"The Dream Eater Saga: Parts 1 - 4" Comic Review
Written by James "Spez" Ferguson
Published by Zenescope Entertainment
Originally published as Grimm Fairy Tales: The Dream Eater Saga #1, The Piper One Shot, Myths & Legends #6, Wonderland One Shot
Written by Raven Gregory
Illustrated by Roberto Viacava, Allan Otero, Alfred Trujillo, Novo Malgapo and Marco Cosentino
Comics released in June and July 2011
Click images to enlarge.
Review:
Zenescope's first major crossover event is now a third of the way through. Rather than review each issue individually, I've decided to break up the 12 part series into three posts. Here we're going to be covering the one shots of Once Upon a Time and The Piper, Myths & Legends #6, and the Wonderland one shot. Before we begin, please make sure you've read the Prologue as that sets the stage for this story.
Author Raven Gregory hits the ground running with The Dream Eater Saga. Tying in to earlier issues of Grimm Fairy Tales, the Dream Eater is released after a major battle. His mission is clear: He's to protect humanity at all costs. That means destroying the magical beings that have infiltrated our world after escaping their own. Unfortunately for most, there are quite a few of those roaming around.
The first issue is mainly a setup for the overall event. It introduces all of the players and shows you where they're starting this journey. The Dream Eater's very presence transcends time and space and is felt across all the realms, finally landing on Earth. Everything is black and white with the Dream Eater. Any Highborn or Pureblood, beings that come solely from the Realms of Power, must be destroyed. First on the Dream Eater's agenda is the Queen of Hearts, who's currently running a house of mirrors at a carnival. She uses it as a front to lure in unsuspecting victims.
The Piper one shot follows up on the title character now working as a mystical bounty hunter. He's sought out by people looking for revenge. We're also given a glimpse into his past that shows how he became the cruel killer he is today. The Piper is confronted by the Dream Eater and the two have a fierce battle, showcasing just how powerful the latter is.
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Myths & Legends picks up right where the Piper issue left off, with the witch Baba Yaga looking for power to stop the Dream Eater. She ends up with an unlikely accomplice in Samantha, the current protector of Earth. The two battle it out with the Dream Eater but quickly realize that they cannot defeat him at this time.
Meanwhile, the Chesire Cat has broken free of his prison and has made his way to Earth looking for revenge against his captor, Callie Liddle. Now living peacefully with her daughter, Violet, Callie is fighting off insanity while worrying that Violet will follow in her footsteps. The Liddle family does not have a good track record when it comes to mental health. Fortunately for the Liddles, the Dream Eater shows up to fight the now emaciated Chesire Cat.
If it sounds like a lot is going on in these issues, you're right. I can't possibly do the story justice in a few paragraphs, but suffice it to say that this is a huge event. It's incredibly smart on Zenescope's part to have author Raven Gregory handle the writing on each issue. This keeps the plotline tight without hurting the main series. Gregory seamlessly passes the baton from character to character between issues, so each one flows into the next without a bump or a need — or chance — to take a breath. While most of the issues so far have been one shots, any of them can be picked up and read on their own. Obviously I wouldn't recommend that, as this is all part of a larger arc, but it's impressive nonetheless.
Click images to enlarge.
While Gregory is handling the script for the entire story, he has help from a variety of different artists. Fortunately, Zenescope has pulled in a lot of their top talent for the first third of the Dream Eater Saga. Their styles look a little similar, but each is given a chance to shine a bit with the different creatures and monsters that have come in so far. Unsurprisingly, the Chesire Cat is still frightening, but even more so now that he's been starved for years. There are a handful of awkward panels here and there, but nothing that's distracting from the book.
The Dream Eater Saga is still rolling strong and these first four issues are just the setup to the overall tale. The players are being moved into place and I can't wait to see what else Raven Gregory has in store for them. Part 5 was just released, but if you're interested in checking this out, you should still be able to find these issues at your local shop.
Click images to enlarge.
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