Princeless3

Saying that there are gender issues in comics, particularly in regards to how women are portrayed, is not exactly new news to anyone who’s been paying attention. It’s nice, then, to see books that both buck and comment on that trend in an entertaining way. This is precisely what Princeless does, both as an obvious inversion of the ‘damsel in distress’ story and as a commentary on the state of women in comics.

Issue #3 sees the lead character, Princess Adrienne, making progress in her quest to free her sisters, all of whom have been trapped in separate towers by their father. She has found her sister Angelica, though what she’s found is surprising – rather than captivity, Angelica appears to be in charge of a small commune of artists who live around the base of her tower. Meanwhile, their father, King Ash, has sent the most skilled knights in the kingdom out to find the knight that he believes killed Adrienne – a knight who is actually Adrienne herself.

Writer Jeremy Whitley has created a familiar world, a pretty basic fairytale land. In altering certain elements of it – like, say, a princess who would rather rescue than be rescued – he presents readers with something fresh. Up until this point in the series, Adrienne has been the only princess readers have met. She’s joined by a blacksmith, another girl named Bedelia, and by her guardian dragon, Sparky. Adrienne is courageous and strong-minded, which is entirely counter to what her father expects of her. In this issue the reader learns something new about Adrienne: she’s an excellent fighter. Wearing a set of armor made for her by Bedelia, Adrienne successfully disarms, and nearly defeats, Sir Gahiji the Hunter, one of the knights her father has sent after her. It’s only when she’s distracted by Angelica that Adrienne is bested by the knight.

Physical power is not the only kind exerted by the women in this issue. Angelica has power of her own, having taken her situation of being trapped and turned it into a positive thing for herself. Her beauty and influence gives her power over the inhabitants of the commune surrounding her tent, which essentially functions as her kingdom. Like Adrienne, Angelica doesn’t require saving by anyone – she’s already saved herself, albeit in a different way.

The art by Emily Martin complements Whitley’s writing very well. Martin’s action sequences are well-choreographed and easy to follow, and her characters have a lot of personality. Adrienne and Bedelia are both feminine without it being sexualized. Likewise, Angelica is a beautiful woman, an object of desire by those around her, but without an arched back and outrageous proportions. Whereas the impulse in other comics might be to dress her skimpily and design her to be ‘sexy,’ the choice Martin makes in her design of Angelica helps to make the character that much more interesting.

Princeless is a great series, and the latest issue is no exception. The fact that there’s more to the book than just what’s happening on the surface is really welcome. The book is all-ages friendly, with plenty for both kids and adults to enjoy.

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