Written by Meredith Finch
Art by Miguel Mendonca
Published by Zenescrope
Over the last few months, I have become deeply engrossed in Zenescopes Grimm Fairy Tales line of books and have been impressed with their modern reimaginings of the Disney princesses. When they announced they would be launching a Little Mermaid book though, I was a bit weary, but I have to say that this may be among my favorite of their recent titles.
The book starts off similarly to the movie, with a shipwreck and our mermaid heroine saving a person in distress, but things quickly take a turn. As it turns out, the wreck was just part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the mermaid and test her abilities. Throughout the book, we see her being poked and prodded, while fighting off robotic octopuses (octopi!) and kicking some serious @$$. During one of these battles, we see the Little Mermaid turn into a haunting version of a mermaid which will send chills down your spine. This is not your typical Disney princess.
Meredith Finch does a nice job with the script propelling the story forward with a mix of flashback and present day stories which are very tightly connected. The mystery of who Erica is and exactly why this mysterious organization wants to study the mermaid isn“t explained, which just makes me wants to pick up the next issue to find out more. The dialogue is solid for most of the book, particularly in the latter half as Erica and the Sea Witch banter about the whereabouts of Erica“s daughter and gives a good sense of who these characters are. By the way, I love the updated look for the Sea Witch!
And speaking of looks, Miguel Mendonca“s art is spectacular. His well laid out and energetic panels really help propel Finch“s script forward and adds a layer of excitement and intrigue throughout. The character designs are definitely inspired by the originals but with a fresh and sexier new look which makes the book just beautiful.
Overall, The Little Mermaid #1 is a solid start to a series which has definitely peaked my interest. While the comparison to Aspen“s Fathom may seem a little obvious at times, that“s not a bad comparison to make as this book does just as well at updating and old concept and making it interesting for a new audience.
[yasr_overall_rating]
Author Profile
- Martin Ferretti is an avid comic book reader, Hearthstone player, IT professional, father, and all around geek. His fascination with Valiant Comics may be bordering on the insane, but hey, it keeps him happy. Follow him @Valiant_Central on Twitter or his Valiant news and reviews site ValiantCentral.com
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