Just Another Zenescope Monday: July 7, 2014

Welcome to another installment of Just Another Zenescope Monday, or #JAZM, where we bring you reviews of all the new comics from Zenescope Entertainment. This week, as the “Age of Darkness” enters the next phase, we begin coverage of “Realms Fall”. Also, this week, we finally start previewing comics that will be coming out this Wednesday, July 9th. I will promise you some spoilers, but not as many as I could give you, since these books don’t come out till Wednesday, in some cases, and you need something to look forward to.

Reviews

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Oz: Age of Darkness One Shot – This issue jumps us 75 years into the future, years after Dorothy Gale understood that she was a Highborne and then used her powers to free the Land of Oz. Jeffrey Massey pens this tale that tells of how the Dark Queen releases the Warlord to wreak havoc upon the world. Dorothy defeated him years ago and has since mastered her powers. Now, the Warlord and the forces of the Horde are slaughtering their way across Oz, finally arriving at the Emerald City just as they are preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Queen Dorothy’s reign. The battle is hard fought, and each of the guardians of Oz, both Thorne and Scarecrow, fight and fall before the rage of the Warlord. The final conflict with Dorothy is a massive battle and is not to be missed. I won’t spoil the outcome, but it it not as happy as we might hope for  the denizens of Oz. The fun continues now in “Realms Fall” as the “Age of Darkness” continues. Rating: 5/5

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Robyn Hood: Legend #5 – This is the finale of the Robyn Hood Trilogy. Last issue, and this a spoiler for those of your who haven’t read it yet so sorry about that, but Will Scarlet is dead. Robyn now faces Guy of Gisbourne in a fight that really does not need to happen except that Gisbourne feels the need to die with honor at the hands of his nemesis. The battle rages between the two of them, but Robyn is done fighting and will not kill Gisbourne. In the end, as Guy of Gisbourne cries out for his own death, it comes, but not at the hands of Robyn. Instead, it is Avella who deals the killing blow. Finally, Robyn confronts the Horde forces attacking Nottingham and tells them that she is the prophesied Child of Darkness and they should leave. Over the coming days and weeks, they bury Will and try to collect enough of themselves to move on. The end of this issue is pretty cool and definitely sets things up for the new ongoing series kicking off soon. Rating: 5/5

Grimm Fairy Tales present Realm Knights One Shot – This issue is Part 2 of “Realms Fall”. So, what happened to Part 1, you may ask, as I did. Well, you can check that review out for Grimm Fairy Tales 2014 Annual which was released back on May 14, 2014. The Realm Knights are Highbornes that work for Hibocorp, a part of the US Government designed to protect mankind from the dangers from other realms. It has been four months since the events of Ascension #1 and the Realm Knights finally have a bead on the Being and are going to take him out. After I read this issue… I really don’t know what to think. Wisnowski, the leader of Hibocorp, sent the team of Sela, Phoenix, Liesel Van Helsing, Cross, Red, and Neptune, led by Ciampo to find and defeat the Being. When they arrive on the island, there is no sign of the Being, but a fight breaks out, started by some missiles and continued by one of the team who begins a killing spree. I am not going to reveal who dies, but you will be as shocked as I was… The fallout from this issue will impact the future of several titles, unless Pat Shand has something else up his sleeve. A must buy this week. Rating: 5/5

Grimm Fairy Tales: Giant Size 2014 – Part Three of ” Realms Fall”. This issue takes place during the events of Grimm Fairy Tales #98. Sela Masters faces off against the forces of the Horde. Now, you may say, “Yay, Sela didn’t die in Part 2″… except she was not even really in it! Fighting against a force made up of four of the nastiest folks we have seen in the pages of any Zenescope book, many of whom we thought defeated or dead, Sela is given a real workout. She decides to try to even the odds by flying out and splitting the group up only to come face to face with Orcus, general of the Dark Horde. Meanwhile, Robyn Locksley, having been sent to save a Highborne that was being targeted, is having a wonderful time (not really) battling the forces of the Horde and is severely outnumbered. As she tries to escape, she is saved by… well, the survivors of the Realm Knights One Shot, so I can’t tell you who, but it ain’t Neptune. Back to Sela, her fight is not going well, and she is finally captured by Orcus and taken to meet the orchestrator of the doom that is befalling the realms. Will the Dark Queen win and take control of all the realms for her evil plans? Rating: 5/5

Grimm Fairy Tales #99 – “Realms Fall” continues here with Part Four. This issue has a truly amazing work of art for the cover from Stanley “Artgerm” Lau as we see the Dark Queen with the various artifacts that she has collected. As the story begins, the Dark Queen needs to gloat to Sela that the Realm Knights are all dead (we know they aren’t all dead, but, yeah, there are some dead ones) and the plans the the Queen has put into place are all coming to fruition. She reveals the master stroke of her plan, that someone in a position of power is not really who we thought he was all the time.  The Dark Queen explains that Hibocorp and even the Realm Knights had been under her control from the beginning, so this was a losing battle. Andre Payne was also captured by Hibocorp, well, at least he was being held there, but now the order for his execution has been handed down. Luckily, what is left of the Realm Knights show up and save him. Now, they know where Sela is and who has her captive… and Shang has an idea about the Dark Queens plans. Things look pretty grim for our intrepid heroes. Rating: 4.5/5

That’s all, folks. Now you know what is in store for you for this coming Wednesday. Let me know if you like to know ahead of time or you would just rather go back to hearing what happened last week. You know you want it, though. You are all hungry for more tales. So, come back next week and see more good stuff. I may even have a cool giveaway for you, if you are good. Thanks for being Comic Booked and stay tuned as the countdown to Grimm Fairy Tales #100 continues.

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