GRIMM FAIRY TALES: 2010 HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
Published by: Zenescope
Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco and Raven Gregory
Art: Allison Rodrigues, Gledson Barreto and Marcio Abreu
Ah, another Halloween Special from GRIMM FAIRY TALES. I really dug the first Halloween Special I previously read/reviewed and was hoping for more of the same here. Like that issue, this one is an oversized issue that is comprised of a sole narrative. This one is not as inspired, or nostalgic, as the first Halloween Special but it is a hell of a lot of fun and should please fans of the series and/or horror pop-culture.
This one is basically one big jab at the current state of vampire films/shows/books. In other words, it takes pride in making fun of TWILIGHT. The anti-TWILIGHT jokes are getting a little stale now, but that does not mean that I’m sick of them. Not yet, anyway. Luckily, this rises above mere parody and actually does manage to tell a worthwhile story while at time same time making some subtle (and not so subtle) jokes at contemporary glittery vampire culture. The issue is entertaining throughout and really reminded me of early seasons of BUFFY, which is as good a compliment as I can give in this case.
The writing is the standout here with a lot of clever dialogue and attempts at humor that succeed more often than not. The premise is a tad thin and predictable, which is unfortunate considering the oversized nature of this issue, but it does not get boring. There is a lot of action in the final pages, which limits the amount of text, but the story never suffers as a result. This is another book featuring strong storytelling from the team of GRIMM FAIRY TALES.
The art here was a tad underwhelming. As with the other books, it is a group effort. Conveniently enough, this time they’ve even credited the artists for the pages that they worked on so that reader actually knows whose work it is that they’re looking at. It is really hit or miss this time around, with some of the images being the best I’ve seen in the series and some just appearing flat and uninspired. I almost get the feeling that certain sections of this were rushed as far as the art is concerned as they just don’t look as polished as others. It definitely makes this issue harder to recommend than the previous one, which is a shame as this one features a really fun storyline and some great art. It’s just too bad that the rest isn’t up to par.
I really can’t imagine fans of GRIMM FAIRY TALES not liking this issue, some lackluster art aside. The humor is actually funny (though a bit trite) and the story recalls when vampire pop-culture actually had some quality control.
