In the publication history of Wonderland there have been more or less only two general outlooks for the series. The first dealt with the Liddle family, and specifically Calie, trying to battle against the maddening influence of the horror dimension. This led her into conflict with the various rulers of Wonderland – the Jabberwocky, the Queen of Hearts, the Queen of Spades – each of whom she destroyed, until she eventually became the White Queen of Wonderland, which changed the outlook for the first time in her stories. In these stories she was recast as a force trying to clean up Wonderland from the myriad of insanities which plague it. For her character, this has been a natural evolution, and a clever one under the hand of Erica J. Heflin, but there was a difference between her new and the old. While she still dealt with problems on Earth from time to time, her main focus became Wonderland, and the series changed from that of a psychological horror, to something more like a fantastical one.
Issue #39 of this series represents the first time that the two different outlooks are presented in the same issue. The story is told in a bit of a non sequitur to what has been playing out in recent issues, though this is also briefly touched upon. Instead a mysterious person is stalking Calie, someone from both her past and her mother’s. This touches on the earliest moments in this series and touches more so on the madness that used to play out in these stories. It is revealed that this man used to be the butcher in the neighborhood where the Liddles lived, although he harbored a secret love for Alice which led him to the dark dimension.
While there is a decent setup for this new nemesis in Calie’s life, his introduction is also somewhat of an x factor. He is built up well here, but his place in the overall story is a mystery as there is essentially no context for his appearance. The same general level of performance is here for the series as Heflin manages another engaging story, but it remains to be seen exactly how this fits into the bigger picture, as it is still somewhat undefined. At the very least it proves that she has an understanding of what made the series so popular to begin with and can channel that same concept into her own version of the series. The only issue is that it is somewhat non sequitur, it will likely be incorporated into the story line in a meaningful way in the coming issues, but for the moment it is an outlier in terms of its placement in the series, and so while engaging it takes a way a bit from the overall narrative of the series.
Story: Erica J. Heflin Art: Marc Rosete Story: 8.7 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.7 Recommendation: Buy
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.
Brett
Top Pick: Plutonia #1 (Image Comics) – A new series by Jeff Lemire? Well, that alone gets this on my list, but the idea of him tackling a coming of age story through the lense of the superhero genre is too awesome to not look forward to. Add in beautiful artwork by Emi Lenox, and this is the first comic I’m reading this week.
Imperium #8 (Valiant Entertainment) – Harada and Divinity, two of the most powerful beings in the Valiant universe have come face to face. This is the climax to “Broken Angels,” continuing the awesomeness that is this series.
Midnighter #4 (DC Comics) – Writer Steve Orlando has made punching to solve problems cool again. I’ve never been the biggest Midnighter fan, but Orlando has given me reasons to be as he’s given the character a fresh mix of a personal life and superhero life. Such a fantastic series.
The Omega Men #4 (DC Comics) – Superhero terrorists? This series shows the gray and that there’s a fine line between terrorist and revolutionary, all in space! A very cool sci-fi series that does what sci-fi does best, explore our society through entertainment.
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #44 (IDW Publishing) – I’ll keep plugging the various IDW Transformers series until you people wake up and see that it’s more than just giant robots and fighting! Every series has been an interesting mix of political intrigue, action, and religious philosophy. It’ more than meets the eye (sorry had to).
Alex
Top Pick: X-O Manowar #40 (Valiant Entertainment) – I’ve become a huge fan of this series over the past few months, and after the way the last issue ended, I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.
We Stand On Guard #3 (Image Comics) – I have been really enjoying this series so far. We’re almost at the half way mark, and I’m really looking forward to see where the story takes us.
Edward
Top Pick: Danger Girl: Renegade #1 (IDW Publishing) – Love’m or hate’m, the Danger Girl team is back, and this time focuses on one of the team’s unanswered questions, Abby’s past. Those that like the series can expect more tongue-in-cheek humor combined with decent action.
Jem and the Holograms #6 (IDW Publishing) – More fun abounds for this series which has been focused so far solely on the battle of the bands, and while it has been a simple enough concept, the creative team fills these pages with life.
Lazarus #19 (Image Comics) – The ongoing battle of Duluth proves to be an issue for Forever after she is nearly killed in the last issue. How thia works from here on will be interesting as numerous clans are trying to take down the Carlyles.
Star Lord and Kitty Pryde #3 (Marvel) – A lot of the Secret Wars tie-ins have either mostly ignored the crossover or told a crossover-centric story. This is one of the few that does both while maintaining the charm of what made the pair of heroes so special to begin with.
Wonderland #39 (Zenescope) – Zenescope’s stand-out series returns with higher stakes as Calie faces threats in Wonderland and on Earth.
Elana
Top Picks Tie: 8House: #3 Kiem Part 1 (Image Comics) – Brandon Graham’s inter-connected fantasy world series begins a new storyline. The art by Xurxo G. Penalta is beautifully detailed and creative. The world has an air of Dune mixed with cyberpunk. The story involves astrolprojection. This will be unlike anything else you buy.
Top Picks Tie: Heavy Metal #276 Jack Kirby Issue (Heavy Metal) – Jack Kirby made art for the CIA’s secret Operation Argo plan to free American hostages. Never before published, we can finally see it in this issue! It is based on Robert Zelazny’s famous fantasy series “Lord of Light.” The rest of the mag sounds good too. But the Kirby cover alone with worth the cost of admission.
Jem and The Holograms #6 (IDW Publishing) – The Food Fight of the Century is over and now it is time for the Battle of The Bands! A really fun series for people of all ages and genders. Which band would you be voting for: The Holograms or The Misfits (not the Danzig Misfits, the entirely fictional Misfits that the artist has said sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs)? I think Black Sabbath singer Dio would vote for Jem and the Holograms but Black Sabbath singer Ozzy would vote for The Misfits. Please tweet me your own wild speculations to @Elana_Brooklyn #JemBattle (this is just me, not an official IDW tag).
Midnighter #4 (DC Comics) – I’m addicted.
Toil and Trouble #1 (BOOM! Studios) – I’m fairly discriminating about my “re-imaginings of Shakespeare” but this new mini series looks stunning, innovative and feminist.
Silver Surfer #14 (Marvel) – A title that had felt at the periphery of the Marvel U (in an interesting, exploratory way) now finds itself at the middle of it. It looks like the rebuilding of the post Secret Wars Marvel U starts here. The last issue ended on some absolutely stunning art. Among the best I’ve seen in ages. I was very frustrated with Slott’s response to the Hercules bi-erasure story but he’s apologized so I’m still reading this.
Kenny
Top Pick: DC Comics Bombshell #2 (DC Comics) – Making this story a period piece has me interested in the many ways they could take Wonder Woman, Batwoman, and Supergirl, after a solid set up in the first issue. But it’s mostly the gorgeous art that has me most excited about diving back into this world.
Daredevil #18 (Marvel) – Honestly, I could break down the multitude of reasons this comic is worth reading but, to keep it simple, when Mark Waid is writing Daredevil it is always worth checking out.
Deadpool vs. Thanos #1 (Marvel) – Deadpool messing with anyone is usually all I need to be happy, but watching him send Thanos into a massive rage has me feeling extra giddy inside.
Herald: Lovecraft and Tesla #6 (Action Lab Entertainment) – Being a history junky, I am all for any type of twisted history tale. And just the potential of watching Mark Twain versus a book golem is enough to make me want to read this right now.
Mr. H
Top Pick: Deadpool vs. Thanos #1 (Marvel Comics) – The one who personifies death vs. the one who can talk you to it? Oh yes this is a must see even for me. Viva la Deadpool!
Daredevil #18 (Marvel Comics) – The final chapter. See how it all ends. I am on the bench with anticipation.
DC Comics Bombshells #2 (DC Comics) – The Womens’ Super Revolution continues. Is Steve Trevor going to make it? We shall see…
Green Lantern #44 (DC Comics) – Hal as a renegade just really fits and I’m liking this fun little space chase, I’m hoping that some incoming Thanagarian influence can shift it into over drive though!
Thors #3 (Marvel Comics) – Move over CSI and every other crime drama. This one is how it’s done.
Paul
Top Pick: Thors #3 (Marvel) – This is one of my favourite books to come out of Secret Wars. The Thors have been hunting a murderer who has been targeting Jane Fosters from different areas of Battleworld, and now they have a suspect. This is a great cop story, following the Thors as they uphold the laws of Doom, and I can’t wait to see the interrogation of their suspect.
Age of Apocalypse #3 (Marvel) – Issue 1 was fantastic and took me right back to the AoA I remember…and then issue 2 totally left me flat, basically a rehash of the first. I am really hoping they pick this story up and we get more into the thick of things. I’m really enjoying seeing the story from Cypher’s point of view, but I want to see more then some observations on character behaviour. There’s been hints of a virus that could end all the mutants…can we please see more of this story?
Squadron Sinister #3 (Marvel) – I was surprised that I enjoy this book as much as I do. I’m familiar with the Squadron Supreme, and Hyperion from his time in Avengers…and it’s a fun read to see Battleworld’s version of this team being nothing more then an organized gang, quietly taking over realms to expand their power…but how long will this go before Doom steps in?
There is one major difference between the stories of Wonderland and those of the remainder of Grimm Fairy Tales. The majority of Grimm Fairy Tales franchises tend to focus on one world entirely, not two at the same time, as series are either based in the real world, as with the main series, or in their own separate worlds, as with Oz, Neverland, The Jungle Book and others. Wonderland is the series from all of them which takes a magical realm and shows the relevance of the real world on the events there and vice versa. While recent issues have tended to focus on something closer to a fantasy element for the series, it has nonetheless still been rooted closely enough to the events of the real world, as Calie still struggles to find a place in both.
The story here is told as the Terror has escaped and as the Squire faces punishment for this escape. While the events might have seemed to be restricted to Wonderland with the various plots being advanced by different characters, the action jumps back to the real world. As Calie meets up with Drew again she realizes that the darkness from her realm has spread back to Earth, with the Terror and the Red Rabbit keen to exploit her human connections against her. Meanwhile in Wonderland, the Squire finally begins to explain her own opinion on what could be happening to cause all of the malevolence.
This is a series that tends to balance somewhere between good and great, and while the past few issues could be said to be only good, this seems to be the return to something more for the series. There is a bit more gore here than what has been seen recently, but it also adds weight to what has happened. Certainly this story still has some distance to go before resolution, but the approach here is the one that has worked best for the series overall. Some Earth and some Wonderland equals the best outcome for story telling here.
Story: Erica J. Heflin Art: Marc Rosete Story: 9.1 Art: 9.1 Overall: 9.1 Recommendation: Buy
That the world of Wonderland is intricately layered should not be confusing. The series is after all based on the somewhat drug-fueled dreams of Lewis Carroll, and involved a land of whimsy and fantasy. The modern adaptation of this featuring heroine Calie Liddle has vacillated between different inspirations, especially since the takeover of Wonderland by Calie, and the handover of the creative duties to a new creative team. This essentially caused that it become a new series, one focused on pretty much anything, and one which has moved away from the madness inducing realm that it had started as. Sometimes the focus on more of a sword and sorcery fantasy, and sometimes it is closer to Carroll. The previous story arc involving the Squire and the En Passant was much more like the sword and sorcery inspiration, but the Carroll inspiration also usually remains.
This is the follow-up to the previous arc, and while it essentially continues the same story, it is evidently also somewhat different, and worthy enough to start its own story arc. With the Squire implicated in the escape of the Terror, she decides to keep her silence. Meanwhile other forces, these closer to the original source material, are at play in the effort to take out Calie from play. The resulting confusion is one which no one can seem to figure out what is happening, and where the Cheshire and Calie cannot comprehend the actions of the Squire, who had apparently become their new ally.
If the series seems to be somewhat convoluted, it is because it is. The story in this first issue of this new story arc continues what came before, but also throws it away. The Terror was a villain that had to be dealt with, but his role seems to be relatively unimportant here. Still this story deserves some benefit of the doubt. After the series writer Erica J. Heflin has somewhat of a pattern by this point of creating a puzzle for herself to start with and then to sort through it carefully and meticulously by the end of a story arc to produce another stunning victory. Such would seem to be the case here as all the pieces are in play for another amazing story, just that it is not clear how that will play out yet.
Story: Erica J. Heflin Art: Marc Rosete Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Manuel Preitano is relatively new to the medium of comic books but he has already turned some heads primarily with his work at Zenescope. His work has particularly been noticed in the pages of Wonderland, the sometimes fantastical and sometimes maddening realm of dreams and nightmares. He joined us to talk about the series and its inspiration.
Graphic Policy: Grimm Fairy Tales features Calie Liddle as its main character, and unlike many other characters in comics it has looked at her evolution from a younger age to being older. She has undergone various changes in her appearance, but when taking on the role of the White Queen she evidently changed again. How do you draw her differently to reflect the fundamental change in the character?
Manuel Preitano: I was lucky enough to approach the amazing world of Wonderland gradually: first with the five issues miniseries “Clash of Queens”, which focused on the four queens of Wonderland battling each other; then, the main series, with Wonderland #33-36, which was my first occasion to draw Calie. You’re right about Calie changing a lot, and I think that’s part of the fascination of Wonderland setting. Wonderland is an unstable world that changes the people who fall into it. If you remember, in the original Alice in Wonderland book Alice undergoes a size change as soon as she gets down the rabbit hole, so this is definitely part of the Wonderland mythos. What Calie keeps all the time is her humanity, so I tried to draw her as a human being who suddenly has to deal with a wider world than she ever imagined. I had the occasion to draw her in many outfits, and I really had fun making different versions of her White Queen attire. The winter one in my Wonderland #33-36 run was a special favorite!
GP: Calie is the queen of a land of fantasy but also based in reality on Earth. How do you depict the character artistically to make sure that both are believable while also being the same character?
MP: It’s her continuously changing, but keeping her humanity at the same time. The script (written by Erica Jeanne Heflin) in Wonderland #33-36 made good use of this concept, I think. We had a good variety of real world scenes and fantasy ones. In Wonderland world she commands armies, she has great powers, she faces monsters and slays them with her sword… but in the real world problems are less direct, with the solutions coming from her relationships with other people. She has different approaches to different problems, and my approach as an artist tried to reflect that, with her body language, the way she poses and so on. I hope I did a good job!
GP: How hard is it to draw Wonderland, the realm of madness? Do you find yourself challenged to come up with increasingly weird things? Or is it kind of liberating as you can do whatever you want?
MP: I love to draw the contrast between the real world and Wonderland, as the former tries to explain everything with logic (and this reflects in the visuals) while the latter allows way more freedom and can really contain any setting you could imagine, ready to be drawn. It’s definitely liberating, yes! Erica had me draw some wonderful things (e.g. dragons, ghouls, pixies, etc.) in her story arc, and a big part of the story was set in a huge forest. I could work this contrast between real world cities and their geometrical shapes and fantasy woods with their organic, asymmetric designs. As a huge fan of Swamp Thing, I love drawing woods, swamps, and natural settings.
GP: Wonderland has become a lot more oriented to big cats in recent issues, with the battle of cats occurring on numerous occasions? Do you like drawing them?
MP: Yes! I love cats, and I love drawing cats. It always relaxes me when I have a whole Cheshire Cat sequence to draw. I’m very glad there were plenty of scenes with the character on the Wonderland related comics I worked on! Vincenzo Riccardi did a great job on Wonderland #32, where the story was really, really focused on cats!
GP: Wonderland as a series seems to be venturing out from the original books and taking on the fantasy genre. Do you have any particular inspirations when it comes to this genre?
MP: I like to study many references before drawing something, and that’s really easy when you love the genre. They come from very different places: many French comics have visually astonishing settings, so I went through them. Among other things, video games are also a good source of inspiration, and I always try to make a mix of contemporary and old school fantasy when drawing Wonderland. Works like Sandman: Overture have been a great inspiration for the unusual settings of Wonderland, as well; I try to follow the flow, checking both classics and more modern fantasy works.
GP: Are there any characters that stand out from a design standpoint in the Wonderland series?
MP: I like the White Queen design a lot, but there are so many to choose from. It’s quite a colorful world when it comes to design, as many of the characters have a very distinct style. I have a soft spot for the Queen of Spades in terms of design, as she really represents the archetype of the evil queen, so I hope to see her again at some point!
GP: The depiction of Violet as the Mad Hatter is kind of similar to that of Harley Quinn, which according to cosplayers is one of the most popular looks from comics. Why do you think that the female jester image is so appealing?
MP: It connects to that tradition of ambiguous, antihero characters, where you see they’re not completely evil (or they’re just crazy, so not intentionally doing evil), but they’re not good either. Harley Quinn is moved by her mad love for the Joker, and who hasn’t done crazy things for love (but not as crazy as Harley, one hopes)? Back to the Jester figure, in the Middle Ages and Renaissance there were licensed fools, people who were allowed to act crazy and criticize kings or nobles. They were allowed to tell the truth in a world dominated by strict rules and etiquette, so—no surprises here—the truth teller remains a popular figure today. Visually, characters like Mad Hatter Violet and Harley Quinn (referring to her original costume here) have a very solid look and color palette, immediately identifying them in this tradition, and this surely contributes to their popularity. I can pick a Harley Quinn costume out of a crowd of cosplayers, let’s say! The asymmetric design of Harley hints to her madness, so it’s like everything in her look talks about her inner life, which is very important in character design.
GP: Are there any characters from the Carroll books that you would like to see introduced or reintroduced into the ongoing stories?
MP: I love to draw monsters, so having the opportunity to draw the good ol’ Jabberwocky would be lot of fun to me!
I’ve been given the opportunity to design some creatures for the ongoing series, like Terror, the Red Rabbit, the Grinner and so on, so I’m eager to see what they’ll make me draw next time!
For the rest, Wonderland is a world with so many possibilities, so I would love to see new writers inventing new crazy concepts for the series, following Carroll’s concepts but adapting them to new times. Wouldn’t that be really fun to see? It’d be a lot of fun to draw!
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.
Brett
Top Pick: Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The excellent series Princeless gets its first spin-off series focused on Raven, the Pirate Princess. The fundamentals are here, this time looking at swashbuckling tales. Raven must seek revenge against her brothers who have stolen her rightful place out from under her.
Archie #1 (Archie Comics) – This is huge! Archie is kicking off a whole new era with Mark Waid and Fiona Staples at the helm. This is one folks will be talking about.
Invader Zim #1 (Oni Press) – Jhonen Vasquez’s creation is back in a new comic. This is one I’ve been waiting for ever since it was announced. It’s kind of hard to not like the cartoon it’s based on, and expect this to be a hit.
Star Wars: Lando #1 (Marvel) – Everyone’s favorite scoundrel is back and in his own mini-series. Marvel has been killing it when its come to their Star Wars comics, and I expect no difference here.
Transference #1 (Black Mask Studios) – This is an interesting time travel series that is a hell of a mind bender in the first issue alone. There’s subtle things throughout the first issue that makes it stand out from the other special teams as time travelers story. A solid first issue.
Alex
Top pick: The Fox #4 (Dark Circle Comics) – If you’re not reading The Fox, you’re missing out. Plain and simple, this is one of the best comics on the rack every month.
Batman #42 (DC Comics) – Although I’m not a big fan (yet) of the Bat-bunny-mech suit, I’ve got more than enough faith to see how Snyder plays this out.
Edward
Top Pick: Wonderland #37 (Zenescope) – There has hardly been a misstep in this series since the change of direction under the new creative team. The series never fails to impress and surprise and that will continue here with a new story.
Archie #1 (Archie Comics) – There is finally a lot of buzz for this publisher, and it comes in the form of a revamped Archie. No one quite knows what that means yet, but we will know soon.
Bloodstrike #1 (Image Comics) – Rob Liefeld causes a riot any time he works on comics, as he has fans and others who are pretty much the opposite of fans. This is his best setting though, with nothing to prove and his imagination to fuel him. How will the new sci-fi series work out for him?
Civil War #1 (Marvel) – One of Marvel’s most contentious crossovers meets the Secret Wars world. The mix is not an obvious one, but neither have a lot of crossovers that have involved strange mixes thus far.
Gotham Academy #8 (DC Comics) – Olive returns to Gotham’s most interesting school. A one issue break (plus the break for Convergence) means that she has been gone for a while, and it will be interesting to see what her return means for this series.
Elana
Constantine the Hellblazer #2 (DC Comics) – Funny, pretty, creepy, creative and hey everyone— it stars a bisexual character who’s not treated as a joke or fetishized! More please!
Also props on the diverse creative team behind the comic, which may have something to do with the diversity inside the comic. PS, co-writer Ming Doyle was one of our podcast’s all time best guests. Go listen to her!
Gotham Academy #8 (DC Comics) – This book is one of the most creative things coming from DC. This issue is Olive’s mysterious Mother’s funeral. I’m gonna say it’s all Batman’s fault because he has a terrible track record with people with mental health issues.
Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The name says it all. Charming, feminist, racially diverse. The number one book for kids of all ages including kids with mortgages. The new art is stronger then ever!
Storm TPB Vol. 2 (Marvel) – Storm’s first solo series was groundbreaking. If you like Storm at all, or just want to see more comics featuring women of color buy this! The story explores her personality, playing her off against some interesting foes and even more interesting friends. And the Gambit team-up is so much fun it’s criminal!
Paul
Top Pick: Age of Apocalypse #1 (Marvel) – I collected every issue of Age of Apocalypse when this storyline came out a million years ago. This, to me, was one of the best X-Men runs ever released. And I cannot wait to see the AoA region of Battleworld. I know it won’t be exactly like the original run…but I am so excited to see these versions of the X-Men again.
Civil War #1 (Marvel) – Another storyline given a region in Battleworld, and I’m looking forward to it. So much happened in the original run of Civil War, so I’m looking forward to reading a story where the war never ended; see what allegiances were formed, which fell apart…and who survives to see it end.
Runaways #2 (Marvel) – I really enjoyed the first issue of this series. I’ve always enjoyed books focusing on the younger heroes of the MU (New Warriors, Young Avengers, Runaways), and I liked how this tie-in to Secret Wars took some of my favourite heroes (Cloak and Dagger especially) and took them back to school, literally, to find their way in this new Battleworld.
Mr. H
Top Pick: Batman #42 – Capullo. Snyder. Every issue in this run has been white hot. I have no reason to believe the train will slow down. I don’t even want to buckle in!
Batman/ Superman #22 (DC Comics) – Gordon vs. Kent round 2. Can these two get on the same page so the World can have a Finest again?
Civil War #1 (Marvel Comics) – Where it all went wrong the first time, I’d like to see how they try to correct their mistakes or are they doomed to repeat themselves?
Spider-Man: Renew your Vows #2 (Marvel Comics) – This is the Spider-Man that I have waited for since the return of Norman Osborn wayyy back in the pages of Spider-Man #75. Last issue was very disappointing. I’m hoping Slott gives Peter the reunion with his daughter he deserves. Give him a happy ending for once!
TMNT Color Classics Series 3 #47 (IDW) – Classic Eastman/ Laird in color? Hell yeah. Loving this trip down memory lane!
Pharoah
Star Wars: Lando #1 (Marvel) – Definitely had my interest piqued when I saw it in Previews for this month’s solicitations. He is probably one of the coolest characters within the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and now he gets his own graphic treatment, the only thing I can say truly, it is about time!!!
1872 #1 (Marvel) – I love the exploration of alternate universes with familiar characters, and this is definitely one to watch out for, as they got the Avengers living in the Wild Wild West
Archie #1 (Archie) – When you have the top talents of Mark Waid of Empire fame and Fiona Staples of Saga fame, working on one of comics’ most iconic characters, it is more than worth a look.
Providence #2 (Avatar) – Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows, are reviving Lovecraft in the most exciting way possible, as he has made the mythology scary again for all of us. I have not loved a Moore series as much as I loved this one, definitely his best work yet.
Star Trek/Green Lantern #1 (DC Comics/IDW Publishing) – This team up has been creating a huge amount of buzz since it was first announced and as a fan of both franchises, it reminds me of the Batman/Spawn crossover.
Editors are the unsung masterminds of the comic industry, bringing together multiple talented artists and creators to produce a single finished product. Nicole Glade is one such editor, who has been working behind the scenes at Zenescope for a few years on various titles. She thus has an interesting insight into the inner workings of a comic company and she joined us to share her thoughts on fairy tales, swimsuits and the changing demographic of comic readers.
Graphic Policy: It is not very often that we get to talk to an editor as opposed to writers and artists, so can you start by telling us a little about what you do for any random issue?
Nicole Glade: Very true, and I appreciate the recognition! As lead editor, I oversee projects from concept to completion. I act as a bridge between all the creative personalities and make sure everyone is both accurate and on pace to get the project done in time for print. I even get a hand in the creative aspect, because I may have an idea that I suggest to the writer or one of the artists.
GP: Are there any particular issues or stories that you worked on which surprised you for how they turned out?
NG: I suppose the biggest surprise for me would be Grimm Fairy Tales. GFT has been a mature title for a long time, but 101 changed all that and became Young Adult. It made a lot of sense, given that it now has several young adult characters. While I’ve read plenty of YA that I enjoy, it’s not my go-to genre. That said, I have really, really enjoyed each issue. I love the students and it’s been so much fun to watch their characters come to life.
GP: You have said that you are interested in making comics more inclusive towards everyone, especially female readers. On the one hand there seems to be somewhat of a shift underway, but on the other there still seems to be some distance to go. What do you think is the most important change needed in the medium to make this possible?
NG: Widening the audience is a huge personal goal, yes. I think a lot of creators are on board and taking steps to make this happen. It really seems to me that it’s the higher-ups who need to catch up. I see publishers at least acknowledge that they’d like to create comics that speak to a larger readership. However, they’re still not able to directly point out titles that meet that goal, or the titles they can name are few and far between. It’s definitely time to stop making promises and actually get to work.
GP: Fairy tales in comics have a strange history in the medium. They started off as common staples in the early years of and then all but disappeared until recently. What do you make of their relatively recent comeback?
NG: I think fairy tales are never going to truly go away. There’s clearly something timeless about them that we love to explore time and again through various mediums. Perhaps it’s the morals they tell, or how the darker aspects shine a light on the most basic parts of being human.
GP: As an editor you get to work on a lot of different titles at Zenescope, and have had a hand in practically every Zenescope property at one time, from Wonderland to Neverland and from Oz to the Jungle Book. Does doing so give you a new outlook on any particular characters or settings?
NG: I oversee over half of Zenescope’s titles. It can be a bit of a handful to manage, but I really enjoy seeing how it all connects. Readers generally won’t miss out on anything if they prefer to stick to one, but there are always little easter eggs lurking in the background that allude to other titles.
GP: Did you find yourself liking any specific characters more after being exposed to all of them?
NG: I can’t think of a character I don’t like the more I get to know them through editing a title they’re starring in. Cindy in particular stands out. When I first read her, she was a side character and I found her really annoying. But then I edited the Cinderella Age of Darkness miniseries. Pat Shand managed to write her in a really funny way and suddenly I saw her in a whole new light. It also helped that the art team did a fantastic job as well.
GP: Is there any specific series or characters that stand out to you as being the best that the company has to offer? On that same note, is there any specific character that you would think needs to be put in a little bit of a different direction so as to better use their potential?
NG: Robyn is easily a fan favorite. Pat has given her such a distinct voice that it’s hard not to fall in love with her. Personally, I love Baba Yaga. I’ve always had a soft spot for antiheroes and she’s constantly in this morally grey space.
As for characters that I’d like to see more of, definitely Adraste. She certainly stands out in Oz, but the spotlight is still on Dorothy. When she got her one-shot in Tales from Oz, she had to share it with Glinda. I’d love to see her with her own a miniseries in the future.
GP: You have edited the swimsuit editions for Grimm Fairy Tales, and as they come our every second year, there won’t be one this summer, but how do you go about choosing themes for the selection? How do you choose the (sometimes fictional) locales?
NG: Dave definitely did most of the work when it came to concepts. He didn’t want to reuse a lot of covers, so he focused on coming up with about 30 unique and new concepts. He basically just made a list of the various realms and characters, then combined them. He also threw in a few real locations because who doesn’t like seeing beloved fictional characters in the real world? Once the list was complete, he turned it over to me. I spoke with each artist and asked what character they wanted to draw, then I tried to match them.
GP: It seems that a lot of the variant covers for Grimm Fairy Tales often have the main characters in swimsuits. Is this kind of planned out to get a better field to choose from for the special?
NG: Like I said, Dave came up with totally new concepts to avoid reusing covers. Having so many bikini covers in order to compile them into the Swimsuit Special may have been the original line of thinking, but we’d like to create more content now. Fans deserve fresh material if they’re paying for the issue.
GP: Zenescope is putting on a big show this summer for its ten year anniversary, but where do you think that they will be in ten years?
NG: This year is definitely a major milestone for Zenescope and we’re all very proud to have made it to this point. What I’d really like to see for the company is less of a reliance on covers. That’s all well and good for the collectors and it certainly helped Zenescope during its early years, but it’s definitely time to let our interiors speak for themselves. This does not mean doing away with the flashier variants, but I think the interiors deserve an equal amount of attention.
It probably comes as a surprise, even for the disparate fans of Zenescope that there is a board game featuring one of the company’s properties. It is the case however, as the company seemed interested in expanding its covering of different media beyond just comics to board games. In essence there is probably no better series of characters to draw upon than those of the Grimm Fairy Tales Wonderland setting. In terms of the quality of writing it has consistently been the best that Zenescope has to offer, featuring main characters that are being driven insane even if there is a good reason for this insanity (their connection to Wonderland.) As the characters explore their own issues they keep coming up against the question of the chicken and the egg in terms of their own approach to life and how to deal with the realm of madness.
Although the series has been a standout for Grimm Fairy Tales and Zenescope it also begs the question about how to interpret this to a board game. While some fans might be drawn to the game because of its association to the comics, it is really worth questioning as to whether that is a good idea. The game draws on one of the mechanics of the series, that enemies have to be defeated in both on Earth and in Wonderland, and this is done through the Liddle House which was the source of so many troubles for the family. The usual suspects are here, and it is a nice association with the comic universe, but the mechanics are overly basic. As opposed to some popular games which use unconventional boards and strategies, this game is a relatively straightforward hunt and kill concept based on a grid movement system. The only real twist in the game is that the board is reversed when moving to Wonderland.
It is unfortunate that Zenescope went ahead with this idea as it was. It took a fairly popular series and reduced it to a game which could easily be designed and playtested in single day. It draws well from the comic material, but for fans who are unfamiliar with this material they might also wonder why certain characters are attacking each other and trying to kill one another when this is not the case in the original novel. As it stands this is a pretty weak entry as a board game, and while it would be nice to see Zenescope try again, hopefully it wouldn’t turn out like this did.
The denizens of Grimm Fairy Tales standout series return her for what is the end of the second major story arc after Erica J. Heflin took over the helm for the title. The change in focus under the new writer is one that was perhaps a natural evolution of the characters and setting but it is also one which leaves a lot open to interpretation. After all Wonderland is the seminal setting for the literary nonsense genre of fiction, a genre which really only contains a handful of recognizable entries. The setting is one which is full of the abstract and bizarre, but also one which is full of the stuff that makes up the fantasy genre, and so while this series is still very much set in the madness that was and is Wonderland, at times recently the series has almost taken on a fantasy feel.
As the final issue of this story arc, there are still evidently a few loose ends to be wrapped up. With the Terro on the loose, Calie and Cheshire are forced into an alliance with the Squire, who had given them the means by which to control the Terror. The Terror was not so easy to be controlled though and worked its powers to manipulate the minds of the Cheshire and the Squire into being enemies of Calie as she sought to control this threat. As Calie faces off against them here, it is not the most engaging part of the story although the action is fun enough, instead she faces against her own worst nightmares, but as a veteran of the torment of Wonderland, there are not as potent as her enemy thinks.
Once again this issue proves why this series is far and away the standout series from Zenescope. The characters are rich and the concept has depth. The metamorphosis of Calie from troubled teen in the earlier books to superhero queen is maybe not the most evident from the earlier stories involving the character, but as they are written it is natural and logical progression in the character’s path. This issue continues forward the strong momentum behind this series and finishes the second story arc with a bang, and sets up the future for more grat stories to come.
Story: Erica J. Heflin Art: Manuel Preitano Story: 9.3 Art: 9.3 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.
Brett
Top Pick: Midnighter #1 (DC Comics) – Steve Orlando takes on the brutal character, who also happens to be gay. Orlando is a talented writer and to see him take on such an important series is fantastic. Can’t wait to read this one.
Broken World #1 (BOOM! Studios) – With a meteor days away from causing an extinction-level event on Earth, time is running out for Elena Marlowe. While most of the planet’s population and her family were approved by the government to escape on one of the giant spaceships headed to another planet, her application was denied due to her mysterious past. With the meteor fast approaching, Elena tries desperately to find a way to fake her way onto the last ship or else be left behind to die with the rest of Earth’s rejected denizens.
The Bunker #11 (Oni Press) – Three months later. Grady begins his political campaign while Billy sits in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. But once again, everyone is at the mercy of their future selves. An amazing series.
Jupiter’s Circle #3 (Image Comics) – Mark Millar’s prequel series has been fantastic the first two issues. This third continues to look at how power corrupts.
Secret Wars #3 (Marvel) – The series really kicked off with the second issue. While I’m still a bit cautious about this major event as a whole, so far the main series, as well as the tie-ins, have all been very good. Marvel’s events have had a habit recently of starting strong than tanking, here’s hoping we don’t see a repeat.
Edward
Top Pick: Suicide Risk #25 (BOOM! Studios) – This is it! The finale to this gripping series. We finally get to find out the final fates of all involved and whether the heroes can save two worlds.
Bat-Mite #1 (DC Comics) – DC has been taking more risks than usual in the past year, and this series continues that streak running. It will be interesting to see what they can make of this series.
Justice League #41 (DC Comics) – After a lead-in like the last issue, it is evident that the creative team means big things for this series.
Morning Glories #46 (Image Comics) – The series should be heading towards another big moment some time in the next few issues. Will this issue be the linchpin?
Wonderland #36 (Zenescope) – Zenescope’s best series returns for its monthly dose of Wonderland infused madness and mayhem.
Elana
Top Pick (tie): The Wicked + The Divine #11 (Image Comics) – Stunning art, emotionally compelling characters a big fat mystery and a whole lot to say about being young and about pop culture and fandom.
The comic has been picked up by DeConnick and Fraction’s new TV production company so you better start reading this book before it hits the small screen so you can brag about liking it before it was mainstream.
Top Pick (tie): The Humans #5 (Image Comics) – Bikersploitation meets apesploitation meets 70sploitation. This new issue puts us on the road to trucksploitation too (yes that’s a genre! Haven’t you seen Convoy? I haven’t but whatever).
This underground comic styled book is one of the best comics of the year. Neely’s art is evocative, expressive and funny but it is also technically outstanding. He’s a remarkable draftsman and inker. Reading this book will remind you why hand lettering and coloring makes such a big difference.
Oh and there’s sex and drugs and violence and monkeys and a soundtrack to download.
Airboy #1 (Image Comics) – Robinson is a strong writer who’s known for excavating emotional resonance and intellectual stories out of overlooked gold and silver age heroes.
And that’s the joke here.
The preview makes it clear this comic has a different project in mind. He’s created a meta comic about the making of an air boy comic (air boy being a square golden age hero) and the drugs one takes to do so– starring non other then James Robinson & Greg Hinkle (this book’s creative team). There are Hunter S Thompson references.
Sure! Why not!
Spiderwoman #8 (Marvel) – Hopeless’s run has always been a fun read but as of last issue it’s turning out to be a comic that has something to say. Last issue included a big reveal that makes us question a lot of our assumptions about criminals and about women. I want to see where this goes and I’ve never been as intrigued with this book as I am right now.
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #6 (Marvel) – I love that front headline of this comic always states that she has all the powers of a squirrel and all the powers of a girl. Because both girls and squirrels have more power then anyone gives them credit for and this book wants you to remember that. Also it’s hilarious fun and totally beginner friendly.
“Big Daddy Cool” Johnny Dellarocca
Top Pick: Bat-Mite #1 (DC Comics) – It’s freaking Bat-Mite! What else do you need?
Airboy #1 (Image Comics) – Another great pulp hero by another established “classic” creative team (see a pattern here?). I am particularly interested in the concept behind this series, and the previews suggest that this is a “breaking the 4th wall” type of series that will have healthy does of action, adventure and comedy. Well, see but it is definitely worth a look!
Justice Inc.: Avenger #1 (Dynamite) – I’m going to be honest and upfront. I have never been a fan of The Avenger. I was hoping the Justice Inc. series from Dynamite would change that, but it didn’t. That series for me wandered and was too disjointed. Plus The Avenger was written like a spoiled whiner. Saying that, I wasn’t a Daredevil fan either. Until Mark Waid took over the book. Now mark Waid is writing The Avenger. I’m a little excited.
The Phantom #3 (Hermes Press) – There are two Phantom books out this week. While I love the concept of Dynamite’s King series, it hasn’t quite hit the right notes (unlike Flash Gordon). However, Peter David’s series from Hermes Press not only hits the right notes, it is an orchestral work of a master!
Princess Leia #4 (Marvel) – Another Mark Waid title, and in my opinion the best of the Star Wars line, and my top pick of the month. It’s a shame the series is only 5 issues. Waid and Dodson have created magic with this one!
In the publication history of Wonderland there have been more or less only two general outlooks for the series. The first dealt with the Liddle family, and specifically Calie, trying to battle against the maddening influence of the horror dimension. This led her into conflict with the various rulers of Wonderland – the Jabberwocky, the Queen of Hearts, the Queen of Spades – each of whom she destroyed, until she eventually became the White Queen of Wonderland, which changed the outlook for the first time in her stories. In these stories she was recast as a force trying to clean up Wonderland from the myriad of insanities which plague it. For her character, this has been a natural evolution, and a clever one under the hand of Erica J. Heflin, but there was a difference between her new and the old. While she still dealt with problems on Earth from time to time, her main focus became Wonderland, and the series changed from that of a psychological horror, to something more like a fantastical one.
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
