Europe.
This initial issue works well, framing the story to come over this mini-series and building on the new characters we meet along the way. I like that the characters are distinct in their methods, but all fall under the Van Helsing leadership.
The issue isn’t short on action either. There are introductory flashbacks of the new characters and some good old-fashioned vampire battling. It works well in a confined space and has some excellent panels.
The issue finishes with a nice twist or two, with an immediate problem to deal with and something vastly bigger.
This is a good starting issue for new and old readers.
Get it at Forbidden Planet:
Grimm Fairy Tales Annual
The Last Dream
The universe is on the edge of destruction – Baba Yaga and the Faceless Woman’s plan is coming to fruition – And, Skye Mathers with her allies are all that stand in the way of our world blinking out of existence. Don’t miss this climactic battle for all of reality in the ultimate finale to the Rise of Cthulhu saga of the Grimm Universe!
Story Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini & David Wohl, Writer Dave Franchini, Artwork Rodrigo Xavier, Julius Abrera, Allan Otero & Derlis Santacruz, Colors Jorge Cortes, Letters Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editor Dave Franchini & Production & Design Christopher Cote
Taking place before the latest issue in the main series (below), this issue wraps up many storylines and draws a line, for now, under all of the ‘old god’ storylines.
Many of our storylines converge here; honestly, I think it is time. There was a great risk of the story becoming too convoluted. Yes, it was enjoyable, and it did introduce new facets to the existing characters while introducing new good and evil ones, but we are here now.
With Holmes and Lovecraft being the two leads in the investigating part, we also get a fair degree of action with Skye.
It seems all roads lead the same way.
Even so, there were some good moments where they discovered how to assist Skye, Lovecraft and Holmes. And the Musketeers make their presence felt in many ways. The final battle(s) played out well, and there was a good finish to it all. Of course, nobody may be truly gone, and the issue does end with a question mark.
The larger annual size works well in this issue, and we go onwards…
Get it at Forbidden Planet:
Grimm Fairy Tales #79
Picking up after the events of the Grimm Fairy Tales Annual, the residents of Arcane Acre must deal with their greatest loss yet, but will they be able to hold themselves–and the world–together as everything falls down around them? What lies ahead for the Grimm Universe is a new terror only dreamt of in the most depraved nightmares, and waking from this horrible reality might not be an option!
Story Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini & David Wohl, Writer Dave Franchini, Artwork Babisu Kourtis, Colors Jorge Cortes, Letters Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editor Dave Franchini & Production & Design Christopher Cote
Bookending the tales which finished above, Skye is in some strange trouble. It does seem an interesting yarn, which takes Skye into the dreamworld and helps her escape. There are some interesting enemies and also some help.
Shang feels pressure in the ‘real’ world, which shows in his art style and actions. You do end up feeling for him in this issue.
As the story progresses, we get a good look around, and I do wonder if it will be somewhere we will be revisiting in the future. As it comes to the end there is an interesting sacrifice and a twist in the tail that means we have something to wonder about moving forward.
A good pallette cleanser of an issue!
Get it at Forbidden Planet:
