Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Code Red Volume 1 (GFT CODE RED TP) Paperback – June 10, 2014

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This book collects issues 1 through 5 of Zenescope's "Code Red - Age of Darkness" series. The author, Pat Shand, was behind the well received "Realm Knights", which was sort of a crossover collection of Zenescope characters, and has also written in the "Robyn Hood" series. The character Red appeared in both of those and this new series seems to be her latest featured appearance."Red" is Grimm's version of Red Riding Hood, and is known as Britney Waters when not operating under the codename "Agent Red" as a member of the Realm Knights team. In this new series the Dark Horde is rising under the command of the Dark Queen, and it's up to Red to foil her plans. Unlike some Grimm issues, you don't need to be deeply grounded in the Grimm Universe in order to follow the action here. You'll pick up what you need on the fly, and any bits you miss don't really figure heavily into this story arc. There are cameos by some other regular characters, like Robyn Hood, mostly providing backup when the action gets heavy, but again there aren't a lot of unfamiliar characters.I am partial to the Wonderland arm of the Grimm Universe, and to Sela Ward as a recurring character, though I also appreciate players like Red. But while I appreciate Red, the whole Dark Horde story arc here is a bit labored, and nothing very original is done with the characters. Setting the Horde's camp in Centralia, Pennsylvania was a nice touch, and some of the leading bad guys are interesting, but Red, with her angst, overconfidence and self-doubt, can be a bit wearing as a heroine.The drawing is fairly consistent from issue to issue, with only a few odd panels here and there, and the characters all have distinctive aspects so one can follow the action, as drawn, easily. Dialogue is O.K., but pretty predictable.The upshot, at least for me, is that this is a perfectly fine addition to the Realm Knights galaxy, but not essential. Of course, if you are a fan of Red's, or of Robyn Hood, or if you follow every aspect of the Realm Knights, this is an absolute must have.Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

Excellent! I thoroughly enjoyed this title. I have difficulty in placing these trades in exact chronological order but as far as I can tell this is a direct sequel to "Realm Knights" and though this story is not dependant on that one; it would probably enhance enjoyment to start there. This time only Agent Red Hood and Agent Robyn Hood are called to duty. Brief mention is made of some events from Realm Knights but only one time is it worth Zenescope's infamous use of the asterix reference to the previous volume. LOL. Pat Shand is becoming one of my favourite author from this publisher and knows how to tell a good story and keep the very complicated world-building and crossover characters in line, giving the reader brief hints to remember who is who and what is what. This story was highly entertaining, and while sexy and violent, was a little tamer than usual. The art was gorgeous, as it almost always is. This story really gets us into the beginnings of the plan of the Dark Horde's takeover and show their massive armies of orcs and ogres, all hinting at a little Lord of the Rings-ish feel to it. The book also ends with a sneak peak preview of the Robyn Hood one-shot comic which is a mission she is sent on within the pages of this volume. Fans of GFT will get what they usually expect and a little more in the story department. Great read!

Britney Waters aka. Agent Red is a werewolf that works for the government. In this novel, dark forces are planning to take over the world and in Volume 1 we get and intro into the action and a glimpse of who the major baddy is.I liked the action, girl can kick ass. What I didn't like is that come on guys, no girl is gonna be out there fighting bad guys without a sports-bra; zip-up with nothing underneath would be beyond uncomfortable for fighting crime. That bit of oversight is what dropped this mystic, sci-fi, action packed novel down a star. I recommend reading, its a better version of the fairy tales we're familiar with.

I like the blending of the fairy tale elements within a modern setting. The characters are contemporary individuals who have taken on the role of fairy tale heroes, known as Realm Knights. Agent Red is based on Little Red Riding Hood and works for the US government. I like the wolf based elements that surround her throughout the story.But the story didn't thrill me. Agent Red is after a powerful artifact that could destroy the world, yet that part of the story held no interest for me. The villains and that part of the plot almost seemed like filler. The information about Red's past and the appearance of Robyn Hood are much more appealing. Their interactions and personal histories are the strongest parts of this book by far. That is where they shine because they are relatable and fantastic.I'm a little split on the art. Most of it is decent, although there are some cheesecake moments, i.e. scantily dressed women in odd poses. In a book featuring strong female characters, it seems kind of backward to include art like that.Agent Red piqued my interest in the Realm Knights stories. Given an opportunity, I would check out some of the earlier books in this setting. This book doesn't feel like the best place to jump into it. An action packed, fast paced book that represents the setting well.