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Popular YA writer Shannon Hale decided to turn her attention to sequential art by penning a script with her husband, Dean Hale, which was later drawn by Nathan Hale (no relation). The book did well enough to warrant a sequel (Calamity Jack, out this month).
I didn't have any clear expectations coming into this, but I was impressed immediately. For a lady with no known comics-writing experience, she's adept. She knew how to use the panels, everything was paced well, etc. (She talks about switching forms here, but I got bored and just barely finished the first paragraph.) So that's a good start. I don't know how much of this success can be attributed to Dean or Nathan, but Shannon's the famous one here and no doubt it was on the strength of her name that this project happened at all, so good job, Shannon.
And I love the concept. I love recreations of old tales, and Rapunzel as a fantasy western works well.
It's a superheroish power fantasy for girls with a bit of romance thrown in. Only --- since the girl's the hero, this time, she also gets to be the one dumb in love. Role reversals all around.
Now, they end gets a bit dicey with a handful of unearned outs, but overall, this is a great book and one I recommend checking out. It could be a good gateway work for younger kids --- especially girls? --- who haven't ever really tried comics on for size.
It's fun and harmless and nice to have around.
Review done.
7 comments:
***Spoilers*** (Seriously, I talk about the end and everything)
I loved Rapunzel's tower escape, but was disappointed with the subsequent would-be rescuer scene. "I get it," I thought condescendingly, "Riot grrrls ftw and all that. But really? We need an unnecessarily-expository upper-class pretty-boy jerk to drive it home?"
Oh foolish earlier-me. Not only does this scene show Rapunzel's devious/vengeful side, it also exposes us to the socio-economic climate of which we've seen little. And that's probably what got me thinking that this book could have been more interesting than it was. Throughout the book, people prey on other people, with the implication that the infertile soil is the cause of the trouble. Hard land -> Hard people. The solution to everyone's problems is to kill the wicked witch, and thus bestow peace and prosperity on the land and the people.
I was hoping (beyond reason) that Rapunzel's facile understanding of the land's situation which is fueled by personal history with her step-Mother would turn out to be incomplete. Maybe the nobles like having power. Maybe prosperity doesn't magically make everyone behave ethically. Maybe the pretty-boy encounter in the forest foreshadowed something along those lines. But it didn't.
I suppose I didn't really expect the story to go there: Rapunzel was always focused on her mom(s), and that story ends with the karmically satisfying revenge.
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True enough. But one thing to keep in mind is that we really only see the moments after the witch is done away with. I haven't read the second book yet, but perhaps it deals with some of the issues you raise.
I suppose that's possible, but the title of "Calamity Jack" screams backstory (prequel?), maybe mixed with some post Rapunzel's Revenge Calamity cleanup.
In retrospect, my train of thought may have been influenced by Gaiman's Sandman. It starts with a needlessly violent revenge story, which feels unsatisfying. But then there's that issue with Dream's sister and lots of ennui, and it goes someplace interesting.
Anyway, I'm ok with the world being however makes for the best stories, and I suspect it might be tough to work thrilling action scenes into a story about establishing laws and judicial procedure to curtail man's baser instincts. Deadwood's gotten good reviews though...
Also, they really laid an egg on that last page
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Iiiii can't remember the last page. Hmm.
The goose lays an egg, then looks at the reader and squawks. I made a pun.
I hope that wasn't some kind of trap post to make me explain the joke so that the whole internet can see the futility in my attempt to be clever. But if it was, mission accomplished. (._.)
Also, it really wasn't that bad of a final page.
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No, I just honestly did not remember. And it was a library book. Ergo, I needed you kind help.
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