Save Yourself
by Jeremy WhitleyGenres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy
Published on May 2nd 2012
Pages: 118
Format: Paperback Source: Library
Collecting the first storyline of the multiple Eisner Award–nominated and multiple Glyph Award–winning series, follow the adventures of Princess Adrienne, a princess who’s tired of waiting to be rescued. Along with her guardian dragon, Sparky, they begin their own quest in an all-ages action adventure designed specifically for those who are tired of waiting to be rescued—and who are ready to save themselves.
In the opening pages you see a young girl being read a bedtime story about a princess locked in a tower. A blond haired prince slays the dragon guarding her and rescues her.
The girl is outraged. Why are the princess’ parents so angry at her that they lock her in a tower? Where do you even get a dragon?
It turns out that this girl is a princess and before she knows it she is locked in a tower with a dragon to guard her. She is not pleased. Before long she decides that she isn’t going to stand for this and is going to rescue herself. She befriends her dragon and rides off to rescue her sisters from their towers.
Her absence from the tower doesn’t go unnoticed. Neither does her attempt to rescue one of her sisters. She is wearing armor made my her new friend Bedelia, a dwarf who is tired of having to pretend that she doesn’t know how to make armor. Together they have made proper armor for women that focuses on protection more than appearances.
I loved the idea of a graphic novel upending the conventions of fantasy and fairy tales. As an experiment I let Z read it. She is an absolute Disney addict and lives all things princesses. I didn’t know if she would like this or be mortally offended.
It turned out that she liked it too.
