Our two heroines travel to the Inferno, intent on confronting a powerful demon that knows where both their children are located. The final chapter of The Dream Eater Saga is unfolding so there’s little time left for Sela & Belinda to save the Zenescope universe. Are they one step closer to victory?
GRIMM FAIRY TALES: INFERNO ONE-SHOT
(Part 11 of 12-part Grimm Fairy Tales The Dream Eater Saga)
Cover(s): Stjepan Sejic (Cover A), Nei Ruffino (Cover B), Stjepan Sejic (Limited Exclusive)
Story: Raven Gregory, Ralph Tedesco & Joe Brusha
Writer: Raven Gregory
Penciler: Alex Sanchez
Colorist: Falk
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Zenescope Enterainment
Cover Price: $2.99
Previously, in Grimm Fairy Tales: Last issue (Grimm Fairy Tales #64), Sela & Belinda learn the schematics of the Zenescope universe. Comprised of 4 distinct realms (Myst, Neverland, Woinderland & Oz), a power struggle appears to be taking place and our two heroines are on a mission to save the day.
Less Story and More Action
Based on the amount of story that went into Part 10 of The Dream Eater Saga, I anticipated Part 11 to be more of the same. Especially given the fact that there are only 2 installments left of this 12-part series. Unfortunately, not a lot of relevant story took place within these pages.
Sure, Sela & Belinda travel to Inferno in order to locate the one person who knows where their children are. He is a key player in The Dream Eater Saga, so it’s almost like they’re attempting to kill two birds with one stone. There’s quite a bit of fighting and a few panels worth of worthy exposition, but overall, this issue just felt like a placeholder.
Abrupt Change In Pace
I really have no idea how writer Raven Gregory plans on wrapping everything up in the final installment of the Dream Eater Saga, but I have to imagine it’s longer than your standard 22 pages. The pacing of the two books I’ve read of this series is unusually dissimilar.
Aiding in the dissimilar motif is Alex Sanchez’s art. Whereas Grimm Fairy Tales art style was crisp, the linework of Inferno One-Shot is muddier and less distinct. I notice that there’s no inker listed on the credits, so perhaps the pages were shot directly from pencils. Whatever the mechanics involved, the end result is some pronounced moments of muddiness.
Fewer Assets (Wink/Nudge)
Interestingly, there are considerably less cheesecake shots in here. Our heroines have fewer panels featuring curious poses that allow for readers to see their assets. I wonder if dissimilarity in artwork will impact the overall reading experience of the eventual collected edition?
BOTTOM LINE: Less Enjoyable Than Part 10, But Still Keeping Me Interested
I give Zenescope a lot of credit for undertaking such an ambitious mythos-establishing story. A 12-part crossover signifies strong commitment to their properties, and that’s to be commended. While this issue wasn’t as strong as Part 10, the story continues to progress and I remain engaged. Inferno One-Shot earns 2.5 out of 5 stars.
