Three Comics About Warrior Women

by Jennifer Muirhead (follow)

Fiction (373)      Fantasy (68)      Comics (47)      Feminist (29)      Women (11)     

Princess Ugg #1

Princess Ülga of Grimmera is not your typical fairytale princess. Instead of living a life of luxury she wears simple furs, can wield a sword and an axe and ride a mammoth. The story opens with her heading off to a finishing school for princesses to get herself an an "edgyakayshun." Ülga is out of her element but is determined to do her mother and her people proud. The other princesses don't know what to make of her and she doesn't make the best first impression.

The story is a familiar one, but it's well executed. The art is cute, and the princess doesn't look like a Disney Princess (except for Merida from Brave), being more like an actual young girl, albeit a very muscular one. The story is sweet and funny. Ülga isn't interested in becoming like the other princesses, but instead wants to hold on to her own identity while learning a few things that might be useful to her. She's a princess you can really cheer for.

Princess Ugg is an adorable new series that would be suitable for children and young adults as well as adults.

Rating: 4/5
Published: November 2014




Thor (2014) #1

There have been a few changes in Asgard since the days of the Vikings. Odin departed for a while, and his wife, Freyja ruled in his stead as the All Mother. Now Odin has returned she is understandably reluctant to give up control of her kingdom, now called Asgardia. Thor, son of Odin and the God of Thunder is no longer worthy to wield the magic hammer, Mjolnir. None of the Aesir, even Odin himself, are able to lift the hammer.

As the Frost Giants attack Midguard (Earth) Thor leaves Mjolnir behind and tries to stop them, wielding an axe instead. Meanwhile, a mysterious woman appears and takes up Mjolnir, apparently becoming the new, female Thor.

While this is the beginning of the saga of the new Thor, she only appears two pages from the end of issue #1, so you will have to keep reading subsequent issues to find out more about her, such as her name, where she comes from, how well she can fight... actually anything about her at all. All I can really comment on so far is her physical appearance. Her costume is more practical than that of many female superheroes since she is wearing trousers or tights under her skirt and has no cleavage on display. In fact she is more covered up than the usual Thor who doesn't wear a shirt. She has no armour except for her helmet, but the old Thor didn't either.

The new Thor is off to a promising start, taking the comic in a bold new direction. I look forward to seeing where they go with it.

Rating: 4/5
Published: 2014




Red Sonya #0

Red Sonja is the archetypal female barbarian warrior figure, parodied in stories like Promises, Promises. She first appeared in the Conan series.

I wanted to like this series. I really did. I like reading about female characters kicking some arse, and it's nice to see a redhead as the hero. I was hoping the comic would have a bit of a sense of humour to it the way Xena Warrior Princess does but it's played absolutely straight.

The costume. I mean...really. It's old school male fantasy sexist bollocks. And can you imagine the chafing? And you know sooner or later a nipple is going to get caught in the chail mail!

Issue #0 is available for free on Comixology. I don't think I'll bother with the rest of the series.

Rating: 2/5


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