Comic Review: Grimm Fairy Tales: Myths and Legends #5

Issue: Grimm Fairy Tales: Myths & Legends #5
Writer: Raven Gregory
Artwork: David Miller
Colors: John Hunt
Letters: Jim Campbell
Cover A: Khary Randolph & Sanju Nivanguine
Cover B: Tim Seeley & Thomas Mason
Original Release: June 15, 2011
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment

At the outset of Grimm Fairy Tales: Myths & Legends #5, readers find the series protagonist, Britney, and the other survivors from the Sidewell facility attempting to escape the terrible shape-shifting monster that has hunted them since the first issue of the series. In an effort to protect the two troubled teenagers that made it out of Sidewell alive while they make their way to a nearby ranger station, Britney chooses to act as a distraction by catching the creature’s attention. Readers will never guess what happens during the final showdown between the petite blonde and the anthropomorphic, shape-shifting wolf — you’ll have to read it to find out.

Where previous issues of Myths & Legends only hinted at the powers that Britney possesses, Myths & Legends #5 gives readers their first glimpse of the heroine’s strange abilities, including her inexplicable connection to the wolves of the forest. Although she does not appear to be as powerful — or powerful in the same way — as some other heroines of the Grimm universe (Baba Yaga, Druana, or even Sela, for example), Myths & Legends #5 will give readers the sense that Brittany has only scratched the surface of her abilities by the close of the issue.

Myths & Legends #5 marks the end of the series’s first story arc involving Britney and her Sidewell coworkers and patients; Myths & Legends #6 serves as the third issue in Zenescope Entertainment’s twelve-part Dream Eater crossover event, following The Piper One-Shot. Hopefully, the end of this story arc doesn’t mean the end of Britney as protagonist, especially given the character’s potential as established in these first five issues. Even if Myths & Legends does make the switch to a new protagonist in issue #6, however, the fact that it is one of the crossover issues in the Dream Eater saga gives me hope that it will be a quality comic nonetheless.

True to form, Myths & Legends #5 is another bloody, gore-ridden comic book issue that isn’t suited for the faint of heart. In particular, the final showdown between Britney and the wolf-monster is extremely graphic (not on par with a comic like Warren Ellis’s No Hero, but still very violent compared to many of the other series we feature on the site), but for those of you that don’t mind the blood and guts it’s an excellent crescendo to the series thus far. My only complaint about the story arc presented in Myths & Legends #1-5 is that it leaves the reader with a number of unanswered questions, but the fact that this is an ongoing series offers the possibility that this five-issue story arc may be involved in a future storyline in some way, meaning that unanswered questions could be addressed at some point.

One final note: I don’t tend to gush about comic book issue covers, but I must admit that of the three covers available for this issue of Myths & Legends I’m most excited by Cover B, due in large part to the fact that it is created in part by one of my favorite comic book creators, Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash). Although Cover A, created by Khary Randolph and Sanju Nivanguine, is my favorite Myths & Legends #5 based on content and design (what can I say, I like the more gory covers), I love that Seeley has become involved in the Myths & Legends series, even if it is only in the most peripheral manner.

Rating: 4 / 5 Stars