As we peel back the pages of this series’ penultimate issue do we start to see the ground work for a fitting finale?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Zenescope:

“The Summoning” story arc continues here! Sela, Samantha and Red Riding Hood race to prevent the ritual from being completed, but even their combined powers may not be enough when the trio finds itself face to face with Cindy, the Sea Witch, Venus and the Beast!

Meanwhile, as Helios is finally set free on Earth, his uncontrollable power and rage will finally be unleashed. Don’t miss the issue that begins the evolution of the Grimm Universe!

The latest release is pretty straight forward with little to no character development but trust me when I say that’s not a bad thing.  Instead in these final crucial moments Samantha Darren is facing down some serious threats with her allies while they attempt to prevent the release of Helios.

Troy Brownfield and Raven Gregory handle the script and the writers do an outstanding job playing with all of the available characters while delivering more than a few punches along the way.  The dialogue is fast paced and to the point, but the verbal world play can be a bit taxing when the proverbial whiplash from jumping from scene to scene to character to character sets in.  That being said the banter is delivered so well that you forget the need to pay attention to who’s who and in the end you let yourself enjoy this roller coaster of a ride.

Tony Donley does a fine job on the art, imbuing the comic book with a sturdy spirit that oozes with gumption. The rather simplistic but consistent line work does just enough to offer some solid character and panel designs.  However the spectacle suffered from a few brief moments where intentional deformities yielded a bit of an eyesore, creating a somewhat disjointed visual experience.

Grimm Fairy Tales Myths & Legends #24 is a powerful issue that stumbles just a bit on its way to successfully setting the stage for next month’s conclusion.  Recommended.

4/5