Review - Princeless: Stories for Warrior Women #1

There needs to be more books like the Eisner nominated Princeless from Action Lab Entertainment. Not just like the title, but more books featuring the title character and her adventures.

Princeless: Stories for Warrior Women #1 is written by Jeremy Whitley and illustrated by Nancy King, Quinne Larsen and Emily Martin. The cover is by Jules Rivera and features pinups by Teresa Bowling, Janet Stone-Wade, Elsa Kreose and Laura Guzzo.

The first of the two stories is called "The Thing in the Dungeon" and features, well, a thing in a dungeon. More specifically a dragon. It's discovered as Adrienne and her Devin are play swordfighting.

Devin is portraying the Black Knight, one of the greatest knights in all the land. He's only a legend to the two of the combatants, but by the end of the issue they realize there's more to him than just legend.

The second story is called "The Merry Adventures of Young Prince Ash" and is just one of the many adventures of Ash, a young prince. His bravado knows no bounds and, as such, he's sent into the Black Forest on a quest.

His journey into the forest is hindered slightly by an unexpected trap, introducing him to a princess with a penchant for pushing the boundaries. The story ends with the two of them brought closer together than originally intended.

Both stories are written by Whitley and invoke the same girl power vibe that Princeless does. It's not a preachy position and actually offers empowered female characters naturally.

There's a reason that Princeless is Eisner nominated and it's because of the ease with which Whitley presents Adrienne and others like her. The supporting characters in the work are also fleshed out well, creating a universe that's both lighthearted and thoughtful at the same time.

Considering there's so many artists involved here, it's easy to think that the art could be all over the place. Thankfully, it's not. The teams have managed to create a consistent style across both stories that isn't jarring between stories.

The colors are just as vibrant, presenting the work as a fairy tale with more adult ideas contained within. Again, the lighthearted portrayal of the characters really works well with the dialogue and story, making the comic and easy read.

If you were a fan of Princeless, then you'll feel right at home with Princeless: Stories for Warrior Women #1. It's got the same vibe as its predecessor without sacrificing any of the humour or messages that make both great.

Princeless: Stories for Warrior Women #1 hits stores in September and is currently available for preorder with JUL120704.