PVCC Lynx Publication

Not your childhood fairy tales
Local comic book writer takes reader 'Beyond Wonderland'
By Gbolahan Olanubi, November 09
Contemporary Culture Editor

Raven Gregory is a local comic book creator who is known on a national scale. He is the author behind the “Wonderland Trilogy” and “The Gift.” He has also co-authored numerous issues of “Grimm Fairy Tales.”

Gregory is a native of Phoenix and currently resides in Glendale. Thanks to the success of his comics, Gregory lives comfortably with his wife and two sons. Gregory’s reason for getting into comics is simple.

“I always loved the medium (comic books), and it just seemed natural to expand my writing into that medium,” said Gregory.

Gregory’s comics are a prime example of the maturation of comic books.

“I think most people see it still as a childlike medium,” said Gregory. “A lot of people don’t realize how much comics have matured over the past couple of decades.”

Thomas Healy, store manager of Atomic Comics Metro, loves what Gregory and company have done with “Grimm Fairy Tales.” The Grimm series takes the classical fairy tale archetypes and gives them a darker retelling. This series finds its roots in the original “Grimm Fairy Tales” by the Grimm brothers.

Gregory’s most recent work, “Escape from Wonderland,” is the last installment in the “Wonderland Trilogy.” Gregory describes his Wonderland as, “a twisted take on the original tale, but done in a more modern-day sequel of sorts.” Think of it as a modern epilogue to a classic fairy tale.

Alice, of the original tale, is all grown up and clinically insane. Her trip to Wonderland has left her permanently damaged. When she got back from Wonderland, she would talk of diabolical queens, talking flowers and a mysterious cat. Nowadays she does not do much besides cling to a small white rabbit.

Calie Liddle, Alice’s daughter, begins as your generic damaged child. She drinks, does drugs and parties too hard. Her life changes when she stumbles into Wonderland. From there, Calie’s journey begins. She must fight for survival while uncovering the truth behind Wonderland and her mother’s insanity.

For comic books, art is half, maybe more, of the battle. A great story with poor art ends up being a mediocre comic book. Fortunately, Daniel Lester, illustrator, and Nei Ruffino, coloring, make a great team. Ruffino has done work with DC’s “Green Lantern Crops” along with the Wonderland series. Lester has drawn for many issues of the “Grimm Fairy Tales.” Together they earn their keep in this great story.

Throughout the series, Gregory’s Wonderland proves that comics aren’t for kids. On one page, they show a man being eaten alive by lizards. On another page, a not-so-innocent cat sits in a café surrounded by mutilated corpses. I don’t want to give away all the good stuff, so I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. It’s safe to say that the warning on the back of the comics holds true; the “Wonderland Trilogy” is not for kids.

Fans of Gregory can expect a new series called “The WAKING” at the end of the year.

“The story follows a group of detectives in a race against time to discover why the victims of murders have been recently returning from the dead in order to get revenge on the people who killed them and whether or not to stop them or allow justice to be served,” said Gregory.

From his synopsize, it sounds like a zombie thriller-mystery. Fans of Robert Kirkman’s “The Waking Dead” will want to check it out.

If you’re looking for good independent comics outside Vertigo, try Gregory’s work. He revamps our favorite childhood tales and provides thrilling original stories. Gregory is definitely one of the better authors this side of the Mississippi.