I'm a sucker for cheesecake art and generally speaking enjoy Zenescope books for what they are.... but this was goofy as hell and I couldn't even finish it.

I love the direction this took with the retelling of Beauty and the Beast, where Belle is this kick ass superhero who has a family legacy to fight the creatures that go bump in the night. And there sure was a Beast, a creature that used to be a man and was cursed to a new identity .I also enjoyed how other side characters from the fairytale were scattered in the graphic novel, but not as the household furniture they are most familiar.

There were a few times when the story jumped around with zero transitions so it took me a minute to understand what was going on, but basically that was my only complaint with this graphic novel. The illustrations were gorgeous, I loved the way Belle looked as well as all the super cool monsters that lurked in the pages, and I enjoyed how consistent the artwork was between the volumes.

Overall I really enjoyed this and I would love to continue the story. This did end on a cliffhanger so be aware there is still a lot unanswered.

Book Review

Title: Belle: Beast Hunter Complete

Author: Dave Franchini

Genre: Graphic Novel

Rating: **

Review: So I knew nothing about this graphic novel other than it is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and the cover is beautiful. “The Grimm Universe is filled with heroes far and wide dealing with threats from vampires, werewolves, corrupt governmental organizations, to ancient orders battling for control of the realms of power. But what lies in the deepest corners of our world could give the evilest creature nightmares. A threat since the beginning of time is rising and only one person will be there to stop it from destroying everything! Working from the shadows a long lineage of warriors have been defending life from the darkness that exists and from that family of soldiers comes the newest ally in the war of monsters, Belle the Beast Hunter!”


So we are introduced to Belle whose family on her father’s side has fought in wars dating back to 1812, while her mother’s family fought too but to keep the world safe from monsters roaming the night and Belle now does the same. Belle seems to have a complex history as she had a friend/brother Alex who there is some tension with but as this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, it seems like Belle may fall in love with one of the monsters she is sworn to fight against.

After some strange encounters with these monsters, Belle heads back to their base headed by Candlestick the man that practically raised her after the disappearance of her mother and the withdrawal of her father, but it is never that easy in these kinds of stories. While Belle is out hunting the base is attacked and many killed including Candlestick, Belle is rescued but before that, we get to see some of Belle’s past and different encounters she has had with monsters and the scars she has been left with because of them.

Part 3 left me with a few issues as Belle is introduced to the organisation C.H.I.P. which is run by Candlewick’s sister but is attacked by a new monster and is left with nothing more than a survival kit. I had issues with this because C.H.I.P was introduced and had no history of backstory before it was shoved out of the story, but the plot is getting thicker as these monsters seem to be targeting Belle, specifically. Seeing Belle hunting down a new beast not because it is her job but because her best friend has been taken was a nice change of pace for the character, but I was hoping for some relation to the original source material which I wasn’t getting a lot of. However, Belle’s character is developing, and the story is moving forward at a great pace but at the cost of storytelling and plot in my opinion.

Belle’s life takes another turn for the worst when her best friend Mel is taken by a beast and she has to track it down before it is too late for her friend. While she is hot on the heels of the beast, I felt that the action and fast pace was taken precedence over plot and development. By the time the big twist came around, I saw it coming when it was majorly hinted at earlier on in the series. I did enjoy this although there is no romance there is love there is some way, but it wasn’t much cup of tea overall.

Anabelle DiMarco is a beast hunter and descended from a long line of beast hunters. And now she has a problem. A whole mess of monsters attacked her house, her friend Mel, and stole her away. When Belle tracked Mel down, she got a very big surprise. Nice artwork, but just not much of a plot. Will have to see what vol. 2 might be like.

This was very different from what I was expecting. Grimm Fairy Tales from Zenescope tend to me totally bizarre takes on the classic fairy tales; and all their women are busty and kick-ass, yet Belle was not at all like the Belle I know. Not only is this Belle a warrior, she's a tough girl who is not afraid of monsters. Sadly there is no real reference to her liking books either though. I think that is what I missed the most here was finding at least one common Belle personality trait that I could connect with the original stories or Disney version (because let's face it we all instantly see Disney's incarnation when we think of Belle). All that made this really just feel like another warrior fighting book.

Story
What was nice here was we are seeing Belle right from the beginning of her story towards being a fighter. I did appreciate the backstory and the transformation in the art of Belle getting her fighting outfit and taming her hair to make it more manageable when she has a sword in hand. There is a twist at the end that I didn't really see coming; but it was clear something was going to be quite different about this version of Beast. The last comic in the collection, of course, leaves the door wide-open for more Belle stories; and/or for Belle to join the league of ladies that fight in the Grimm Fairy Tales universe.
I should recognize that Belle has never been my favourite fairy tale princess. This may have played a part on how much I liked this one. I wouldn't be sad to see Belle join our main girls in a large universe battle; but if they left her out that'd be okay too. The art was wonderful here, as always with Zenescope. I really appreciated the time and energy that went into Belle's hair and Beast's fur. The detail is really great, and of a high value like all Zenescope art.

Overall
In all not bad, but not mind-blowing. I think Grimm has much better characters (Robyn Hood is my favourite) to follow along with; but if you just want some classic Zenescope busty girl fighting you will find it here. This collection does still make it to my Zenescope print shelf; mostly because I don't like reading comics/graphic novels on tablets or computers so far (maybe if I had a high-rez tablet that was the same size as a comic book page... maybe).

“Belle: Beast Hunter” is one of the latest Zenescope series about a tough heroine. Belle, our titular character, does exactly what the title states – she hunts beasts. Her informant/helper is named Candlestick. She has a tragic past in that her mother was also a beast hunter, who was killed in the line of duty. In this arc, Belle must discover who is behind the growing number of beast attacks.

I really love Zenescope's series, "Robyn Hood" and "Van Helsing," so I was looking forward to this series. However, I didn't really get into it. The pacing was off - some scenes were wordy and drawn out, whereas other scenes that should have been developed were rushed. Some of the dialogue was stilted and unrealistic. There were too many forced, awkward transitions and flashbacks. The art lacked consistency from page to page - some parts were beautiful and others were clunky and unnatural. The action sequences were overly detailed, which was distracting.

Some of the positives though are that the story is centered around a strong female protagonist, the coloring is great, and there is potential.

While "Belle: Beast Hunter" isn't a horrible idea overall, it's definitely lacking in execution. It's overall story and art work aren't overly interesting or enjoyable. It definitely has some good ideas behind it but it's unfortunate how it was done.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel the story was full of adventure full of excitement and action packed. I enjoyed the lead female character and fairytale retelling aspect was also very interesting.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read and review this book because the digital edition expired and the title was archived here on the Netgalley site. Please consider making a Kindle version available for reviewers.

Zenescope is well known for giving fairy tales a contemporary spin, which usually includes modernized language, contemporary framing stories or settings, and way less clothing for the female characters. Because that was the one thing that “Little Red Riding Hood” was missing… Anyways, Zenescope does put out some fun titles, such as their reimagining of Grimm Fairy Tales as a magic academy. They also put out some duds with stilted dialogue, so it is a big of a risk taking on a new series from them. Which is why I did it for you!
Belle DiMarco is the latest in a line of female beast hunters, working outside laws and sanctioned governing bodies to stop monsters that threaten humanity. However, there has been an odd string of monster attacks that don’t add up and hints of someone behind the scenes pulling the strings. When the most recent attack strikes Belle close to home, she knows that she needs to track down whoever is leading these beasts and set things right once and for all.
Belle: Beast Hunter has more pros than cons, which is a win. The art is effective, doing a nice job of moving the story along and making the monsters look suitably monstrous. The plot is fast paced and full of action and mostly good dialogue. Weak points do arise, as the dialogue sometimes sounds stilted, and the odd decision was made to make most of the second issue a plot that was all a dream that doesn’t have a significant tie to the plot. However, once the story got over that hiccup, it really knuckled down and became a fun urban action fantasy.
Belle: Beast Hunter posits itself as an update of “Beauty and the Beast.” Outside of the names, and one monster looking vaguely like the Beast, there aren’t really any ties to the fairy tale. If that is what you are looking for, you will be disappointed. However, if you just want a fun diversion with plenty of action, Belle: Beast Hunter is not a bad place to look.

Review will be available at provided link on 3/28/19

Referred in many plays in his marketing as akin to “Beauty & The Beast” thereby giving away part of the story, “Belle – Beast Hunter” [Dave Franchini/Zenoscope/148pgs] plays more like a mix of “Aeon Flux”, “Ghost In The Shell” & “MacBeth”. Belle comes from a long line of beast hunters. like Xena in many ways, she is invariably striong but also at times invariably vulnerable depending on who she is close to. In this paragon, her closest friend over the years (like in many ways Gabrielle in Xena) is Mel who knows nothing of her powers until they come running straight through the front doors of Mel’s apartment and take her away. Some of the action is undeniable and the fact that Belle is led by Candlestick is obviously the other hark back to Beast beyond a late story reveal. The reveal of a sister to Candlestick who runs a hard edge weapons division is both too coincidental but also convenient although it gives the story push and a Jane Bond ploy that actually could be amped up. The family dysfunction that paints most of the story between an absent mother, a drunk father and a pissed off step-sibling who lost his original parents and the story points to an invariable conflict in terms of both control and power, While the themes are good, the story shifts around quite a bit in time sometimes without being ergonomically clear in its progression. Belle has a good sense of humor but sometimes retreats too much into action cliches despite an interesting penchant for a simpler life at times. The art is colorful and vivacious in many ways especially in a final battle with a Medusa like creature, However the cliffhanger which brings together 3 disparate forms of creatures with family secrets again seems too coincidental without enough details to support its stakes fully without more explanation.

C+

By Tim Wassberg

Hoo boy, this was quite a ride! As a whole, these 6 parts are awesomesauce, but I can see why some reviewers who only read the first one thought it was just meh. It takes a little while to get to know the characters and the world as a whole (especially if you're unfamiliar with it in the first place, as I was). But as soon as you get into the story, it's thrilling!

There is so much ass-kicking, a cool female lead, witty dialogue and great artwork. To be recommended!

<i>It’s a tale as old as time.</i>

I had to check this out when one review said it’s Beauty and the Beast meets Batman.

And it was - kind of a fun story. And there was more storytelling than I would have thought in a Zenoscope publication. Superhero-esque action, and some cute, creative references to Beauty and the Beast. Along with some pretty cool-looking monsters.

I think it’s better than 3 stars, but 4 stars seems too generous. I guess I’m going to have to give it 3.5. And round up.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Zenoscope for a copy in return for an honest review.</i>

Belle: Beast Hunter by Dave Franchini and Bong Dazo collects the first six issues into a nice graphic novel format. Belle hunts monsters, the things that hide in the dark. She inherited the job from her mother. It's the family business, so to speak. With the help of Louis, whom she calls 'Candlestick’, Belle tracks down and dispatches monsters before they cause too much havoc.

The play on names with those from Disney's Beauty and the Beast is amusing. Candlestick, alluding to Lumiere's form, that's just one. There are lots of hidden visual references too. Roses can be found in garmenting, actual flowers, carvings, and more. I'm not gonna give all of them away, but it made reading this extra fun. And Belle has a pretty complicated story. She's not fluffy and innocent, but she's not f***ed up over it all either. All through, she keeps up a chatter of sarcastic commentary. Her friend Mel is pretty cool, too. She ends up having an important part, and reminds me of Nuck,'s friend Hank in Grimm.

If you like Supernatural and Grimm, check this out!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I guess Zenescope have started their own Grimm Universe where fairy tale characters are reimagined as super heroes. Here Belle has been made over as a Huntress or Batwoman type who hunts down monsters. It's not a bad idea. The execution is lacking though. The first 5 issues are just Belle being attacked by monsters without knowing what's going on. When the "Big" reveal comes, it's exactly what you expect. The character monologues on and on, even while saying they are not going to be one of those characters. Nothing is really explained. It just leaves you confuzzled and like the whole thing was a waste of time. Overall, I wasn't impressed, but I like the idea of the character enough to give the Grimm Universe another shot. Thankfully, the overt cheesecake shots Zenescope is known for were toned down to normal comic book superhero levels.

The Grimm Universe books that Zenescope has been putting out have been pretty interesting. They take familiar fairy tale characters and put them into a modern setting, usually with some sort of superhero style story attached. In this one, Belle from Beauty and the Beast fame is put into a role that has her hunting down various monsters that are cropping up across the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Her costume reminded me a bit of Batgirl or Batwoman's.

There are some cool monsters that she fights along the way. It starts out with some well known mythological creatures and eventually settles on the Beast. My feeling on this book is that there just wasn't enough to make me care about Belle and the cast of characters that join her on this adventure. It almost feels rushed because so many of the characters taken from the inspirational material will be known to readers. I guess I would have liked to have seen more build up for some of them. Clearly, Belle has been doing this for a while and it never really seemed to matter that we were seeing this particular story.

It isn't all bad though. It's a fun enough book to read and it has a good concept. The execution wasn't up to my expectations though. I did like the art for the most part, especially when it came to the creatures that Belle was hunting. Tying this in with some of the other books under this umbrella concept might give it some more context and staying power. I wouldn't write this series off completely, but I certainly won't be going out of my way to find out what happens next.

A bit lurid but rather fun. Belle is a monster hunter from a long line of monster hunters and now she's out for revenge. Good art work if a bit harsh for my taste. The story was a little pedestrian but it'll definitely hit the spot for someone more in the target audience.

Very situational -very little storytelling. I am sure there is more to tell but judging by the pace it will take some time. Visually inconsistent. Some of the illustration are very detailed while others look hastily done so it makes me wonder if this was done in a hurry or if some illustrations are suppose to be more important than others.

A solid 2 for what I have seen here but I would like to see how this continues.

Belle: Beast Hunter is about a well-endowed female monster hunter from a long line of monster hunters. A series of attacks leave her scrambling to defend herself and those she loves, and trying to solve the mystery behind these incidents so she can put a stop to them. Sounds good, right?

Things I enjoyed about this book:

There are lots of female characters in important roles.
Those women are tough and smart and strong.
They have conversations with each other that aren't just about men.
There didn't appear to be any romance in this story.
The shots of the male monster hunter showed him shirtless, so he was not any more appropriately clad for battle than the women.
I'm sort of curious about what happens next.

Things I did not like about this book:

The first 3/4 of the book felt very repetitive. I didn't feel like the plot really got moving to anything other than monster fighting til the last quarter of the book. Otherwise it seemed to be about Belle getting the snot kicked out of herself and complaining about her life sucking.
The costuming. Aside from a brief section in a jumpsuit, Belle's clothes are offensively sexualized and impractical. If you are fighting vicious fanged/ clawed monsters, would you really leave uncovered access not only to your enormous breasts but also, I dunno, YOUR HEART? IMO she could have melted down those fancy epaulets and made herself a handy breastplate. Besides, ladies wear sports bras for a reason. Breasts, especially large ones, have a habit of flopping around inconveniently when one is active and they are inadequately restrained by like, say, a very low cut shirt. And don't even get me started on the impossible gravity of the strapless costumes. Straps under the armpits don't count.
The anatomy. and the way it was featured. Belle was remarkably well-endowed, which was always on display. And the artist loved to frame that and her butt as the central focus of the scene. Seriously? it's a tense action scene, and you flash to a shot that focuses on her spandex clad rear as she's fighting??
The way many scenes were framed. Not just the butt and boobs shots, but also the fight scenes. They were deadly fights between monster and woman...yet they managed to look sexualized and kinda rapey, like creepy 80s advertisements.
I really didn't get how this was in any way connected to Beauty and the Beast. This is not a retelling. All that I noticed that they had in common was inspiration for the costume and similar coloring.
I did not like this story enough to slog through future editions to find out what happens, so now I guess I won't get closure.

In summary? I was probably not the intended audience for this book. I'm sure there are plenty of fanboys who are, however. I enjoy reading graphic novels with fantasy/ paranormal/ superhero themes, especially ones starring strong females. But this was just super disappointing and unappealing to me. I guess I should be glad that I got this free from Netgalley.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy more than I did, the publication date is January 15, 2019.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *

The synopsis of this one caught me -- Belle, hunting beasts? I was so down. This seemed like a very different type of retelling and since I don't have much experience reading comic retellings, I was excited to start this one.

I will say, that usually one of my biggest problems with comics is the pacing. While the pacing still bothered me, it isn't as bad as a lot of others I've read. We aren't skipping days and hours, but if I'm understanding the book correctly, just a few days passed. The thing is it is pretty much nonstop action with little to no down time to explain, so explanations are interrupted.
Yet, I don't think the story is really suffering from it. While I still have so, so many questions I was able to follow the story pretty well. Except for the villain's motivations. Once the villain was introduced, I didn't feel like their motivation or explanations truly made sense.

I do like Belle's personality and fighting ability. She is a fun MC to follow, although I wish the action scenes were better depicted since they could be hard to follow and many times Belle seems overpowered. Unfortunately, some of her actions make absolutely no sense, which hindered the storytelling.

So, I'm currently in between liking the story and not really caring about it. This is one I would recommend people who like re-tellings and comics or action-packed comics.