Fairy tales continued – review of the comic book “Fairy Tale at the End of the World” vol. 2-3

Good comics for children are those which – to quote the classic – “teach, educate, and entertain”. Marcin Podolec coped well with the implementation of these assumptions in the first volume of the adventures of Wiktoria and Fairy Tales, but it is known that the continuation can be different. Sometimes there is no satisfactory idea for developing a story, sometimes the author lacks enthusiasm for further work on the story. It also happens that chasing deadlines reduce the quality of the plot or drawings. Fortunately, in the case of Tale at the End of the World , none of the above problems can be mentioned.

A little post-apocalypse

In Abandoned House and Reviving Rain, Podolec still plays with science-fiction and horror themes, transforming them into his post-apocalyptic fairy tale for young audiences. Huge monsters, poisonous vapors and mutagenic rain appear in the comic book pages. The Shapeshifter, known from the first volume, also returns. From the flashbacks in the second part, we also learn a bit about the origins of the catastrophe that destroyed the world.

Above all, however, we observe the protagonists’ struggle with mounting troubles as well as their sincere and deep relationship. Podolec presents the proximity of Victoria and Fairy Tale in an incredibly authentic and touching way, basing it on small but beautiful gestures, such as bringing a cookie or stroking the belly. Of course, the author shows readers that friendship is not always idyllic. The protagonists sometimes make mistakes, behave badly towards each other and quarrel. However, each time they finally come to an understanding and continue walking together through the ruins of the world after the great cataclysm. The creator also does not forget what characters he writes. It perfectly reflects the expressive, perky and slightly naive attitude of the girl. It is equally good at showing the simple-minded and often instinctive nature of a female dog, which, despite the ability to speak, retains the characteristics of its species. As a result, both characters remain convincing and constantly arouse sympathy.

Also read: Mad Max for small (and big) – comic book review “Fairy tale at the end of the world. The Last Garden “

What a beautiful world after the catastrophe

Nothing and nothing has changed also in terms of graphics. A fairy tale at the end of the worldit is still a dynamic, colorful and easy to read comic strip drawn in a distinctive style. Despite the fact that this is a book aimed at the youngest, Marcin Podolec does not take shortcuts in terms of composition and the use of the language of the medium in which he creates. He plays with a variety of balloons and frames depending on the nature of the scenes. When he wants us to focus on chasing Bajka, he completely gives up backgrounds and borders. Illustrating a massive explosion, he skews the frame. When a huge monster stands in the way of the protagonists, she shows it in a drawing that runs over the entire page. And to emphasize the hostile nature of the ravaged world traversed by her friends, he presents on the spread its panorama with a huge sky and small figures of the protagonists placed in the very corner.

The author also uses colors phenomenally. Most of the comic book is a combination of shades of brown, orange and beige, suggesting a hot, hostile, post-apocalyptic wasteland. As clouds approach and rain falls, the landscape becomes grayish with olive and rusty accents. The night is black speckled with colored dots from time to time cut by a streak of flashlight light. The only elements that constantly stand out against this background are the silhouettes of Fairy with her fair hair and Victoria in a red cap and a pink scarf. Deviations from the constant color palette appear only at carefully thought-out moments and are always related to the pre-apocalypse realities. In the first part it was a garden, in the second there are scenes from the past, and in the third – a plant and a dinosaur.

What’s next?

I have the impression that Marcin Podolec’s comic book may become part of the canon of Polish children’s picture stories. I am all the more pleased with the news about the start of work on the animated adaptation of Tale at the End of the World , which will certainly contribute to the popularization of the paper prototype. I am also looking forward to getting my hands on another album, because the intriguing and beautifully drawn adventures of Victoria and Fairy Tales are enjoyable regardless of their age.