Edward Grey Witchfinder: The Serpent in the Garden
A unique tale of majesty and myth; one lost soul is redeemed and a mythic kingdom saved by an unlikely champion. Another spendid mix of fable and fantasy from the Mignolaverse.
Edward Grey Witchfinder: The Serpent in the Garden #1-3 (Dark Hores – 2025)
Writer: Mike Mignola
Artist: Ben Stenbeck
HERE BE SPOILERS - TURN BACK!
Edward Grey the Witchfinder has to leave his wife to fulfil a pledge he made to Queen Jenny. Grey promised he would be her paladin if the need ever arose, and that time has now come. He takes on the guise of a ‘green man,’ a sort of earth elemental, representing Avalon, which I interpret as being a representation of the soul of Britain, Albion.
An epic clash
Green Grey has to confront Gruagach, an ancient foe of Hellboy’s, who is left humiliated and defeated in the wake of the epic ‘Storm and the Fury’ storyline. Disgraced and despairing, he attempts suicide to end his tragic existence, but Queen Jenny’s rival, Morganna Le Fey takes pity on him and contrives a scheme to redeem him. She transforms him into a powerful warrior, who she ostensibly dispatches to take back Avalon from Queen Jenny. And thus, the epic clash is set up.
Avalon saved
As the dust settles, Grey the Green Man manages to save Avalon for Queen Jenny and Gruagach lies defeated and dying, but his honour is restored. It is a good death. It turns out that that was Morganna’s intention all along and that she never really had designs on Avalon, but methinks mylady protesteth overmuch and that seeds have been sown for future discord and mischief-making.
Grandeur and pathos
It’s a compelling and intriguing tale, full of grandeur and pathos, steeped in Arthurian lore and has the glamour of tapping into real mythology.
I liked it a lot, in no measure due to the great artwork by Ben Stenbeck, who has really come a long way since I first noticed his work on Baltimore. He has always been a competent artist, but his work always seemed to lack a certain passion and polish to mine eyes, but this is full of drama and elegance, providing the tale with a true sense of majesty and myth required to make it resonate.
Lillies of the veil
The covers (not presented in the right order here) have a nice, clever ongoing motif, as you see the crown of Queen Jenny of Avalon, adorning a sprouting branch, which produces ripe buds on the second cover before bursting into full bloom on the third cover, revealing lilies (I think) in all their glory. The lily is of course, represents the French and British monarchies. It's a neat touch, which shows you how much care and thought Mignola and co put into their books.