Welcome to another round of webcomic recommendations! This week we’ll be talking about princesses, but don’t worry, these will not be your typical damsels in distress, your blushing maidens of yore. No, these will be ass-kickers, life-takers, strutters, and explorers.
(Side note: I’m just now realizing that my webcomic categories will likely have some overlap, so you’ll forgive me if YU+ME: dream and Curvy, featured earlier, technically involve monarchs.)
Princess Princess, Strangely Katie
Once upon a time there was an exiled princess locked away in a tall, tall tower… Oh, you know this story, do you? No, no you do not. When Princess Amira frees Princess Sadie from her penthouse prison cell, all bets are off. There are baby dragons and cookie-loving unicorns and love that triumphs over evil, fatphobic family members. What more do you need?
Status: Finished! It’s very short, so you have no excuse.
Read if you like: Dancing ogres, mutual rescuing, the colour pink.
I Was Kidnapped by Lesbian Pirates from Outer Space, Megan Rose Gedris
Susan the secretary was just a normal Earth girl until Janet McSapphic and her crew of queer keelhaulers kidnap her and head for parts unknown. Will Susie ever see home again? Will they get away with their next heist? And who is the real princess of Lesbos-1? Find out in this wonderfully funny comic that lampoons everything from musicals to 1950s detective novels, all while passing the Bechdel test with flying (rainbow) colours.
Status: Finished, ran from 2006-2013. Due to copyright issues it’s no longer online, but I love it so much I’m recommending it anyway. Here’s a torrent.
Read if you like: Lady love, Barbarella, and pulp novels and The Odyssey.
Nimona, Noelle Stevenson (a.k.a. Ginger Haze of The Broship of the Ring fame)
I may be stretching the princess theme a little here, but in my world the definition of princess includes shapeshifting, cool-hair-having, supervillain sidekicks, and it’s my blog so I do what I want. She’s basically a knight and that’s close enough, okay? Anyway, Nimona is amazing. Together with the villainous-but-not-really Lord Ballister Blackheart, she tries to uncover sinister plots and prove that sometimes the Good Guys aren’t good at all.
Status: Ongoing, updates Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Read if you like: Medieval science fiction, criminal father/daughter relationships, dragon factories.
Erstwhile, Gina Biggs, Louisa Roy, and Elle Skinner
You’re probably familiar with the big names in Brothers Grimm fairytales, you know, your run-of-the-mill Snow White and Hansel and Gretel. But what about The Farmer’s Clever Daughter? Or The Sweet Porridge? Not so sure about those, are you? Never fear, Erstwhile is a treasure trove of little-known stories, beautifully adapted and illustrated, and is definitely worth the read.
Status: Ongoing, updates Mondays and Thursdays.
Read if you like: Dark fairytales and lots of different art styles.
unfridged 