A very uneven series of stories by different authors and illustrators, using fairy tales as the basis. Some of these will be known to readers, while others will not. All readers will find stories they like, but overall, I found the collection to be a very bleak picture of the future. ( )

I just couldn't get into it.

This lush anthology explores fairy tales (and some fictional classics) through the lens of science fiction. By turns grim, biting, enchanting, and wistful, the stories and imagery reshape our understanding of the significance of these long-cherished stories and tropes: Hansel and Gretel as bees, Pinocchio as a holographic truth-teller, John Henry as the final frontier "against" the introduction of robotic workers, Goldilocks facing justice for what she's done to a planet's native life-forms...

Like the original stories, these are not necessarily intended for a young audience. Happily-ever-after does not always greet the protagonists.

The art is variegated--ranging from extremely stylized and comic to superhero-style to reminiscent of traditional folktale illustrations--but always impressive. In fact, some of the story "retellings" consist of only one or two frames of imagery.

I appreciated the chance to review this via NetGalley at the invitation of one of the contributors. I do feel that the electronic version probably pales in comparison to the print version--the resolution of the ebook pages is insufficient to read some of the fine print clearly, and some of the spreads are clearly meant to be read in the book's analog format, not electronically. ( )

Graphic novels aren’t really my thing, but I just had to see this one. I love retellings, and this book is an anthology of sci-fi/futuristic re-envisionings of fairy tales and other classic tales, with over ninety contributors from all over the globe. (There are not ninety stories, but individual entries often have multiple credits, including writers, illustrators, colorists, and letterers.)

Unfortunately for me personally, some of my very favorite stories only were re-imagined as only one-page or double-page visual images. But oh how beautiful they are, and what worlds of meaning they suggest, as you can see from the illustrations reproduced below. This category of visuals-only includes Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and The Beanstalk, Beauty and the Beast, and Pygmalian.

The full (albeit short) stories are incredibly varied. One Thousand One Nights is adorable, and a perfect choice to begin the collection. Hansel and Gretel, the last story, amazed me with its inventiveness. And in between those anchors, there are all kinds of stories depicted in a wide variety of comic styles.

The editor did a great job with his arrangement. For example, Sweet Porridge was preceded by The Three Little Pigs, and followed by The Gingerbread Man – very apt choices!

Evaluation: For those who love graphic novels and comics generally, this is like a Las Vegas buffet with so many choices you wish you had remembered to pack your ziplock baggies. Well, with this book, you can sample one of everything, and keep it with you!

I would be remiss, however, if I didn't note that there is nothing in the compilation that even approaches the intellectual and visual graphic achievement of Jeremy Love in his gripping Bayou series with its interrogation of power and race relations in the American South.

Comics can be subversive and worldview-shattering, serving as remarkably effective exposés of injustice, inequality, and socially dominant myths that could use upending. Or, they can merely delight with the glimpse they provide at the possibilities of vivid imaginations. This collection falls into the latter category. ( )

Once Upon a Time Machine is a collection of fairy tales that we're all familiar with, set in time periods that are unfamiliar to these stories.  Each of the fairy tales holds true to its origins, but they are retold in a a whole new fashion, with each of the tales taking on a science fiction flare. Told by some of the new, up and coming writers and illustrators in the comics business, these fairy tales are both familiar and fresh at the same time.

I wouldn't recommend reading them all at once. Take your time reading the tales, as rushing through them (like I did, unfortunately, for the first half of the book) seems to take something away from the. It's when I would read one or two and set the book down that I was able to really appreciate the storytelling that went into the retelling of the fairy tales. I'd have to say my favorite of the tales is actually the first story in the collection, Pinocchio. It really keeps the innocence of Pinocchio intact while transporting him to an entirely new time.

Recommended for fans of fairy tale re-imaginings. ( )