COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Fairy Quest: Outlaws

Fairy Quest: Outlaws is Humberto Ramos and Paul Jenkin’s latest collaboration. Originally funded through Fairy Quest Kickstarter page and published as 2 part series, BOOM! Studios had published the collected edition of Fairy Quest in a trade paperback format.

The story as how it begins we see Red Riding Hood was on her way to visit her grandmother. On her way (as to how we all know) she saw the Big Bad Wolf and just when you thought what will happen next that’s when everything changes. You could say that Fairy Quest is an alternate universe for fairy tales. The stories that are read and taught to us as children are presented different in this story. In the world of Fairy Quest that’s where Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf are best buds. Criminals in the eyes of the Think Police that says no one should deviate from the original fairytale story. The Think Police led by the story teller himself Mr. Grimm makes sure that every fairy tale character follows their script. In Fablewood, the land of fairy tale characters, they have learned about another place, the Real World, where they can all be free from their stories. That’s where the actual story of Fairy Quest begins, the quest of Red (Red Riding Hood) to escape from Fablewood on to the Real World.

It’s interesting to see how different our well loved fairytale characters are presented in a different light. In Fairy Quest characters like Cindy Rella (Cinderella), Pan (Peter Pan) are all trying to break free from the rule of Mr. Grim and the limits of their stories. Paul Jenkins had written Fairy Quest for a younger audience and I’d say mature readers would still find the alternative story-telling of this title an entertaining read. What I think lacks from Fairy Quest is that the story seems short. The trade paperback is more of prelude as compared to being a complete story. I don’t know if that was the original intention of this book but I would have preferred read more of a back story between Red and the Big Black Wolf before their epic quest to the Real World.

The strength of this book lies on its art. Humberto Ramos is still one of the best when drawing kids and teenagers. His trademark drawings which has characters with big heads, hands and feet matches well with the Fairytale theme of this book, its feels more like you’re actually reading a children’s book and not and a graphic novel. Overall, I’d say that Fairy Quest is a decent read. It’s a nice book given to younger kids as their introduction to the world of comic books. Fairytale characters told in a different perspective would still make this book an interesting read for regular readers.

Rating: 7/10