Grimm Fairy Tales #36: Frog-Kabobs

It’s time to dive headfirst into the Swamp of Madness in Grimm Fairy Tales #36, an issue packed to the brim with action but not so much on plot development. Even then, it’s a blast to read and brings out a particularly great characterization for Skye despite being surrounded by such danger.

Is this the best issue of the Odyssey arc yet? Probably not, but it does do some interesting things that will have fans excited to check it out. The Frog Queen just steals the entire spotlight with her ruthless demeanor mixed with just the slightest bit of condescension. Their clash with Skye gives this issue all the interesting character work it needs to be an entertaining reading experience. What I’ve really found interesting, especially with issues of late, is the likeness we see with Skye and the classic women’s-icon Wonder Woman. Skye is a bit more sure of herself and sometimes humorous, but she is absolutely channeling the same persona of power and this issue captures that important aspect quite well. Even the gold armor feels significant beyond it’s storytelling potential derived from Hephaestus and its powers. Skye Mathers is just a character that elevates strong women in comics in a really great way and it’s awesome to see her in action like this.

While the artwork mostly succeeds in the spectacle of action and violence, there are moments of awkward anatomy that distract. They aren’t overbearing, but some of the sequences that in particular see Skye falling to the ground feel a bit off in the execution. This isn’t to take away from the grand fight against the Frog Queen or the freaking epic moment of Skye literally slicing off her tongue though!

The Odyssey arc has so far been a whirlwind adventure of setting up all the conflicting pieces narratively, but Grimm Fairy Tales #36 takes a breather with a story that is solid punch-em-up action and funny quips. In the context of this story and the overarching narrative, I believe this works and helps to give some reprieve to the constant dire circumstances that loom overhead. It’s just a lot of fun, and it ends with one of the most dramatic cliffhangers of the series yet.

Ultimately, this is an issue that fans of the series will have fun with. It might not be the most impactful in the arc, but it will help to flesh out the character and the overall reading experience in the collected trade format. It’s not a filler, it’s an adventure!