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Grimm Fairy Tales #1
Grimm Fairy Tales Vol. 1
For over two hundred years the powerful stories of the Brothers Grimm have enchanted millions around the world, but there has never been an adaptation as intriguing or provocative as this. Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 1 explores a much darker side of the infamous fables you heard as a child as these classic tales are retold and re-imagined with a terrifying twist you'll simply love as an adult. Red Riding Hood is forced to confront the insatiable hunger of a terrifying beast; Cinderella seeks a shocking vengeance for the years of torture she's endured; Hansel & Gretel realize that the problems they left behind at home are nothing compared to the horror that awaits them on their ill-advised journey; A desperate girl makes a deal with the hideous Rumpelstiltskin only to find she may lose much more than she ever imagined; Sleeping Beauty learns that narcissism can be a very gruesome trait to possess and an envious sister finds her extreme measures to capture the man of her dreams may lead to much worse than just heartbreak from the Robber Bridegroom. Collects Grimm Fairy Tales issues #1-6.
168 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
October 2, 2017
The fairy tale re-tellings were a disappointment. I wanted more story development, characterizations, anything really.
I was thinking Fables when I picked this up and it is not that.
Grimm Fairy Tales seemed like just an excuse for a cartoonist to drawn scantily-clad and ridiculously proportioned women.
Don't parade around like you've got a good story when you're basically a fantasy girlie-mag. If that's what you are, embrace it. There's an audience for that.
I feel like this book tried to be something it wasn't.
Well friends, now you know.
I was thinking Fables when I picked this up and it is not that.
Grimm Fairy Tales seemed like just an excuse for a cartoonist to drawn scantily-clad and ridiculously proportioned women.
Don't parade around like you've got a good story when you're basically a fantasy girlie-mag. If that's what you are, embrace it. There's an audience for that.
I feel like this book tried to be something it wasn't.
Well friends, now you know.
November 13, 2013
Grimm Fairy Tales is a great example of "don't judge a book by its cover" even when the covers of these graphic novels make such an effort to ensure that you judge them. Scantily clad fairy tale ladies adorn each cover, posed provocatively, trapped in precarious situations, tormented by evils. How good could this comic really be? Based on these covers alone, I figured I was in for a laugh in reading this. I was pleasantly surprised to find just how deceptive the covers are.
Each story starts in the real world with a young woman facing a serious problem in her life, such as a boyfriend who shuns her for not putting out, a partner who wants her to abort a baby when she doesn't. It even surprised me by focusing on a male protagonist who is smitten by a girl who is obviously using him. Each protagonist stumbles across a mysterious woman and or her mysterious book of fairy tales and turns to a page with a relevant story to help them come to a decision about their future. The tales follow the standard story, but then offer some intriguing twists that offer a moral punch.
Despite the covers, there are no buxom babes prancing around in corsets and fishnets in the stories. Other than the occasional cleavage, everyone is appropriately dressed and none of the women are taken advantage of beyond the constraints of their respective fairy tales.
I'd originally decided to read this along side Fables thinking it would prove to be an amusingly poor comparison, but I ended up discovering something surprisingly interesting that wasn't as bad as it appeared to be.
Each story starts in the real world with a young woman facing a serious problem in her life, such as a boyfriend who shuns her for not putting out, a partner who wants her to abort a baby when she doesn't. It even surprised me by focusing on a male protagonist who is smitten by a girl who is obviously using him. Each protagonist stumbles across a mysterious woman and or her mysterious book of fairy tales and turns to a page with a relevant story to help them come to a decision about their future. The tales follow the standard story, but then offer some intriguing twists that offer a moral punch.
Despite the covers, there are no buxom babes prancing around in corsets and fishnets in the stories. Other than the occasional cleavage, everyone is appropriately dressed and none of the women are taken advantage of beyond the constraints of their respective fairy tales.
I'd originally decided to read this along side Fables thinking it would prove to be an amusingly poor comparison, but I ended up discovering something surprisingly interesting that wasn't as bad as it appeared to be.
February 3, 2019
Maybe I’m thinking of a different book but I thought this was a comic about sexy superhero renditions of fairy tale princesses fighting monsters. That would have been better than this.
What’s it about?
This is a comic book collection of people going through something until this lady tells them a fucked up rendition of a fairy tale which helps them somehow.
What I thought of these stories:
Well the art in all of them- FANTASTIC! I LOVE the art style in this book.
Red Riding Hood ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Okay I guess. The idea was kinda cool but the execution- not so much. The ending is pretty cheesy.
Cinderella ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent! Loved it SO MUCH! A very twisted and dark rendition of the story! I also think the way that the way it ties in with the moral that the non fairy tale characters (and perhaps the readers) are meant to get from it is well done. My favorite part is
Hansel and Gretel ⭐️⭐️ Provides an even more twisted retelling of Hansel and Gretel. The problem is that the poorly written, stereotypical teen angst shit doesn’t work at all. So not terrible but I didn’t care for it.
Rumpelstiltskin ⭐️⭐️ Holy fuck, this one is terrible. Sure it’s well written but it tries to be scary towards the end but isn’t. The main conflict that leads to a non-fairy tale character hearing the story is stupid: a woman wants to keep her baby but the guy doesn’t want a baby... maybe I think about this more because I can’t stand kids but wouldn’t a couple discuss that BEFORE having sex? Yeah, stupid.
Sleeping Beauty ⭐️⭐️ Not much to say on this one except it’s a stupid story and has a dumb ending. At least the horror aspect is pretty good.
Robber Bridesgroom ⭐️⭐️ Interesting but very forgettable. Kinda stupid scenario that leads to the non fairy tale people hearing the story, like dumb stuff you’d expect from a teen drama show.
Legacy ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Interesting story that ends with “to be continued” but not interesting enough to convince me to read volume 2. It is also a tad predictable.
Regarding fan service and GFT:
I’ve seen some controversy regarding this with people saying that these comics constantly objectify women and some even claim they’re porn. Massive exaggeration.
The fan service in these is about as much as you have most likely seen in Marvel/DC superhero titles and typical shonen manga, at least inside the comic. There are some variant covers for the series that are a bit more NSFW than what’s in the comic itself (at least this volume).
(America! Fuck yeah!)
Overall:
Not terrible but I can’t say I enjoyed it. Maybe it’s because I expected something different, not just more edgy, modernized fairy tale reimaginings. Not that those sorts of things are always bad, like I said I love what they did with Cinderella in this. Just a lot of these sorts of things are dumb things like this book’s version of Hansel and Gretel. Unfortunately most of the book is not good. Overall it’s not terrible but nothing I’d recommend reading.
2/5
What’s it about?
This is a comic book collection of people going through something until this lady tells them a fucked up rendition of a fairy tale which helps them somehow.
What I thought of these stories:
Well the art in all of them- FANTASTIC! I LOVE the art style in this book.
Red Riding Hood ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Okay I guess. The idea was kinda cool but the execution- not so much. The ending is pretty cheesy.
Cinderella ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent! Loved it SO MUCH! A very twisted and dark rendition of the story! I also think the way that the way it ties in with the moral that the non fairy tale characters (and perhaps the readers) are meant to get from it is well done. My favorite part is
Hansel and Gretel ⭐️⭐️ Provides an even more twisted retelling of Hansel and Gretel. The problem is that the poorly written, stereotypical teen angst shit doesn’t work at all. So not terrible but I didn’t care for it.
Rumpelstiltskin ⭐️⭐️ Holy fuck, this one is terrible. Sure it’s well written but it tries to be scary towards the end but isn’t. The main conflict that leads to a non-fairy tale character hearing the story is stupid: a woman wants to keep her baby but the guy doesn’t want a baby... maybe I think about this more because I can’t stand kids but wouldn’t a couple discuss that BEFORE having sex? Yeah, stupid.
Sleeping Beauty ⭐️⭐️ Not much to say on this one except it’s a stupid story and has a dumb ending. At least the horror aspect is pretty good.
Robber Bridesgroom ⭐️⭐️ Interesting but very forgettable. Kinda stupid scenario that leads to the non fairy tale people hearing the story, like dumb stuff you’d expect from a teen drama show.
Legacy ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Interesting story that ends with “to be continued” but not interesting enough to convince me to read volume 2. It is also a tad predictable.
Regarding fan service and GFT:
I’ve seen some controversy regarding this with people saying that these comics constantly objectify women and some even claim they’re porn. Massive exaggeration.
The fan service in these is about as much as you have most likely seen in Marvel/DC superhero titles and typical shonen manga, at least inside the comic. There are some variant covers for the series that are a bit more NSFW than what’s in the comic itself (at least this volume).
(America! Fuck yeah!)
Overall:
Not terrible but I can’t say I enjoyed it. Maybe it’s because I expected something different, not just more edgy, modernized fairy tale reimaginings. Not that those sorts of things are always bad, like I said I love what they did with Cinderella in this. Just a lot of these sorts of things are dumb things like this book’s version of Hansel and Gretel. Unfortunately most of the book is not good. Overall it’s not terrible but nothing I’d recommend reading.
2/5
July 16, 2012
Meh I read a few borderline bad comics just for the art and/or T&A but this is bad pretty much on all fronts. I was hoping for something similar to Fables except sexy, but instead I got nothing close to Fables storywise and a bunch of mediocre to bad art. For a boob comic there wasn't much to see. Which since this is all the book had going for it, means it was a pretty terrible experience. The fairy tale parts were ok, sometimes. Hansel and Gretel and the Robber Bridegroom both had some fun gory parts. The modern day parts were outright terrible though. These kids are the ones you enjoy seeing die horribly in Slasher flicks, except you never get to see that happen. Avoid at all costs. If you want mature fairy tale characters, read Fables. If you want T&A read Tarot Witch of the Black Rose, at least that has original content.
August 9, 2020
An interesting blend of the Classic tales, with some even nastier twists then the Grimm brothers gave. Toss in a bit of modern times and you get this compilation.
Every tale starts in a more present, modern day, with a flashback to one of the fairy tales, either through a book or story being told. Each tale imparts a lesson to the reader/listener in how it relates to them. I liked the touch of relevance.
The woman who shares the stories/book is the real enigma. Who she is and why she is sharing them. For some reason that stuck with me the most.
I felt the cover was not needed and can probably draw the wrong audience type. While this is not a graphic novel for young children it is not about scantily clad women like the image depicts. So while I like it from one standpoint, I worry it gives a wrong image. The art inside is okay. Not the greatest, but not bad. Many faces of different characters look alike so that wasn't so good. But a great use in shading is done!
Overall, not bad. I will keep an eye out for the next volume!
Every tale starts in a more present, modern day, with a flashback to one of the fairy tales, either through a book or story being told. Each tale imparts a lesson to the reader/listener in how it relates to them. I liked the touch of relevance.
The woman who shares the stories/book is the real enigma. Who she is and why she is sharing them. For some reason that stuck with me the most.
I felt the cover was not needed and can probably draw the wrong audience type. While this is not a graphic novel for young children it is not about scantily clad women like the image depicts. So while I like it from one standpoint, I worry it gives a wrong image. The art inside is okay. Not the greatest, but not bad. Many faces of different characters look alike so that wasn't so good. But a great use in shading is done!
Overall, not bad. I will keep an eye out for the next volume!
June 1, 2012
I have to say that I really and truly enjoy Zenescope's series Grimm Fairy Tales and and all the various spinoffs (Neverland, Piper, etc). Unless something major happens I will continue to follow this series. My one and only gripe with it is the unnecessary and gratuitous sexuality and objectification of women within the pages. It truly has no place within the story. Now I am by no means a prude but they don't even try to give it purpose. They are no better than the creators over at the bigger publishers (Marvel, DC). This is why this series will never reach the greatness that is Bill Willingham's Fables. Nothing is done without purpose. And he knows that his story is so good that he doesn't need clichéd tropes like massive mammaries and barely there clothing.
November 20, 2016
I probably owe someone some apology for reading this. More at the end.
=====
My library has had a random collection of the Grimm Fairy Tales comic series for years now. If I stumbled across one while browsing, I would allow myself a brief ogle (I am a straight owner of a Y-chromosome after all), then recover with a brief "tsk" (heavily sexist objectifying PG-13 covers), and put it away.
I went as far as to have read one (while single!), smuggling it out past my librarian friends (90% female) using self-checkout. It was one of the "Tales of Wonderland" series. Maybe Tales From Wonderland, Volume 1, but honestly, I found it so hard to understand, that it wasn't memorable and I don't think I even reviewed it here.
Now, a few years later, my library has the Hoopla online platform. Hoopla accesses electronic formats of all kinds: e-books and audio and movies and music and... comics. And comics about fairy tales featuring plunging necklines on female protagonists.
So I indulged, said "shh" instead of "tsk" and checked out Volume 1. And I have this to say: this one was OK. The stories are not bad. Sometimes the morals or dialog are a touch heavy-handed, and the art overtly sexy or gory, depending, but the theme and plot and dialog don't seem to be sexist or hyper-sexualized or offensive. The art is clear and consistent and expressive.
But yeah, it objectifies women's bodies, and that doesn't enhance the plot or the total aesthetic.
=====
So, maybe I owe people an apology for enjoying this, even the art. But maybe not -- I may have been exposed to objectification, but I don't think I came down with it, nor do I think I'm a carrier. We are all more than our looks or skin or dress size or fashion choices. Feel free to comment politely if you feel different.
=====
My library has had a random collection of the Grimm Fairy Tales comic series for years now. If I stumbled across one while browsing, I would allow myself a brief ogle (I am a straight owner of a Y-chromosome after all), then recover with a brief "tsk" (heavily sexist objectifying PG-13 covers), and put it away.
I went as far as to have read one (while single!), smuggling it out past my librarian friends (90% female) using self-checkout. It was one of the "Tales of Wonderland" series. Maybe Tales From Wonderland, Volume 1, but honestly, I found it so hard to understand, that it wasn't memorable and I don't think I even reviewed it here.
Now, a few years later, my library has the Hoopla online platform. Hoopla accesses electronic formats of all kinds: e-books and audio and movies and music and... comics. And comics about fairy tales featuring plunging necklines on female protagonists.
So I indulged, said "shh" instead of "tsk" and checked out Volume 1. And I have this to say: this one was OK. The stories are not bad. Sometimes the morals or dialog are a touch heavy-handed, and the art overtly sexy or gory, depending, but the theme and plot and dialog don't seem to be sexist or hyper-sexualized or offensive. The art is clear and consistent and expressive.
But yeah, it objectifies women's bodies, and that doesn't enhance the plot or the total aesthetic.
=====
So, maybe I owe people an apology for enjoying this, even the art. But maybe not -- I may have been exposed to objectification, but I don't think I came down with it, nor do I think I'm a carrier. We are all more than our looks or skin or dress size or fashion choices. Feel free to comment politely if you feel different.
June 11, 2017
The Grimm Fairytales is a series of short re-tellings of classic fairy tales with a dark twist. In this installment, we have Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Rumplestiltskin, and Sleeping Beauty.
Each story the main character finds themselves in a fairy tale scenarios, which gives them a chance to see that maybe they are making the wrong choices. It's an interesting spin giving new life to some of my favorite fairytales. I love that each story is in color it allows the artwork to pop right off the pages. I think the artwork is beautiful it's easy to get lost reading The Grimm Fairytales and look forward to diving right into the next one. They are quick fast-paced and hard to put down. Highly recommend.
Each story the main character finds themselves in a fairy tale scenarios, which gives them a chance to see that maybe they are making the wrong choices. It's an interesting spin giving new life to some of my favorite fairytales. I love that each story is in color it allows the artwork to pop right off the pages. I think the artwork is beautiful it's easy to get lost reading The Grimm Fairytales and look forward to diving right into the next one. They are quick fast-paced and hard to put down. Highly recommend.
July 14, 2017
Saw this on top of a pile of books of my roomie's and picked it up. Quick read. Gruesome twists on fairy tales, but all with a good moral for those they were meant for. My cover was different, very "fan service", but pretty. I wouldn't go out of my way to read the rest, but given the opportunity, I wouldn't avoid them either. Solid, middle of the road 3 stars for me.
July 7, 2015
2 zvezdice jer se Volume 1 sastoji samo od 6 brojeva i za sad mi nista nije jasno. iskreno se nadam da se u narednih 94 brojeva stvari razjasnjavaju i da ce se actually nesto konkretno desiti. Toliko o ovome.
July 30, 2017
I know that this series is apparently still running and others said you should not judge a book by its cover, but I think that judging it by that is pretty damn accurate here.
What the cover is referring to is pretty damn clear with its colors and all but I must really say: Damn this was uncreative.
Not that I was surprised, I had hoped for more, but I didn’t get it. The warning signs only continued from the cover onwards. The inlay already stated that this here tries to get the darker stuff from the original Grimm tales and that those were suitable for children (apparently they never read them) and the introduction states the author is a fan and all... well, according to the contents he indeed did include a tale I haven't seen yet (The Robber Bridegroom), but that does not mean these stories were any good. Or the artwork for that matter (most girls look pretty much the same, unlike the guys, and I even confused some of them). That one was indeed pretty generic. The first story started with a teenage girl (drawn as if she was 25) who is not ready for sex with her boyfriend and he says they are together for 2 months already and she is distraught.... yeah… I guess you have all seen that cliché before. If at least it wasn’t on the couch in the living room, couldn’t they have picked a different place? Heck, what would I give to have the scene play in a dark room. And I guess they were trying to portray this 20s Red Riding Hood as innocent and all, btw. she already had sex unlike the girl at the start, but she is so panicked by seeing two wolves that had just killed a deer that it is ridiculous. And yes, I get it, due to the tale, including a werewolf is kind of obvious, but did it have to be some guy (probably Jacob or Samuel) again? Couldn't it be her or her grandmother? Who the werewolf was, was also pretty clear from the start, but did they had to come with this he "just could not control himself? He wanted her so much?" Then why on earth did he attack her grandmother? And where is the connection to the girl wanting to wait? Is the message that men become monsters when they get sex from a girl or what? Or some half-assed attempt at warning of strong desire? And the girl was red riding hood after all? She was right? I have troubles remembering as it was just so dull and uninspired. I mean why not have some actual psychological troubles with the wolf representing something inside her?
Then again, I could also question whether these authors have any knowledge of history. You see, despite what the comic claims the Brothers Grimm could not have travelled through their German homeland as Germany did not exist at the time. Only a German Confederation.
And it's not as if the stories are any smarter, the way these girls in the Cinderella story reacted to the protagonist wanting to be in their club is really stupid, even fairy tales are not this bland. Also for some reason the German translators kept the English Cinderella instead of using the German "Aschenputtel." Also, while the inlay claimed this to be based on the Grimm's tale I think this is rather based on either the French or right away the Disney tale, as not only is one sister named Driselle here (none of the sisters have a name in the Grimm version) and you could say the "ghosts" in the "dungeon" are a nice idea however that one ghost in the shape of a woman says she is kind of her fairy godmother. I believe that this is in no way a darker version of the Grimm story, as that one has quite a maniac prince believe me, but rather a retelling of the Disney or Perroult version, but not the Grimms. In the Grimm story the father is still alive, there is no fairy, no ravens and all. However, if they wanted an equally dark tale they could have had the spirit of her mother or the tree on her mother's grave be the revenge.
And if they wanted to claim that these are somehow the original tales, why does e.g. Gretel dress like a prostitute and they still have a stepmother? Also why is Gretel such a brat? And speaking about her: Maybe I would give two shits about Gretel finding the key at the chain around the neck of the witch if said neck would not be completely exposed just like her shoulders and cleavage (which is btw. The standard dress for girls here apparently). Also, the whole story with the bread and all really does not work with teenagers/adults, those should be smart enough to know that the bread would get eaten. I also wonder whether there was some miscommunication between the authors and artist as the witch claimed she thought the human skull was buried deeply enough even though it was lying in the middle of the room. Also if they wanted an earlier version of the tale why not have a wolf in the cottage (as was done in a swabian version) instead of a witch/goblin (or whatever she is here)?
However, these so far… well there connection to the modern day parts was already pretty weak, but where the fuck is the connection between Rumpelstilzken and abortion/selling your baby because you don't want it? It is not as though you are any smarter at the end, trust me. Not to mention that the girl’s father thinks it is a good idea to lie to the king because it could give him a high position even though he knows his daughter cannot turn straw into gold. It is as if they couldn't come up with a better reason. That Rumpelstilzken looks like an evil goblin and not a dwarf doesn’t help either. Also it was him who wanted a future child, not her offering it, and she needed him or she would die. How is that the same as not wanting a baby? And the twist to make this dark and grim? The dwarf is some sort of cursed prince who can only get rid of the curse by giving it to some other prince whose mother gave him away willingly. Now that could be a good idea, for another story, but why wait 13 years and why connect this to some story about not wanting a kid? Also in that story the guy doesn't want the kids, but the girl does. And this "children are our biggest gift" is garbage in context here. If you wanted a grimmer story of Rumpelstilzken why not add the actual devil if you wanted the princess to lose her child or make him the actual devil, not this dumbass “pass the curse along” story.
And when they follow Grimm and when not is also pretty weird, there was the prior problem with Cinderella but in the case of Sleeping Beauty, who is blond of course, they speak of wise women and not fairies, like the Grimm version does. Not that the story makes any sense mind you, you see, here it is stated that she will only be stung at her 16th birthday not by something specific, so why did the authors write a party for her? They are basically making the Disney cartoon look well written in comparison. And this is really bad, you see apparently we are supposed to think that it is shocking that the guy whom we never saw before and was supposed to wake her up was not full of love for her. Plus the cover art and all had already given away that. Now the story is better than the others, sure, with both Tristan and whatever her name being cursed, but if it is about not loving someone you don't know I am sure there would have been better stories.
In the next story, which I cannot remember the name anymore… maybe it was “The Robber Bridegroom”, the nice sister is the blond one and the slutty one black-haired... no comment. At least in the fairy tale it is the other way around. However the story also does not fit the original at al. Plus, it is probably supposed to be dramatic, but the way the artist drew the black-haired one when she fell down the cliff is ridiculous, she looks as if she is boozed but not frightened. Also the story chickens out of the content of the original tale, which is not surprising as they always do this here. Here the sister is eaten by monsters, not bandits as in the original (wasn't this supposed to be more adult?), in fact why do they call this the robber bridgegroom? There are no robbers here and the moral is definitely, do not fight with sisters, however the story doesn't fit at all. Had the blond one not been jealous her sister would have been eaten and therefore died anyway. This way both die.
And speaking of the blond girl: does the artist have a fetish? There are way too many yellow haired girls here that all look alike.
In the end I learned that the dark haired woman in the tales (fairy, witch etc) was not the same as in modern day where that one gives the protagonists the fairy tale book. I really could not tell because the yellow-haired ones at least could have different hair styles but the black haired ones look exactly the same.
So, in the end: The artwork is bad, the stories are dumb and uncreative and this book is only an example in how not to do it.
PS. If this is supposed to be from Germany, how about using German names? So far the new names were all English.
What the cover is referring to is pretty damn clear with its colors and all but I must really say: Damn this was uncreative.
Not that I was surprised, I had hoped for more, but I didn’t get it. The warning signs only continued from the cover onwards. The inlay already stated that this here tries to get the darker stuff from the original Grimm tales and that those were suitable for children (apparently they never read them) and the introduction states the author is a fan and all... well, according to the contents he indeed did include a tale I haven't seen yet (The Robber Bridegroom), but that does not mean these stories were any good. Or the artwork for that matter (most girls look pretty much the same, unlike the guys, and I even confused some of them). That one was indeed pretty generic. The first story started with a teenage girl (drawn as if she was 25) who is not ready for sex with her boyfriend and he says they are together for 2 months already and she is distraught.... yeah… I guess you have all seen that cliché before. If at least it wasn’t on the couch in the living room, couldn’t they have picked a different place? Heck, what would I give to have the scene play in a dark room. And I guess they were trying to portray this 20s Red Riding Hood as innocent and all, btw. she already had sex unlike the girl at the start, but she is so panicked by seeing two wolves that had just killed a deer that it is ridiculous. And yes, I get it, due to the tale, including a werewolf is kind of obvious, but did it have to be some guy (probably Jacob or Samuel) again? Couldn't it be her or her grandmother? Who the werewolf was, was also pretty clear from the start, but did they had to come with this he "just could not control himself? He wanted her so much?" Then why on earth did he attack her grandmother? And where is the connection to the girl wanting to wait? Is the message that men become monsters when they get sex from a girl or what? Or some half-assed attempt at warning of strong desire? And the girl was red riding hood after all? She was right? I have troubles remembering as it was just so dull and uninspired. I mean why not have some actual psychological troubles with the wolf representing something inside her?
Then again, I could also question whether these authors have any knowledge of history. You see, despite what the comic claims the Brothers Grimm could not have travelled through their German homeland as Germany did not exist at the time. Only a German Confederation.
And it's not as if the stories are any smarter, the way these girls in the Cinderella story reacted to the protagonist wanting to be in their club is really stupid, even fairy tales are not this bland. Also for some reason the German translators kept the English Cinderella instead of using the German "Aschenputtel." Also, while the inlay claimed this to be based on the Grimm's tale I think this is rather based on either the French or right away the Disney tale, as not only is one sister named Driselle here (none of the sisters have a name in the Grimm version) and you could say the "ghosts" in the "dungeon" are a nice idea however that one ghost in the shape of a woman says she is kind of her fairy godmother. I believe that this is in no way a darker version of the Grimm story, as that one has quite a maniac prince believe me, but rather a retelling of the Disney or Perroult version, but not the Grimms. In the Grimm story the father is still alive, there is no fairy, no ravens and all. However, if they wanted an equally dark tale they could have had the spirit of her mother or the tree on her mother's grave be the revenge.
And if they wanted to claim that these are somehow the original tales, why does e.g. Gretel dress like a prostitute and they still have a stepmother? Also why is Gretel such a brat? And speaking about her: Maybe I would give two shits about Gretel finding the key at the chain around the neck of the witch if said neck would not be completely exposed just like her shoulders and cleavage (which is btw. The standard dress for girls here apparently). Also, the whole story with the bread and all really does not work with teenagers/adults, those should be smart enough to know that the bread would get eaten. I also wonder whether there was some miscommunication between the authors and artist as the witch claimed she thought the human skull was buried deeply enough even though it was lying in the middle of the room. Also if they wanted an earlier version of the tale why not have a wolf in the cottage (as was done in a swabian version) instead of a witch/goblin (or whatever she is here)?
However, these so far… well there connection to the modern day parts was already pretty weak, but where the fuck is the connection between Rumpelstilzken and abortion/selling your baby because you don't want it? It is not as though you are any smarter at the end, trust me. Not to mention that the girl’s father thinks it is a good idea to lie to the king because it could give him a high position even though he knows his daughter cannot turn straw into gold. It is as if they couldn't come up with a better reason. That Rumpelstilzken looks like an evil goblin and not a dwarf doesn’t help either. Also it was him who wanted a future child, not her offering it, and she needed him or she would die. How is that the same as not wanting a baby? And the twist to make this dark and grim? The dwarf is some sort of cursed prince who can only get rid of the curse by giving it to some other prince whose mother gave him away willingly. Now that could be a good idea, for another story, but why wait 13 years and why connect this to some story about not wanting a kid? Also in that story the guy doesn't want the kids, but the girl does. And this "children are our biggest gift" is garbage in context here. If you wanted a grimmer story of Rumpelstilzken why not add the actual devil if you wanted the princess to lose her child or make him the actual devil, not this dumbass “pass the curse along” story.
And when they follow Grimm and when not is also pretty weird, there was the prior problem with Cinderella but in the case of Sleeping Beauty, who is blond of course, they speak of wise women and not fairies, like the Grimm version does. Not that the story makes any sense mind you, you see, here it is stated that she will only be stung at her 16th birthday not by something specific, so why did the authors write a party for her? They are basically making the Disney cartoon look well written in comparison. And this is really bad, you see apparently we are supposed to think that it is shocking that the guy whom we never saw before and was supposed to wake her up was not full of love for her. Plus the cover art and all had already given away that. Now the story is better than the others, sure, with both Tristan and whatever her name being cursed, but if it is about not loving someone you don't know I am sure there would have been better stories.
In the next story, which I cannot remember the name anymore… maybe it was “The Robber Bridegroom”, the nice sister is the blond one and the slutty one black-haired... no comment. At least in the fairy tale it is the other way around. However the story also does not fit the original at al. Plus, it is probably supposed to be dramatic, but the way the artist drew the black-haired one when she fell down the cliff is ridiculous, she looks as if she is boozed but not frightened. Also the story chickens out of the content of the original tale, which is not surprising as they always do this here. Here the sister is eaten by monsters, not bandits as in the original (wasn't this supposed to be more adult?), in fact why do they call this the robber bridgegroom? There are no robbers here and the moral is definitely, do not fight with sisters, however the story doesn't fit at all. Had the blond one not been jealous her sister would have been eaten and therefore died anyway. This way both die.
And speaking of the blond girl: does the artist have a fetish? There are way too many yellow haired girls here that all look alike.
In the end I learned that the dark haired woman in the tales (fairy, witch etc) was not the same as in modern day where that one gives the protagonists the fairy tale book. I really could not tell because the yellow-haired ones at least could have different hair styles but the black haired ones look exactly the same.
So, in the end: The artwork is bad, the stories are dumb and uncreative and this book is only an example in how not to do it.
PS. If this is supposed to be from Germany, how about using German names? So far the new names were all English.
November 23, 2014
For all that this series could have been, I found myself astounded and disgusted by the artist's portrayal of the female characters. Even when they became emotionally strong and triumphed over male abusers/users they are depicted as bosom-heaving barbies. Clearly the company is trying to market the series to guys by doing this (girls would already be drawn in by the fairytale genre), but by disrespecting their female characters through the visuals they have actually alienated the female readership, no matter how strong the plotlines are.
November 9, 2008
A graphic novel that retells classic fairy tales with modern, dark, sexy twists? The only way this could have been written more for me is if they had actually dedicated the book to me and sent me copies directly. I really like this series and am curious to see where it's going.
January 13, 2019
The stories were pretty gruesome for the most part, though it was interesting to see how the woman used them to show young people where they had mis stepped. The art is ok, a bit fan service-y though. Overall, a decent read, though I would not buy it for myself. I'm glad the library has it!
August 2, 2016
Not as good as my favorite Fables but I still want to continue the series!!!
March 29, 2019
1.5 Stars
March 18, 2013
When I saw the covers of these comics, I pretty much dismissed the series altogether. But someone told me there was more to them: that they were modern, satirical, psychologically interesting retellings of fairy tales. This was only partly true: they are retellings, but they aren't particularly interesting in any way.
Each issue has a "revamped" version of a fairy tale, bookended by some very short modern tale putting it into it's cautionary perspective. Unfortunately, the bookends are almost unbearably cheesy, or worse: obvious. For instance, in the Hansel and Gretel story, the modern setting is *literally* two teenagers who have run away from home. Not exactly revelatory or original.
The revamping itself is sort of bizarre. Red Riding Hood's wolf is a werewolf, Hansel and Gretel don't both escape the witch, etc. And in some cases (particularly Cinderella) the modern, gruesome retelling is not even as gruesome as the original. (And, again in the case of Cinderella, both extremely random and unrelated to the remainder of the story. The original is way better.)
Now don't get me wrong, a couple of the stories are ok: Rumpelstiltskin actually has a surprise in it, and the twist in Sleeping Beauty was actually interesting. But most of it is just not original enough to keep my attention.
And the art: pretty bad. Much (not all) of it looks like middle-school drawings: the artist has put an incredible amount of time into drawing legs and breasts, but everything else in the panel is sort of distorted and muddy. Also, for a comic so well-known for it's pandering, sexual covers, there's little sexuality inside.
So, overall: what's the big deal about this series?
Each issue has a "revamped" version of a fairy tale, bookended by some very short modern tale putting it into it's cautionary perspective. Unfortunately, the bookends are almost unbearably cheesy, or worse: obvious. For instance, in the Hansel and Gretel story, the modern setting is *literally* two teenagers who have run away from home. Not exactly revelatory or original.
The revamping itself is sort of bizarre. Red Riding Hood's wolf is a werewolf, Hansel and Gretel don't both escape the witch, etc. And in some cases (particularly Cinderella) the modern, gruesome retelling is not even as gruesome as the original. (And, again in the case of Cinderella, both extremely random and unrelated to the remainder of the story. The original is way better.)
Now don't get me wrong, a couple of the stories are ok: Rumpelstiltskin actually has a surprise in it, and the twist in Sleeping Beauty was actually interesting. But most of it is just not original enough to keep my attention.
And the art: pretty bad. Much (not all) of it looks like middle-school drawings: the artist has put an incredible amount of time into drawing legs and breasts, but everything else in the panel is sort of distorted and muddy. Also, for a comic so well-known for it's pandering, sexual covers, there's little sexuality inside.
So, overall: what's the big deal about this series?
February 25, 2020
This is a retelling of Grimm's Fairy Tales in a Graphic novel format. Just its more gritty and more overtly sexualized. Every story starts in modern time and then goes to the actual story. following fairy tales are covered in Vol. 1.
Red Riding Hood
Cinderella
Hansel & Gretel
Rumplestiltskin
Sleeping Beauty
Robber Bridegroom
Nice reading the stories finally I have read the individual stories or seen the movies but its for the first time that I would be reading the full stories. May be later I would read Grimm brother's version too.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
Red Riding Hood
Cinderella
Hansel & Gretel
Rumplestiltskin
Sleeping Beauty
Robber Bridegroom
Nice reading the stories finally I have read the individual stories or seen the movies but its for the first time that I would be reading the full stories. May be later I would read Grimm brother's version too.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
October 7, 2015
Well.. it was fun to read. Re-tellings of known fairy tales with a twist.
I liked the stories, it was a nice read nothing too good and nothing too bad, although I gotta say the artwork sometimes was... not good.
Assymetry was having a party inside. Couple of stories were ok, but some were making me cringe and wonder if the artists weren't seeing like, the obvious.
But overall made me wanna read the second volume too, so that's good I guess.
I liked the stories, it was a nice read nothing too good and nothing too bad, although I gotta say the artwork sometimes was... not good.
Assymetry was having a party inside. Couple of stories were ok, but some were making me cringe and wonder if the artists weren't seeing like, the obvious.
But overall made me wanna read the second volume too, so that's good I guess.
July 24, 2012
Picked this up, thinking it would be worth-while. It wasn't. The art was ehh/nothing special and the re-tellings of the tales were terrible. What a disappointment and waste of $15. There is no reason to pay for this graphic novel.
November 10, 2017
I was disappointed in this comic. It was simply a sexualized re-telling of Grimm's fairytales and did not offer much else in terms of a storyline.
October 5, 2021
1-Red Riding Hood- IRL: Red has a pushy to sex boyfriend FT: Red kills the guy who is nice to her thinking it was the beast but instead it was the rich guy she longed for
2-Cinderella-IRL: Cindy signs up for a sorority but overhears they are b**ches, she stumbles upon a lecture by Sela and at the end Sela tells her all her dreams can come true if she makes one small sacrifice FT: cindy wishes for her evil step mom and sisters to be punished and to win over the prince
3-Hansel&Gretel- IRL: two teens run away from home and get picked up by Sela, after hearing the story they go back home FT: two siblings runaway from home to be captured by the witch, hansel dies and gretel feels responsible
4-Rumplestiltskin- IRL: a woman is pregnant and her boyfriend doesn't want it she meets sela and at the end is told children are precious FT: father lies about his daughter spinning gold, wish with rumple goes wrong, rumpl turns the first born into a hideous creature instead of stealing it.
5-Sleeping Beauty- IRL: boy has a crush on a girl and decides to go get drugs for her but runs into sela and ultimately decides not to get the drugs and tells the girl to do one. FT: sleeping Beauty is self-absorbed, the person to kiss her to wake her up from her sleep must have true love in his heart, when others try they die, a servant loves her and wakes her up but sleeping beauty hates him and his ugly poorness. He finds this out and his heart breaks and dies. Sleeping Beauty is forced into a sleep of a hundred years due to her sel absorption.
6-Robber Bridegroom- IRL: two sisters fight over the same guy and sela intervenes eventually they realize family is more important then a boy FT: one of the sisters kills the other so the prince will marry her and then in the end the prince is a gross murderer
2-Cinderella-IRL: Cindy signs up for a sorority but overhears they are b**ches, she stumbles upon a lecture by Sela and at the end Sela tells her all her dreams can come true if she makes one small sacrifice FT: cindy wishes for her evil step mom and sisters to be punished and to win over the prince
3-Hansel&Gretel- IRL: two teens run away from home and get picked up by Sela, after hearing the story they go back home FT: two siblings runaway from home to be captured by the witch, hansel dies and gretel feels responsible
4-Rumplestiltskin- IRL: a woman is pregnant and her boyfriend doesn't want it she meets sela and at the end is told children are precious FT: father lies about his daughter spinning gold, wish with rumple goes wrong, rumpl turns the first born into a hideous creature instead of stealing it.
5-Sleeping Beauty- IRL: boy has a crush on a girl and decides to go get drugs for her but runs into sela and ultimately decides not to get the drugs and tells the girl to do one. FT: sleeping Beauty is self-absorbed, the person to kiss her to wake her up from her sleep must have true love in his heart, when others try they die, a servant loves her and wakes her up but sleeping beauty hates him and his ugly poorness. He finds this out and his heart breaks and dies. Sleeping Beauty is forced into a sleep of a hundred years due to her sel absorption.
6-Robber Bridegroom- IRL: two sisters fight over the same guy and sela intervenes eventually they realize family is more important then a boy FT: one of the sisters kills the other so the prince will marry her and then in the end the prince is a gross murderer
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2019
Pretty good. Interesting take on the story, good artwork, but short. More like 3.5/5.
April 28, 2020
I thought it was an interesting retelling. I enjoyed how the stories mirrored the current day events. The graphics were amazing! It's not super ground breaking, but a ton of fun! I had a great time reading.
February 17, 2017
A very mature fairytale retelling so one that would be better for adults to keep away from the reach of children or even access to them. Keeping to the spirit of the original stories in which lessons were learned and the material directed to the mature audience this copy keeps to the following core standards while adding just a bit more spice to the telling.
The illustrations within were a combination of good and bad for me. I enjoyed the color schemes since each particular scheme gave the right atmosphere to the parts of the story that were being told - dark, black shaded for the more gruesome or darker aspects of the story, a bit neutral for the real world telling and brighter colors to move the story along when the story was in the middling ground. At the same time, though, the details in the story were a bit off such as when Red's bodice was ripped to shreds but in the following panel for "modesty" sake they were covered a bit more until the next panel where the ripped portion took over.
Otherwise I did like the creativity bit on an actual book that takes readers feeling the modern version of the story into the fairytale to see how they would fare. It does give the reader a chance to compare the similarities of the events in both worlds as well as seeing how there could be a possible solution or maybe even an unknown story element that we wouldn't have seen or thought about. Unfortunately the book itself had a bit of an uncertain aspect since the reader sees one of the characters with it alone versus the rest of the time there is a female character who basically is in control of it so again the details need working on.
If you don't mind the more adult aspects or the bit unclassy portions than you may be charmed by the stories that are included within the pages. Otherwise if you aren't into gore or bodice-rippers than I would suggest staying away from this particular variation.
The illustrations within were a combination of good and bad for me. I enjoyed the color schemes since each particular scheme gave the right atmosphere to the parts of the story that were being told - dark, black shaded for the more gruesome or darker aspects of the story, a bit neutral for the real world telling and brighter colors to move the story along when the story was in the middling ground. At the same time, though, the details in the story were a bit off such as when Red's bodice was ripped to shreds but in the following panel for "modesty" sake they were covered a bit more until the next panel where the ripped portion took over.
Otherwise I did like the creativity bit on an actual book that takes readers feeling the modern version of the story into the fairytale to see how they would fare. It does give the reader a chance to compare the similarities of the events in both worlds as well as seeing how there could be a possible solution or maybe even an unknown story element that we wouldn't have seen or thought about. Unfortunately the book itself had a bit of an uncertain aspect since the reader sees one of the characters with it alone versus the rest of the time there is a female character who basically is in control of it so again the details need working on.
If you don't mind the more adult aspects or the bit unclassy portions than you may be charmed by the stories that are included within the pages. Otherwise if you aren't into gore or bodice-rippers than I would suggest staying away from this particular variation.
March 21, 2014
The entry selling point for these comics are the covers, which always show salacious images of the female characters to attract the male gaze, making it look like “porn for teens”. The artist for most of these covers is Al Rio, a Brazilian artist who has worked on titles such as Voodoo, Gen 13 and DV8, and is known by his busty scantily clothed heroines. The problem is that the art inside isn’t done by Al Rio or anyone close to him. The artwork tries to keep with the tone of the covers, but it’s really weak and sometimes terrible. This includes bad composition, few details, strange perspective with things seemingly being in unnatural angles or in the same plane when they shouldn’t be, human proportions that do not work, faces that change from one vignette to the next…a lot of usual trappings of amateurish comic book art. In some cases, the art gains a cartoony edge that nearly works, but overall it’s very bad.
The writing fares slightly better, not that they’re masterpieces by any chance, but at least they’re not awful – not entirely. They’re based on the classic fairy tale stories, and that will stand even in the worst Hollywood attempts, so there is not much that Ralph Tedesco can do worse than what faceless Hollywood writers are doing nowadays. The basic stories work well, but the updated framework where those stories are presented is another story. Those bits are groan-inducing and don’t know the meaning of subtlety. In some cases (like Cinderella), they don’t make any sense with the story that’s being told. At best they’re trying to dumb down the stories so readers won’t need to make any mental effort, and at worst they include clueless and unnecessary additions to the story.
Then there is the “Grimm” part of it. This are supposed to be closer to the earlier tellings of the stories and not the Disney-fied adaptations with murder, blood and all kinds of vicious behaviors happening in them. But it all comes across as a really crass attempt at gore and trying to cash in some shock value. A few images land hits, but most of them are wasted attempts.
Out of the 6 stories, I’d say that only 2 are readable; Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin, where the changes made by Tedesco actually added something to the story, maybe not for the best, but they take you by surprise.
I have to say that at least there is an honest attempt to preach morals to younger readers, even if it is buried in tits and blood.
I imagine it’s in a market very prone to self exploration, but it’s still a market and the creators of this series have done well enough to make a living from it…to the point that they managed to license properties such as Charmed, Se7en and the History Channel.
If you have any interest in alternative tellings of fairy tales, I recommend trying Fables instead, unless you’re interested in forced gore and sexploitation of female characters, then you might be the target for this…or at least for the covers.
The writing fares slightly better, not that they’re masterpieces by any chance, but at least they’re not awful – not entirely. They’re based on the classic fairy tale stories, and that will stand even in the worst Hollywood attempts, so there is not much that Ralph Tedesco can do worse than what faceless Hollywood writers are doing nowadays. The basic stories work well, but the updated framework where those stories are presented is another story. Those bits are groan-inducing and don’t know the meaning of subtlety. In some cases (like Cinderella), they don’t make any sense with the story that’s being told. At best they’re trying to dumb down the stories so readers won’t need to make any mental effort, and at worst they include clueless and unnecessary additions to the story.
Then there is the “Grimm” part of it. This are supposed to be closer to the earlier tellings of the stories and not the Disney-fied adaptations with murder, blood and all kinds of vicious behaviors happening in them. But it all comes across as a really crass attempt at gore and trying to cash in some shock value. A few images land hits, but most of them are wasted attempts.
Out of the 6 stories, I’d say that only 2 are readable; Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin, where the changes made by Tedesco actually added something to the story, maybe not for the best, but they take you by surprise.
I have to say that at least there is an honest attempt to preach morals to younger readers, even if it is buried in tits and blood.
I imagine it’s in a market very prone to self exploration, but it’s still a market and the creators of this series have done well enough to make a living from it…to the point that they managed to license properties such as Charmed, Se7en and the History Channel.
If you have any interest in alternative tellings of fairy tales, I recommend trying Fables instead, unless you’re interested in forced gore and sexploitation of female characters, then you might be the target for this…or at least for the covers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2011
The child in me, who fell in-love with prince charming, wants to be offended by this improper version of Grimm’s fairy tales; however, I grudgingly admit that the adult in me is drawn to the originality and cannot help but find humor in alterations like Hansel being eaten alive, and intrigue at the sight of murdering sisters in the Robber Bridegroom (have I spoiled anything?).
It is not always easy to relate to older stories, like fairy tales. Sometimes, the morals (if there are any) can simply be lost on eras so distant. In actuality, it does seem fitting to put such short stories, like fairy tales, into comic book form since the stories are so brief and colorful – literally.
Many people have said that fairy tales were not appropriate for young children. In the case of this comic book, the stories are definitely not intended for children, especially with the incorporation of modern themes like teen pregnancy and partying, and even drug abuse. Don’t worry; these particular themes are part of the modern characters’ stories. However, last I checked, there was no swearing in Hansel and Gretel.
The tales become more than the expected stories when modern characters are magically drawn into the fairy tales. Though there is the recurring character who pops up to teach people lessons from Grimm, I could have done without that practicality added to the story. Having things spelled out for me at the end kinda feels didactic, regardless of the fairy-tale theme.
There are only six stories – Rumplestiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Robber Bridegroom, and Little Red Riding Hood - being retold in this first volume. I cannot help but secretly wonder what other stories are in store for the next volumes. Ok, so maybe I am more enchanted with the comic than I let on.
It is certainly not necessary to give Cinderella killer birds of vengeance or strip Little Red Riding Hood’s clothes to revealing rags from an attack by the big bad wolf. However, the attempts to be more sexually appealing and gruesomely violent will probably appeal to those who want a racier fairy tale. I have to admit that this new take on fairy tales gives more allure to those less inclined to read about a damsel in distress who learns a lesson. I didn’t need all that sex appeal and violence to catch my interest, though.
-EZ Read Staffer Amelia
It is not always easy to relate to older stories, like fairy tales. Sometimes, the morals (if there are any) can simply be lost on eras so distant. In actuality, it does seem fitting to put such short stories, like fairy tales, into comic book form since the stories are so brief and colorful – literally.
Many people have said that fairy tales were not appropriate for young children. In the case of this comic book, the stories are definitely not intended for children, especially with the incorporation of modern themes like teen pregnancy and partying, and even drug abuse. Don’t worry; these particular themes are part of the modern characters’ stories. However, last I checked, there was no swearing in Hansel and Gretel.
The tales become more than the expected stories when modern characters are magically drawn into the fairy tales. Though there is the recurring character who pops up to teach people lessons from Grimm, I could have done without that practicality added to the story. Having things spelled out for me at the end kinda feels didactic, regardless of the fairy-tale theme.
There are only six stories – Rumplestiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Robber Bridegroom, and Little Red Riding Hood - being retold in this first volume. I cannot help but secretly wonder what other stories are in store for the next volumes. Ok, so maybe I am more enchanted with the comic than I let on.
It is certainly not necessary to give Cinderella killer birds of vengeance or strip Little Red Riding Hood’s clothes to revealing rags from an attack by the big bad wolf. However, the attempts to be more sexually appealing and gruesomely violent will probably appeal to those who want a racier fairy tale. I have to admit that this new take on fairy tales gives more allure to those less inclined to read about a damsel in distress who learns a lesson. I didn’t need all that sex appeal and violence to catch my interest, though.
-EZ Read Staffer Amelia
February 28, 2016
Pani Doktor prowadząca fakultet o baśniach i ich współczesnych adaptacjach uznała serię GFT za lepszą od Fables, więc mimo początkowego sceptycyzmu, postanowiłam w końcu sięgnąć po tę serię. Trudno mi się z nią zgodzić, choć myślę, że rozumiem podstawy takiej opinii.
"Nie oceniaj książki po okładce", mówi się. Można by śmiało dodać: "a komiksu po grafice". Jestem estetką, lubię cieszyć oczy ładnymi grafikami i jest to często pierwsze kryterium jakim kieruję się przy wyborze komiksów, jeżeli niewiele wiem o danym tytule. Rysunki w pierwszym tomie Grimm Fairy Tales są... Cóż, nie są z pewnością najpiękniejsze spośród mi znanych, może też nie najgorsze, ale po przeczytaniu ponad stustronnicowego tomu wciąż uważam, że grafik mógł się bardziej postarać. Poza tym odnoszę wrażenie, że kobiece i męskie wyobrażenia o postaciach za bardzo starają się przypodobać szerszej publiczności - kobiety przypominają Barbie z biustem Pameli Anderson, mężczyźni mają posturę Chrisa Hemswortha lub dwa razy większą. Poważnie, inaczej się nie dało? Nie znajduję w fabułach usprawiedliwienia tak realizowanej koncepcji.
A może jednak? Opowieści zaczynają się zawsze od krótkiego wstępu umiejscowionego we współczesnych nam czasach, przeważnie w jakimś stopniu powiązanego z seksem (wywieranie presji do odbycia pierwszego stosunku, aborcja, zdrada), po czym przechodzą do baśni właściwej, opowiedzianej nieco inaczej niż historie nam znane ze zbiorów Grimmów, przeważnie jeszcze bardziej drastycznie i krwawo. Każda opowieść kończy się morałem. Można to uznać za plus, choć osobiście nadal nie przekładam nieco zmodyfikowanych baśni ponad autorską wizję Willinghama.
Pierwszy tom zawiera sześć zeszytów z wariacjami baśni o Czerwonym Kapturku, Kopciuszku, Hanselu i Gretel, Rumpelsztyku, Śpiącej Królewnie i Morderczym Oblubieńcu.
"Nie oceniaj książki po okładce", mówi się. Można by śmiało dodać: "a komiksu po grafice". Jestem estetką, lubię cieszyć oczy ładnymi grafikami i jest to często pierwsze kryterium jakim kieruję się przy wyborze komiksów, jeżeli niewiele wiem o danym tytule. Rysunki w pierwszym tomie Grimm Fairy Tales są... Cóż, nie są z pewnością najpiękniejsze spośród mi znanych, może też nie najgorsze, ale po przeczytaniu ponad stustronnicowego tomu wciąż uważam, że grafik mógł się bardziej postarać. Poza tym odnoszę wrażenie, że kobiece i męskie wyobrażenia o postaciach za bardzo starają się przypodobać szerszej publiczności - kobiety przypominają Barbie z biustem Pameli Anderson, mężczyźni mają posturę Chrisa Hemswortha lub dwa razy większą. Poważnie, inaczej się nie dało? Nie znajduję w fabułach usprawiedliwienia tak realizowanej koncepcji.
A może jednak? Opowieści zaczynają się zawsze od krótkiego wstępu umiejscowionego we współczesnych nam czasach, przeważnie w jakimś stopniu powiązanego z seksem (wywieranie presji do odbycia pierwszego stosunku, aborcja, zdrada), po czym przechodzą do baśni właściwej, opowiedzianej nieco inaczej niż historie nam znane ze zbiorów Grimmów, przeważnie jeszcze bardziej drastycznie i krwawo. Każda opowieść kończy się morałem. Można to uznać za plus, choć osobiście nadal nie przekładam nieco zmodyfikowanych baśni ponad autorską wizję Willinghama.
Pierwszy tom zawiera sześć zeszytów z wariacjami baśni o Czerwonym Kapturku, Kopciuszku, Hanselu i Gretel, Rumpelsztyku, Śpiącej Królewnie i Morderczym Oblubieńcu.
June 26, 2022
Grimm Fairy Tales Vol. 1 was an excellent start to the Grimm Fairy Tales series featuring darker versions of the classic stories we've come to know.
This volume includes the first six issues of Grimm Fairy Tales which feature the following fairy tales: Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, and Robber Bridegroom. The Robber Bridegroom was the only story in this volume that I wasn't familiar with prior to reading this. I really like the art style of this series but I will say if scantily clad ladies or gore are not your thing then this may not be the comic series for you. This series is quite dark and doesn't hesitate when it comes to violence.
Each of the stories are connected by a woman named Dr. Sela Mathers who utilizes a book of fairy tales to help people avoid making bad life choices. She does this by showing them through a fairy tale how their life may turn out if they make the wrong choice. I like the format of the stories having the parallel between real life and the fairy tale. Of the stories included, the Sleeping Beauty story was my favorite as it went in a direction I wasn't expecting. Some of the stories ended differently than the fairy tale they were based on but a lot of them followed the original story albeit going in a darker direction.
Overall Grimm Fairy Tales Vol. 1 was a fun read and I will definitely be picking up the next volume soon.
This volume includes the first six issues of Grimm Fairy Tales which feature the following fairy tales: Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, and Robber Bridegroom. The Robber Bridegroom was the only story in this volume that I wasn't familiar with prior to reading this. I really like the art style of this series but I will say if scantily clad ladies or gore are not your thing then this may not be the comic series for you. This series is quite dark and doesn't hesitate when it comes to violence.
Each of the stories are connected by a woman named Dr. Sela Mathers who utilizes a book of fairy tales to help people avoid making bad life choices. She does this by showing them through a fairy tale how their life may turn out if they make the wrong choice. I like the format of the stories having the parallel between real life and the fairy tale. Of the stories included, the Sleeping Beauty story was my favorite as it went in a direction I wasn't expecting. Some of the stories ended differently than the fairy tale they were based on but a lot of them followed the original story albeit going in a darker direction.
Overall Grimm Fairy Tales Vol. 1 was a fun read and I will definitely be picking up the next volume soon.
August 18, 2016
I couldn't finish this one. The idea of applying old tales to modern events is neat, as is having a common storyteller across each issue. But none of the stories really gripped me, and after half the volume, I didn't care about a single character in any of the stories. I also found some of the problems the characters needed to solve were catty, and the women were often very sexualized in the art work.
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