Edward Scissorhands
Makes the cut
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Publisher: IDW Writer: Kate Leth Artists: Drew Rausch, Jeremy Colwell
One of the few
Tim Burton films that can still be described as a well- loved classic, the touching and satirical story of Edward Scissorhands was never exactly screaming out for a sequel. However, while this comic follow- up could have set alarm bells ringing, what we get is a surprisingly charming and quirky series that already feels like a worthy and satisfying continuation.
The first three issues centre on Megs, the child briefly seen in the movie who was told the story of the lonely, scissor- handed Edward by her grandmother, Kim Boggs. Years later, Megs is now a restless teenager and Kim is long dead, while Edward still lurks forlornly in his dark castle.
When Edward awakens a broken, long- dormant creature named Eli in the hope of some company, his good intentions lead to dangerous consequences… The events which follow tap into the collision between mundane American suburbia and gothic weirdness that was at the heart of Burton’s original.
Drew Rausch’s loose, cartoony visuals leave realism behind in favour of a stylised look that’s often like a less self- conscious version of Burton’s own artwork, while Kate Leth’s script achieves a finely balanced mix of wit, weirdness and melancholy. Whether that balance can be maintained as an ongoing series remains to be seen, but so far this sequel is an accessible and entertaining all- ages comic that’s living up to its predecessor. Saxon Bullock In her teens, Kate Leth was a Burtonobsessed goth. “I probably had seven Nightmare Before Christmas shirts.” 2001 movie Frailty was an inspiration for the comic, while the look of Jess’s dad was based on comedian Louis CK.