Right from the design of its cover, Grimm Tales of Terror is meant to invoke EC comics tales of old, specifically, Tales from the Crypt. This has been a well-reviewed series up to this point, but is issue 5 as effective as previous issues or is this a misstep?
Grimm Tales of Terror Volume 3 Issue 5 begins with a group of filmmakers shooting a “snuff” film. This is part of a marketing campaign, but one of the actors is a bit overzealous and an accident happens on set. Due to their attempts to make this as real as possible, they don’t feel they could explain what happened, so the crew makes bad decisions in the name of money and their future. Months later, a vengeful presence begins to knock them off, one by one. Of course, not all is as it seems.
The plot is a bit formulaic and didn’t feel original. The ending could be seen a mile away, but I admit to being entertained while it was happening. The characters jump to make the wrong decision way too quickly and as is typical of these stories, they get what they deserve in the end. The story felt rushed to me. I would have appreciated a slower, more deliberate pace.
The art was a bit too rough for my taste, not in its tone, but in its overall design. I felt like detail and lines were added where they were not needed. It comes across as busy and took away from the art rather than adding to it. The storytelling was solid and the panels were well framed, but I feel the style did more to detract from my experience rather than add to it. The only panels that were especially impressive were the more gruesome ones, as the detail helped in those panels. The cover is eye-catching and the perspective as shown from behind the camera is very well done. It’s not exactly representative of what is inside the issue but captures the tone and uses the color red – especially with the blood splatter – to great effect.
I give this issue a 3 out of 5 rating. It’s a decent horror tale, but the busy art and rushed story took away from an intriguing plot that had the potential to be something special. Horror fans will find enjoyment from this issue, but it’s not something that will stick with you.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Story by Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini, Pat Shand, & Dan Wickline
Written by Dan Wickline
Art by Massimiliano Veltri
Published by Zenescope
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