It’s that time of year again, so is the world truly in need of some more yuletide festivities courtesy of the characters in the Grimm Fairy Tales universe?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Zenescope:

Zenescope presents the company’s popular annual Holiday Special with brand new tales of terror set during the most joyous time of the year.  Too bad for some, Krampus has returned to wreak havoc on those who might not deserve a happy holiday!

Don’t miss out on what has become one of the most anticipated yearly offerings from the comic company that does horror best!

You better watch out, you better not cry because at least you’re not in a locked mall after hours being forced to hear some horrific holiday tales.  Seriously, that’s the skeleton of this adventure and this creative team takes that simple idea combines it with some of the holiday season’s best and they just run with it.  The end result is a rousing success that’s easily worth your money and time.

From the first page to the last one Pat Shand guides this warped tale with subtle grace, as his script perfectly evokes the layers of the season with some rather devious intent.  He seamlessly navigates this simple settings as he bridges both this tale and the commonly accepted territories of this established continuity quite easily.  The dialogue itself is exceptionally strong through out but I do have a minor complaint, I honestly wish a few of the short stories lasted a bit longer to better sell their impact.

The art in this issue ranges from the highly stylized to the truly exceptional as Jamie Salangsang, Sebastian Cichon, Andrea Errico and Noval Hernawan each lend their pencils to bring these stories to life.  There’s a literal plethora of details from the various scenes and the moments were realism is implored don’t clash too harshly with some of the more quirky panels.  It may be a bit off-balance but overall I really dug the visual experience in this jaunt.

Grimm Fairy Tales: 2012 Holiday Special is one of the most disturbing but endlessly engrossing gifts you’ll find at your local comic shop this holiday season.  Recommended.

4/5