Spider-Man Fairy Tales Paperback by C. B. Cebulski (Author), Niko Kobayashi (Illustrator), Ricardo Tercio (Contributor), Niko Henrichon (Contributor)
Although I do not typically go either into Spider-Man comics or those divergent from the main stories, Spider-Man Fairy Tales offers a breath of fresh air. C.B. Cebulski unites with a number of different artists to deliver an interpretation of iconic storylines fused with classic fairy tales from the world over. While my favourite of these has to be the one on the cover – fusing the Red Riding Hood tale with the Coming of Venom – it spills over other cultures, incorporating West African tales of Anansi and the Elements to Japanese Yokai, all well written and well illustrated in ways that are familiar but aren’t jarring to read.
We do need more different cultures in comics, and exploring various interpretations of familiar characters while also exploring different mythologies, if written well, can be very entertaining and a gateway for the curious mind.
A truly fun read. I am only aware that there is an X-Men one out there. I genuinely wonder if they ever planned more. But seek it out, it is worth a look especially when things are bleak and heavy and all you would like is a light-hearted twist on familiar ground.
