Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Beyond Wonderland #4 (Zenescope – Gregory / Leister / Ruffino)
The sequel to the smash independent hit Return to Wonderland continues!
Johnny Liddle has taken his place as the new and improved Hatter. But how did the boy become the ultimate madness? The answers are revealed here as we follow Johnny beyond the looking glass and witness his ultimate transformation!
It is because of books like this and writers like Raven Gregory, Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco that I believe we are at the front end of the Renaissance of Horror comics!
This picks up after the Wonderland One Shots from last Summer. The whole issue is a flashback of what happen to Johnny after he was trapped in Wonderland and how he became the Hatter and the ultimate fate of his mother, Alice.
The pacing is brilliant as we follow Johnny in his horrifying journey. After he is trapped on the other side of the mirror and immediately catches on that he is not at home (ice flame and reverse writing should give you a clue), Johhny finds himself being seduced by the flowers of the garden. Dan Leister is one of those artist that make something erotic, beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. After his narrow escape, then Johnny has to deal with the previous Hatter and the part of his mom that has been trapped in Wonderland since the very beginning. By the end of the issue, the reader gets a clear view that Hannibal Lecter has nothing on Johnny.
This book is perfect parts suspense, gore, intrigue and eye-candy. If the Grimm Fairy Tales or smart Horror is anything you are interested in, you need to get this series!
Issue Grade: A
