Comic Review: Princeless: Make Yourself #0

Princeless: Make Yourself #0
(W) Jeremy Whitley (A/CA) Alex Smith

23rd December 2015
Action Lab Entertainment
The beginning of a new chapter for Princeless! Adrienne and Bedelia have checked two of Adrienne’s sisters off of their list and they have three more rescues left to make. But sometimes the hardest fights aren’t with any monsters, but with yourself. Adrienne finally has to face an issue that she’s been struggling with for a long time.

The chrysalis of self hate cracks, and the butterfly of spiritual awakening emerges.

local comic book store-amazon

Princeless is probably the best comic out there for young girls (any age or gender will love it). It conveys "girl power" in realistic terms. I mean the sword fighting princess with a flying dragon isn't real, but the social issues and self-image struggles she faces are. While the world wants to put her in a box, she is fighting to be herself. You get all this without being hit over the head or feeling like you are being preached too. The comic is an action adventure fantasy with lots of humor and encourages being true to yourself, friendship and kicking butt while riding a freaking dragon!

Make Yourself #0 is a one-shot about Adrienne's very real struggle with her hair. I know, this sounds like a girl stereotype. But Adrienne's love/hate relationship with her hair is one that girls with kinky hair face. Adrienne thinks about all the things she's done, or had done to her, to make her more like her sisters, more like a princess. It takes a fire-breathing bug singeing off most of her hair for her to realize just how much this has impacted her life. And she is ready to make a change.

I loved this issue for many reasons. The humor, the bright and bold artwork and, as with all Action Lab comics, great writing.

You go Adrienne! You go girl!

5 "Let's go rescue some princesses!"

Action Lab Entertainment free comic book day comics to read!

Best logo EVER! (next to ours of course)

Did you get to pick up the two Action Lab Entertainment free comic books on May 4th? Don't worry my little lambs. Action Lab has made both comics available online for you to check out. Why? Because they are awesome! You can read them here or download them over on Action Lab Entertainment's site - MollyDanger/Princeless and NFLRushZone/Skyward

The first comic contains two of ALE's comics geared towards young girls (actually everyone will enjoy these). Molly Danger is their newest and Princeless is an award winning comic that I have reviewed and loved (review).

Two complete stories! She’s Strong, She’s smart, and she’s incredibly brave. She’s the protector of Coopersville, the Princess of Finesse, the petite powerhouse known only as Molly Danger! But what secrets threaten everything she holds dear. And in Princeless, on her way to rescue her sisters, Adrienne finds another mysterious princess locked away in a tower, but she’s guarded by one of the knights sent to hunt Adrienne. Who is this princess and will Adrienne and Bedelia survive trying to rescue her?

The second comic contains NFL Rush Zone and Skyward a new fantasy adventure comic.

Join Chargers fan Ish as he continues to harness his powers to defeat the maniacally evil Sudden Death and his Blitz Bot minions! Read along as Ish, his friends, and a colorful cast cast of NFL Rusherz as they determine that “fighting evil is a team effort!” In this issue, the Blitz Botz are trying to infiltrate the construction zone of the 49ers new stadium to wreak havoc! Can Ish save the day before it’s too late? This FCBD book also includes an exclusive preview of Jeremy Dale’s adventure/fantasy comic series, SKYWARD.

Comic Review: Princeless Volume 2 issue #1

Princeless Volume 2 #1
Writer: Whitley, Jeremy
Artist: Martin, Emily
Cover Artist: Martin, Emily
Release Date: February 27, 2013

Price: $3.99
UPC: 79997519459200111
Diamond Order Code: STK522144

Pre-order now!

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!

Action Lab Entertianment is proud to present the return of 2012 Glyph Winner for Best Heroine, Princess Adrienne! Last year's breakout all-ages hit, Princeless is finally making its way back into your comic shops and this time it's bringing more action, more adventure, and a rogue's gallery of deadly bounty hunters with their sights set on Adrienne and her new friend Bedelia!

This is a fantastic comic series and one you will be glad your middle grade daughter is reading. And you will enjoy it just as much! I reviewed Volume 1 issue #1 here. Volume 1 introduces us to Princess Adrienne and her royal family's old-fashion ways. There are seven daughters and one son of the King. At 16 each girl is put into a tower guarded by a dragon. They must wait there until a prince brave and worthy enough can slay the dragon and rescue them. Well, Adrienne is so not down with this. She decides to rescue herself and sets out to also rescue her sisters. She disguises herself in some old armor and the King thinks this "knight" killed Adrienne.  While trying to find her sisters she meets Bedilia, a blacksmith's daughter, who is just as adventurous. In volume 2 issue #1 the king has hired bounty hunters to find this so called knight that has "killed" Adrienne (the pages from that scene are below). The two girls are now trying to find the most beautiful of Adrienne's sisters, Angelica.

The witty writing is top notch. They manage to capture the snarky nature of a pre teen modern princess. The art work is colorful and eye popping. Take a look at the King in the panel below. I love it! Definitely check out this series!

5 "down Sparky!" Sheep

Sharon Stogner (edit by Kalpar)

Awards/Nominations for 

Princeless Volume 1 issues #1-4

Princeless Volume 1 was nominated for two Eisner awards including "Best Series for Ages 8-12" and "Best Single Issue". It also won the Glyph Awards for "Best Heroine", :"Best Writer" and "Best Story". It has been nominated for a number of other awards and is one of the best reviewed books of 2011-2012.






ABOUT ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT:
Action Lab Entertainment was founded in 2010 by a group of indie comic creators with the sole intent of publishing the most diverse, thought provoking, entertaining comics on the market. Their first major release, FRACTURE, was released in July 2011 followed by the three-time 2012 Glyph Comics Award winning and two-time 2012 Eisner Award nominated PRINCELESS. Action Lab continues to publish genre spanning comics from the all-ages MONSTERS ARE JUST LIKE US, and mature reader books like SNOWED IN and DOUBLE JUMPERS.

Sheep Comic Review: Princeless Issue #1 + Give Away

Written by: Jeremy Whitley

Art: M. Goodwin

“Mr. Froggy” art: D.E. Belton

Action Lab Entertainment

Firetower Studios

2012 Glyph Awards—honoring the best in comics’ portrayal of African-Americans were announced today, with Princeless receiving five out of a possible seven nominations.

The 2012 Glyph Awards take place on May 18th during the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention, located in Philadelphia.

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.

What a freakingly fun comic. Princess Adrienne is the princess you want your young daughter to like. She is smart independent and so not waiting for a prince to rescue her. Her parents stuck her in a tower guarded by Sparky the dragon so a prince can prove himself worthy of her and eventually the crown by slaying the dragon and climbing up the tower to rescue her, as if!

People of all ages can enjoy this humorous spunky story. The illustrations are reminiscent of old school cartoons (like ScoobyDoo) and fit tone of the story well.  The writing is intelligent and engaging making it a page turner.  Another thing that sets this fairy tale apart from most is in a world dominated by fair skinned, fair haired princesses; Adrienne is the opposite with her dark hair and skin.

This issue ends with Princess Adrienne riding off on her dragon to save her other sisters trapped in towers of their own. There is a 4 page short comic called “Mr. Froggy” at the end of this issue. It is about Prince Charming’s Charm School for Future Kings. While princesses are put in towers, all the young princes have to go learn how to rescue princesses and fight dragons. Prince Wilcome doesn’t want to go; he wants play in the mud. Can he become the perfect prince?

4.5 “Don’t let the dragon hit you on the way out” Sheep

GIVE AWAY

I would like to thank the author, Jeremy Whitley, for giving me a signed copy of Princeless #1 to give away plus I will add some cool sheep swag!

1.Leave a way to contact you

2.Tell me what you would name your dragon...

*double entries for followers

Firetower Studios is an independent venture begun by Writer Jeremy Whitley and Illustrators Jason Strutz and Charlie Harper. Firetower Studios was created on a Thursday in 2009 at the Southpoint Mall Food Court in Durham, NC. Firetower is committed to producing intelligent, thought provoking, and quality comics as well as books, art, and other fine products.

Currently Firetower is producing two ongoing series: Jeremy and Jason’s “The Order of Dagonet” and Jeremy’s “Princeless” in association with Action Lab Entertainment.  Also, they produce five webcomics:  Jeremy and Jason’s “Faerie Sisters”, Jeremy and Alicia’s “Hot Interracial Marriage”, Charlie’s “Crazy Normal”, Jeremy and Rich’s “Werewolf D.A.”, and Jeremy and Charlie’s “Ennui of the Dead”.