Free Comic Book Day GFT – Age of Darkness Review

Free Comic Book Day GFT – Age of Darkness Review by Jessica Curtis

Joe Brusha: Writer
Sheldon Goh: Pencils
Grostieta: Colors

Free comic book day in Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales universe is a bonus for fans both new and old. The new readers are introduced to the series at the perfect time… right smack in the middle of the Age of Darkness storyline. Current fans will appreciate the fact that this freebie ties directly into the 100th issue of Grimm Fairytales and the epic Age of Darkness event featuring Sela, the Dark Queen, and the Blood Knights.

The comic focuses on the past and present of what has shaped the Age of Darkness into all it is today and the foreboding of what it is to come. Sela is set in her ways to always protect the Grimm Universe from evil and the Dark Queen is set on working on all attempts to bring that protection to an end. In this case Sela is forced to deal with the predicament of defending and protecting the Grimm Universe from the forces of the Dark Queen and her Blood Knights.

When it comes to the Blood Knights they are the epitome of what it means to be a force to be reckoned with. Indestructible, the Blood Knights are nothing good when you see the light coming out of the darkness. My favorite scene in this comic has to be when a cloaked Blood Knight steps from the shadows of a dark carriage and reveals himself to be the threat a Blood Knight truly is. The layout of that page is nothing more then jaw dropping awesomeness of the blood and fire forging of a Blood Knight’s ultimate destruction. I have to admit it was a bit of a let down that the color choices for the page didn’t seem to do the page and the character of the Blood Knight justice. The sepia and softer color tones help to give the reader the ancient, once upon a time  feel but it lacks the jaw dropping power profile and palette that these warriors of blood and fire need. I get it thought, you put these boys in the spotlight they will just have all the attention.

The art work is beautifully done and the ‘past’ pages are portrayed as beautifully as an oil painting. Goh hasn’t missed a mark of detail when it comes to the characters and their expressions when faced with the war they know they are yet to face. The story opens with a Lord of the Ringsesque feel with the perfect dash of Grimm Universe style that only Zenescope and Brusha’s imagination can bring to this comic. The appearance of the Blood Knights makes me want to own every single action figure or print (please let it be so!!!). The present day scenes leave us wondering just what the Dark Queen and the Blood Knights have in store for Sela and the Grimm Universe.

Blood. Fire. Bodies left to nothing more then cinders and remains. This is what I can only imagine will be the potential in this Age of Darkness. Those readers new to Grimm Fairy Tales and Zenescope need to make this your choice to snatch up come free comic book day. The storyline, the art, and the sneak previews will leave you wanting more. Get this freebie while you can and come join me in the reverie this Age of Darkness.