Grimm Fairy Tales Halloween Special #1A (Family Comic Friday)

Fairy tales are huge right now. With the Disney Pixar film Frozen, plus the popularity of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, if you are a fan of Cinderella, Elsa, or just about any Disney princess imaginable this is your time. So, I thought it would be fitting to examine a comic that on the surface looks harmless but is really edgy.

Grimm Fairy Tales is a series by Zenescope Entertainment. Started in 2005, the series follows the adventures of literature professor Dr. Sela Mathers who has the special ability to help people heal by using fairy tales. She has an evil nemesis; the red-haired Belinda. Sela, a raven haired beauty with glasses and other noticeable assets is the yin to Belinda’s yang. I’ve only read a couple of issues but from what I’ve gathered, the two are ‘sisters’ of a sort. There’s also allusion that Sela is in reality Snow White while Belinda is Snow’s troublesome sister, Rose Red.

Why have I not read many issues? Well, it’s got a lot of R-Rated material inside. Grimm usually is issued with at least 2 different covers. Cover A is fairly tame though the lead characters do seem to be literally busting at the seams. But its cover B, C, and even D that parents need to keep an eye out for. Those covers usually have the leads in more states of undress to the point that exclusive covers made specifically for conventions or comic shops feature partial to full nudity.

Now the two covers to the Halloween special are pretty tame in comparison but again to the uninitiated, the adage is true “don’t judge a book by its cover.” In this issue, 3 young children enter a neighbor’s haunted house to receive a treat during a lull in their Halloween festivities. The lead has fiery red hair, dressed as a witch, and wears a dental floss thong. Though she’s never named, I assume that this woman is Belinda.

The treat is a retelling of the classic story “The Monkey’s Paw.” That short story ends with a 'choose your own ending' type climax. The storyteller goes on to elaborate on what that ending is and then goes on to tell the story of Sal. Sal has come into possession of the paw, after the deaths of the previous owners. He’s been warned that the paw will grant your wishes with fearsome consequences.

Sal wishes for a girl, some money, and a few other luxuries. However, he never holds the paw when making the wish. So, really what’s happened is just plain dumb luck that’s pretty gruesome. The ending however is where the real horror is and the epilogue suggests more evil from the curse of the monkey’s paw will be unleashed again during the forthcoming Christmas special.

This special has sex, nudity, and several 4-letters swears. This would be a book that if it was a movie would probably be rated R or a hard PG-13 at the least. Other Grimm comics that I have read have more nudity, language, and some frightening witchcraft in them. This is one of the more tame books in the series that I have read.

Grimm Fairy Tales isn’t really my thing. I like the Vertigo title Fables a lot more. Yes, it’s got sex, blood, and isn’t for kids. But not every issue is a grindhouse unlike this series. I don’t recommend either title for a child to read. But, adults would love this series. However, because of the familiar characters in these series and the really colorful covers, it could easily be appealing to youngsters. So, buyers beware and take note the next time you want to buy your child a comic book about fairy tales.

I recommend the following: Anything with Disney on the cover, Muppet Peter Pan, Muppet Snow White, Avengers: Fairy Tales, Spider-man Fairy Tales, Betty & Veronica’s Princess Storybook and the Action Lab’s Princeless.

Next week, I’ll review another Halloween goody. This one will be kid friendly, parent approved. I promise.

Worth Consuming (for those older than 13!)

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars