Grimm: Portland, WU (One-Shot) Review

What will happen when Sergeant Wu takes on a private case of strange proportions? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

A missing girl. A femme fatale. A dark family secret. What starts as an unofficial investigation into his neighbor’s disappearance drags Sgt. Wu deep into a world of Wesen intrigue. In the vein of classic film noir tales, Wu unravels a case that could not only cost him his job, but his life.

Grimm: Portland, WU shifts the focus of the normal TV series, with the first tale, Portland, WU focusing on Sergeant Drew Wu, and the second, Renard’s Reckoning focusing on investigative reporter Burt Summers and Captain Sean Renard. Both tales are however loosely connected by Sergeant Wu’s search for the missing Rose Erthal, with the secondary tale taking place before, during and after it.

Marc Gaffen and Kyle McVey writers of season three episode The Show Must Go On handle the script for this issue, giving two gripping tales. The duo show wonderful detective work from Wu throughout the opening story, and along with the deep narration it helped the issue to stand out from the TV series. Despite this the issue lacked the supernatural vibe that I loved about the show, as though the art depicts various monsters from the series, the energy was missing. I also found the second story to pale in comparison to the first, with the change in narration distancing it from the original tale that was being told.

Daniel Govar handles the artwork for both stories, and though he doesn’t deliver an uncanny resemblance to the actors who play the characters, it’s close enough to feel authentic. The detail of Govar’s work was amazing, as between his textured pencils, and sharp inks it gives a eye catching look to these tales. The landscapes, and general scenery that we get throughout the issue is also to a high standard, helping to bring Portland to life. Finishing things off we get a punchy pallet from colourist Kevin Colden, with his colours allowing the art to leap off the page.

Grimm: Portland, WU is a fun and entertaining one-shot, as though there is clearly one tale superior to the other, the general vibe will appeal to anyone who’s a fan of the show. Recommended.