‘Briar’ Awakens Once More As BOOM! Studios’ Dark Fairytale Returns
by Scott Redmond
After a year hiatus, BOOM! Studios’ dark fantasy series Briar, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, is making a big return.
Eisner Award-nominated writer (as well as producer and director) Christopher Cantwell is back to tell more of Briar Rose’s story. He’ll be joined by rising star artist Alex Lins (Hellcat, Crypt of Shadows) for this next chapter of the series. Rounding out the intrepid creative team is Luis NCT on colors, with assistance from Mar Silvestre, and Andworld Design on the letters.
As the series returns, Briar and her companions have become renowned bounty hunters with a reputation for murder and mayhem. They’ll face off against local authorities while hatching a plan to get closer than ever to Briar’s malevolent fairy godmother Grendrid.
“Briar focuses on people who have fallen out of the grander story, or feel no place in it at all,” Cantwell said. “The book is what happens when the entire fairy tale comes apart, and only a few, fringe characters are left to pick up the pieces, having to forge their own radical destinies instead of being handed happy endings.”
Series editor Allyson Gronowitz shared excitement about the series’ return, saying “I cannot overstate how thrilled I am that Briar is back for its next chapter.”
Gronowitz added, “Chris is back with a jaw-dropping new arc, and the talented Alex Lins is joining us for Briar’s second outing. I couldn’t be happier.”
As the new artist of the series, Lins said “Briar is for anyone with heart: it is visceral, it is poetic, and the protagonists go much deeper than most heroes do.”
Briar #5 will be available on May 15th.
