Grimm Fairy Tales presents Dark Shaman #2 Review


Does the second part of this arc leaven an impression? Read on to find out.

The official description from Zenescope:

The Arisen

Haunted by strange dreams, Colby finds her vacation anything by relaxing. Everyone else seems oblivious to the increasing danger. That is, until the recently awakened Shaman summons a freak snowstorm. As the Shaman claims his first sacrifice, it may already be too late for Colby and her friends.

GFT Dark Shaman 2_Variant CoverOne of the core strengths of the Grimm Fairy Tales line-up is the fact that each yarn is structured in a way that leaves plenty of room for its own needs, but also acts as a part of a much greater whole. There’s a feeling of connection that on the level goes even further then what Marvel or DC are currently doing, and this title is no different.

Joe Brusha works with script writer Erica J. Heflin to continue this arc featuring young adults and a Dark Shaman. There’s carnage, despair and death before the final bit of text takes its audience toward a cliffhanger. For the most part the author works some impressive narrative muscles, while keeping a lean attack strategy. I did want a bit more depth and explanation but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I enjoyed this romp even without the additional meat.

The artwork is honestly the point with this comic book where I felt a bit mixed in my opinion. On one hand the illustrations by Sean Hill evoked horror elements in all the right ways, but on the other the way he rendered the characters came off a bit chaotic and even inconsistent. For the most part the pencil strokes do what they need to and even the dynamic colors by Omi Remalante Jr. fail to fully satisfy the visual portion of these festivities.

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Dark Shaman #2 is ultimately a sturdy outing with some hiccups along the way. It’s not the best the company has to offer but it also stands as an arc that’s interesting. For that reason, plus the evil Arisen, this one earns a recommendation.

OUR RATING
6.5
  • + Expert kills.
  • + Had a solid script.
  • - Inconsistent renditions.
  • - The villain needs more depth.

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