Issue: Grimm Fairy Tales: The Dream Eater Saga #1: Once Upon A Time
Writer: Raven Gregory
Artist: Roberto Viacava
Colors: Jason Embury, Vinicius Andrade & Andrew Elder
Letters: Jim Campbell
Cover A (“Battle Royale”): Eric Basaldua & Nei Ruffino
Cover B (“Grimm United”): Arthur Suydam
Cover C (“Dream Eater”): Sean Chen & Jason Embury
Original Release: May 25, 2011
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
After months of waiting, the biggest crossover event in the history of Zenescope Entertainment’s publications finally kicked off on May 25th with the release of Grimm Fairy Tales: The Dream Eater Saga #1. The issue, titled “One Upon A Time”, is the first in a twelve-issue series that encompasses every major Zenescope series released to date. The events of The Dream Eater Saga #1 take place during the final battle of Grimm Fairy Tales #50 (released back in September of 2010), opening on disheartened Realm Knight Blake and his fellow warrior, Thane, as they try to make sense of the chaos around them.
Fearing that the fairytale realm of Myst is about to be lost to the Dark One and his army, Thane takes drastic measures, the devastating consequences of which will be felt throughout all of the various realms, including Earth. From the mysterious Baba Yaga and Belinda to Sinbad and even the Queen of Hearts, the evil unleashed by Thane’s desperation weighs heavy on the minds of all those who fight the Dark One.
Grimm Fairy Tales: The Dream Eater Saga #1 spans 43 pages and features a whirlwind of action as all of the various characters involved in this crossover event become aware of the presence of the Dream Eater. Some, like Baba Yaga, have a sense of the conflict that is to come, while others remain blind to the danger that is at hand.
Truly, The Dream Eater Saga is a massive undertaking for the Zenescope Entertainment team, and it isn’t clear just yet how the crossover series will turn out. As an individual that has read Grimm Fairy Tales: Myths & Legends regularly since it was first published, I’m a bit hesitant about the manner in which the Dream Eater storyline will be integrated into the series’s ongoing plot. Granted, like the original Grimm Fairy Tales series, Myths & Legends will feature numerous story arcs, making it less likely that The Dream Eater Saga will negatively affect an ongoing storyline, but I’m anxious nonetheless.
If The Dream Eater Saga #1 is any indication of what is to come in the remaining eleven issues, the landscape of the Grimm universe is likely to change drastically. Just as the promotions for this series claimed, not all of the characters in this series are going to make it out alive, which means that the impact on other ongoing Zenescope series could be significant.
While it won’t be necessary for readers to familiarize themselves with every previously released issue of each of the comic book series involved in the Dream Eater Saga, I would only recommend this series to those that already are fans of comics like Grimm Fairy Tales and Escape From Wonderland.
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
