"Grimm Fairy Tales vs. Wonderland #3" Comic Review
Written by James Ferguson
Published by Zenescope Entertainment
Written by Troy Brownfield
Illustrated by Luca Claretti
2014, 32 Pages
Comic released on September 17th, 2014
Review:
As with most super hero team-ups, the meeting between Sela Mathers and Calie Liddle got off to a rocky start. Sela thought that Calie was sending soldiers through Wonderland and into Earth to wreak havoc. That was positively not true and the pair have decided to work together to figure this out and continue Calie's quest to rid Wonderland of the madness that has gripped it for so long. Now we get to see how that hope can be torn apart.
Up until this point in the Grimm Fairy Tales vs. Wonderland mini-series, we've only seen the point of view of the good guys. This issue focuses on the other side of the equation and proves that even in Wonderland, Newton's Third Law applies. (For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.) See, as the new Queen of Wonderland, Calie has been using her powers to cure the inhabitants of their insanity one at a time. With her being the force of sanity, her opposite is Prince Ian, a highborn with the power to instill madness. This is a perfect nemesis for Calie, especially considering how far she's come with her own battles against mental illness. Now one of the Shadow Spades, Prince Ian has ended up with the Dark One who has his sights set on Wonderland.
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This poor realm just can't catch a break. It was once the land of dreams before becoming corrupted into a world of nightmares and madness. Calie is trying to clean things up in her new role, but the place seems like it is not used to peace. It prefers the chaos that it once held and it's fighting against her.
Most of this issue is filled with backstory, setting up the villain for the big showdown in the final issue. When it catches up to the present in the last few pages, things escalate quickly, with Prince Ian proving himself a formidable foe and certainly one worthy of walking in the footsteps of the Jabberwocky and the Queen of Spades. He's bigger and bulkier than the rest of the Shadow Spades and he has a crown atop his head. Although his design is very similar to the rest of the soldiers, he stands out as far more fierce and deadly.
Artist Luca Claretti brings Prince Ian to life with some sharp pencils. There's a panel towards the end of the book with a punch that you can practically feel. It takes up half the page and it's the kind of thing you'd hope to get from a slow-mo shot in a movie, but with far more intensity. Blood is flying at the reader and your head is almost rocked backward by the impact.
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Even pre-transformation, Prince Ian has a slickness to him, as if he's covered in oil or slime. Once he realizes the full extent of his powers, he begins terrorizing nearby lands, destroying towns and filling the streets with blood. His eyes are filled with an apathy for those around him and a psychopathic joy at the death that is left in his wake.
Grimm Fairy Tales vs. Wonderland has been building to a large battle worthy of both titles. This issue moves the last pieces into place, setting the stage for the final showdown, leaving you begging for more. Once again Wonderland is under attack. This time Calie has some help in the form of Sela, but will it be enough to stop the Ace of Spades?
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