Filling a void in the modern comics industry is Grimm Tales of Terror, an anthology series from Zenescope that offers self-contained, one issue stories. Whether or not it fills that void well is an open question, however. The latest issue, plotted by Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco, written by Meredith Finch, and drawn by Milton Estevam, #3, is bad. The story in this issue, tagged “Don’t Turn On the Lights,” follows a few college women and their scares with a serial killer. The book follows an interesting mystery layout, having the reader constantly guess whodunit, but it fails in execution. Boring and confusing attempts at red herring and a light misogynist streak taint any fun to be had with this simple horror comic.

The idea of a one-off horror story is a great one, especially in today’s arc-filled storytelling. The comic is reasonably well-written, meaning that it is constantly intriguing to read. A lot of time is spent on certain, shady characters with what I assume to be the intention to trick readers into thinking they may be the culprit. These keep things interesting, even though this can sometimes feel like irrelevant fluff. Distracting to a lesser degree is the uncomfortable portrayal of women, with clear stereotype (Loves chocolate? Check. And Gucci bags? Check. Getting money from “Daddy”? Check.) and often pointless and gratuitous appeals to the male gaze. Perhaps there is some charm to be had from sleaze in horror stories, but it can certainly be done better than this.

The art work is technically proficient, offering ample expression and storytelling. When the book calls for a character to be frightened or menacing, they certainly look frightened or menacing. It isn’t particularly aesthetically pleasing, however, with dull coloring from Marcio Freire and little to no stylistic flair. It’s not an attractive book.

With all of the book’s failures and successes, everything ultimately comes crashing down at the climax, when the killer is revealed. The reveal is arbitrary and lazily-done, with no clues alluding to it and nothing natural to it. The idea behind this series has promise, and there were some things to like about this issue. It’s not tough to get through, but it consistently disappoints, leading to the biggest disappointment of all in the ending.

Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Meredith Finch Art: Milton Estevam
Story: 4.0 Art: 5.0 Overall: 4.0 Recommendation: Pass

To check out Matt’s about.me, click here. 

Zenescope provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review