Review - Princeless #4

Every pilgrim reaches the end of their journey. Some take a wee bit longer though, as is the case with Adrienne in Princeless #4. The fourth and final issue of the Book 1 by Jeremy Whitley (art and colors by M. Goodwin and letters by Dave Dwonch) isn't so much an ending as it is a beginning for the princess who tends to forget that she's a princess.

The fourth and final issue is all about Bedelia. Well, that's not entirely accurate, but we do learn that she can swing a hammer in more ways than one and is dying for an adventure. Even in the face of eminent danger, Bedelia still manages to stay chatty, a characterstic that actually manages to come off as endearing as opposed to annoying.

Bedelia is joining Adrienne in her quest to find her sisters, which means future issues will feature a lot more banter mixed in with the action. This is a good thing. I like the idea of Sparks the dragon, but realistically Sparks isn't a very talkative character. It's looking more and more like the next volume (or two) will be dedicated moreso to Adrienne's actual quest as opposed to getting to know her as a character.

Whitley is very comfortable with all his characters, making them likeable in their own ways. Adrienne is brash and headstrong and Bedelia is curious and somewhat naive. Even Adrienne's father, the King, has his own way about him that is authoritarian. The characters work well off one another and the dialogue makes the book fly by.

Equally as strong as the writing is the art and colors by Goodwin. The art manages to depict a fairy tale that isn't really a fairy tale at all. It's the perfect style for the book and is surprisingly complex despite its apparent simplicity.

The entire series of Princeless has had the underlying them of women empowerment, which never really came off as too heavyhanded. It's nice to see a comic used as a vehicle for a message and the message was reinforced by Bedelia's dad primarily only seeking recompense for his shop (instead of, you know, caring about his missing daughter).

Princeless #4 is a solid end to the first arc and definitely puts things in place for tales down the road. The next series shouldn't have to spend much time focusing on Adrienne's character and it would be nice to see it focus more on some of more mythical aspects of the kingdom. Especially awesome is the hint at such at the end of this issue.

This book is a change of pace and is certainly refreshing. Check it out if you want something a bit more lighthearted and something that's just plain fun to read. Princeless #4 should be in stores now, and you can check out Omnicomic's reviews of the first three issues here, here and here.