Grimm Tales of Terror #13 Ligeia

Grimm Tales of Terror Vol 3 Issue 13 Ligeia See below for preview images

Credits:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Yusuf Idris
Colors: Fran Gamboa with J.C. Ruiz
Letters: Fabio Amelia

This issue was based on the tale by Edgar Allan Poe. It’s a story about a man completely consumed by the loss of his one true love.  He tries to move on and does.  And he is happy…for a while. 

Then, his obsession over his lost love and broken heart resurfaces and he gets his wife involved.  They experiment with cult activity, witchcraft, etc. trying to bring Ligeia, his real love, back to life. 

But, he did not count on being betrayed by his wife, who only married him for his money.  Due to his profound sadness over his lost Ligeia, she expected that, even though they married, he would kill himself and she’ll inherit everything he owns. 

Since her plan does not work out the way she had hoped and he does not kill himself, she murders him instead.

Staring into his murderous wife’s eyes as he dies, he FINALLY feels that he is back with his true love, Ligeia.

THE END

Although there wasn’t a whole lot of content to this story it was still a very impactful tale, especially told this way.  It truly is representative of Poe’s work.  It’s a tragic tale of obsessive love, betrayal and murder.  It stacks on top of that ultimate selfishness which just hammers everything home.  Anyone who has ever lost someone they love in any way can relate to the man in this story, particularly those who have felt true heartbreak.  This was not a “feel good” story and left me feeling sad after I read it.  I actually said out loud, “Well, that was depressing.”  I mean, you have a man that is so consumed by the loss of his lover that he feels alone even when he’s with someone in another intimate relationship.

I liked the twist of the betrayal of the wife.  No doubt that, if she knew his obsession would never end, she would feel rage and hatred, wanting to get her own kind of revenge.  If it was purely just about the money from the beginning…WOW!  What a cold-hearted witch to mark someone who is already suffering so.  That takes a special kind of person, to prey on the weak and lonely.

The artwork in this issue is amazing.  This artist had a clear vision of what Poe was trying to portray in his words and it is clear on every page.  The use of color to accentuate various characters and traits is brilliantly accomplished and highly effective.

RATINGS
Overall 4/5
Story 4/5
Artwork 4/5