Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: The Library #1
Publisher: Zenescope
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artist: Giovanni Timpano (cover by Caio Cacau)
Ever wonder what it would be like to see one of your favorite comic book heroines in her youth? Well, look no further than The Library from Zenescope! In this first issue, we see a young Sela, her brother, and her father, as they venture to one of her father’s newly acquired pieces of property. This building just happens to be an old library that contains many books, but one specifically is going to spell trouble for Sela and her brother!
OK, well, after getting to read this one (I know, I’m late, sue me), I’ve got to say that I really enjoyed it. I’m a fan of Sela since her role in the Dream Eater Saga, and this book has cemented my faith in her as a great character that can really carry a story. The friction between her and her brother reminds me a lot of me and my older sister as kids, so it felt even more special because of that, I suppose. Joe Brusha does a good job with this issue, although it did seem slightly rushed. Again, overall a solid book with good expectations for the next issue.
The artist for this book was Giovanni Timpano, and I can’t recall if I’ve ever seen his work before, but I definitely enjoyed it. He has quite a grasp on the “look” for a young Sela, and as far as I’m concerned, he nailed it. It’s kind of strange, but my favorite page is the very first one. You see, it doesn’t really have any of the characters on it, but shows Sela having a nightmare. In this scene, we see a few of my favorite classic horror monsters. Dracula, The Frankenstein Monster, Mummy, and even the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz! Great job by Timpano, and also by the cover artist Caio Cacau! Rating 3.5/5
Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: The Library #2
Publisher: Zenescope
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artist: Giovanni Timpano (cover by Joe Pekar)
As Sela and her brother recite some magical spell, they are both whisked away to separate lands. One of them to the maze in which the Minotaur is stalking anything that moves, and the other to the age of dinosaurs! After running for their lives, they find their way back to the portal that they were pulled through. Everything should be great, right? Well, not when the creatures have followed you back it isn’t! There is one hope, though, and his name is Hercules, the son of Zeus! Can he stop a T-Rex and the Minotaur? Or will he and the others end up a tasty snack for the mythical, magical, and otherworldly beasts that now roam the library!
This second issue was a dream come true as far as seeing so many neat things happening. I wont spoil it, but there are so many things going on in this issue that are pleasing to the eye, it’s not even funny. Watching a T-Rex, Minotaur, and a bunch of other crazy characters and animals in an all out brawl inside a library is unreal! Kudos to Brusha for those awesome action sequences. Very cool cliffhanger at the end, as well, and it has me excited for issue #3.
Just as in the first issue, Timpano knocks it out of the park. The pages that feature the battle in the library absolutely rock! I really like his portrayal of Hercules, as well. Not too muscle-bound, but big enough that what he does seems possible. The surprise villain is drawn perfectly, too, and this is the cliffhanger, so I’m not going to say who it is. Rest assured if you love older movies, this villain will make you feel like a kid again. I hope next issue dives deeper into the craziness that is The Library! Rating 4/5
Alternate cover below by Marat Mychaels:
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net
