Grimm Fairy Tales presents Warlord of Oz #5 Review


Is there worth here or did this comic fall victim to unnecessary fluff? Read on to find out.

The official description from Zenescope:

“The Road to Excess”

With Smynth’s teachings, Dorothy learns the balance of life and death through the Black and the Green magics. But their time runs short, for the Warlord and his allies uncovered Zamora’s corpse. With most of Oz enslaved, they race to prevent Zamora’s resurrection. Though a grave misunderstanding may cost them not only aid, but their very lives.

GFT Warlord of Oz 5_Variant CoverAs I closed the release I realized that what I just flipped through was by far one of the best issues in this volume. The creative team from the first page to the final panel kept a level of quality that further accentuated an already engaging corner of this shared universe. Maybe that’s why it got my attention, because after the last few issues my interest was waning but now it’s solidified.

Joe Brusha works with Jeff Massey to build up the land of Oz and the terrors plaguing it. In the context of the romp at play we still have our heroine, Dorothy Gale, and her allies front and center. As events unfold we see them confront terrifying developments with a text that pushes each toward a darker place. This is how you build up a narrative cliffhanger, as the speed of the piece effortlessly supports the conclusion that’s imminently approaching.

What further sells me on this book happens to be the pencil strokes by Miguel Mendonca. Each character is rendered with precision and just enough detail to make them feel kinetic. Their actions and reactions come off as genuine in a journey littered with outlandish elements and brilliant layers of color by Grostieta. In other words: buy this one for the arc but cherish it for the outstanding visual display.

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Warlord of Oz #5 is one of my favorite releases this week. With a creative team that’s absolutely rocking their material and a penultimate issue that understands what it needs to do there’s no doubt that this one comes highly recommended.

OUR RATING
9.5
  • + Engaging visuals.
  • + Increasing tension.
  • + A very dynamic cast.
  • + Has a solid cliffhanger.

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