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
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