One of my favorite comics in the past few years has been Princeless. The series is a brilliant send up of fairy tales, taking traditional tropes and not only spinning them on their head but also commenting on their sexism and misogyny.

Still waiting for your prince to come? Tired of spending night after night locked in a secluded tower? Ready for your own adventure? So are we. Princeless is the story of Princess Adrienne, one princess who’s tired of waiting to be rescued. Join Adrienne and her guardian dragon, Sparky, as 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.

Fairy tales are rather played out. Girl needs a prince to rescue her from the tower and to do so, the prince must defeat the dragon. Then, comes in Princeless, which takes all of that and skewers it with some of the best female empowering political/societal commentary of the past few years. The lead is a female black princess out to save her sisters. It’s girl power and it’s awesome.

But it’s not just the commentary that’s brilliant, the fact it’s done in a package that’s as fun for kids as it is for adults, makes it one of the best series of the past few years. The first volume is perfect for both adults and kids, and the fact a parent can feel good about giving a comic to their child says something. Amazing stuff all around.

The worst part is it’s just a first volume, not the complete story, which brings us to….

This month sees the release of Princeless Vol. 2 #1.

Having saved herself from her own tower, Adrienne is now out to save her sisters, starting with her sister Angelica, the most beautiful girl in the whole kingdom.  However, Adrienne is about to learn that rescuing princesses is not as easy as she’s always believed and that not everybody has the same ideas about what it means to be saved as she does!

The second volume kicks off pretty much where the first left off. Continuing the genre skewering brilliance set up by the first volume. My biggest worry is that the deft commentary wouldn’t be able to be kept up and while there’s not as much overt commentary so far, the story itself continues it all.

The writing is nearly flawless like the first volume, and the only downside and difference is how I’ve read the two. The first volume was as a complete trade paperback and the second so far is as individual issues, so it’s sort of apples and oranges.

The art might be by a new artist, but you won’t be able to tell the difference. The difference is minimal.

Overall, both the first volume, the two issue mini-series that followed and this first issue of the second volume are amazing. They’re comics that are enjoyable for both parents and kids. The comics are smart and make you feel good and want to share them with others. This shows what comics can be and represent the best of the entertainment medium.

Princeless Vol. 1 Story: Jeremy Whitley Art: Goodwin
Story: 10 Art: 9 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Princeless Vol. 2 #1 Story: Jeremy Whitley Art: Emily C. Martin
Story: 9 Art: 9  Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Action Labs provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review