Molly Danger/Princeless Advanced Review: Damsels NOT in Distress

Molly Danger/Princeless is one of two comic books being released by Action Lab Entertainment for Free Comic Book Day (the other one being NFL Rush Zone/Skyward). You all saw that "free" part, right? I would consider some trash worth picking up for free and this issue is the farthest thing from trash. I highly suggest you pick up a copy this Free Comic Book Day (May 4th 2013). But if you need more convincing... This issue features two separate filler stories (sorry if you were fooled by the cover but Princess Adrienne and Molly Danger unfortunately do not have a crossover). This issue features the highly anticipated Molly Danger created by Jamal Ingle accompanied by Jeremy Whitley's award-winning Princeless characters. The first story is about a giant robot controlled by the malevolent Bedulla attacking a town. Who will stop him? His nemesis Molly Danger of course! But she may need a little help... Molly Danger is a fun and entertaining character with an innocence to her because of her age, which is refreshing when compared to the abundance of adult heroines out there. To match her innocent age artist Juan Castro keeps her covered up and not hanging out like a lot of female heroines. I appreciated that despite the "costume" not looking like much of a costume but something you could wear to school (accompanied by a few strange stares). The villain in this story was Medula. He's your classic villain and just like Molly Danger his origins aren't explored but I'm interested in learning them. His dialogue pales in comparison to his design though. He has a brain in a jar for a head and the rest of his design makes purple look good. The story really isn't the main point of this issue. It's supposed to be an introduction to the characters and, as a result, the story is as basic a filler story as it can get and in this case I accept its simplicity. It's even better for people who are tired of reading multiple issue stories. Here, you can sit back and relax during your coffee break and get through an entire story in eleven pages. Ingle's pacing doesn't even feel rushed, it's well-paced and does not feel like it's only eleven pages. The only complaint I have (and it is still a pretty big complaint) is the dialogue between the two pilots Briggs and Dougie. I skimmed some of their dialogue because it felt dry but it does help establish who these characters are. Briggs is a radical pilot and Dougie is the straight-arrow. I'm going to assume they are going to be regular characters in the upcoming series – if they aren't, their plethora of panel time was a complete waste of time. But really, I felt like the dialogue between the two pilots took away the time we could have been spending with Molly Danger. However she still makes a powerful impression and this does leave readers with more questions than answers which will have them clamoring for more. Medula and Molly Danger's design were not the only great things about the artwork. Everything about the artwork was great, but what I loved about it was one page which showcased some wonderful facial expressions. We see an upset Molly Danger who makes your heart clench and an upset then cocky shift in expression from Briggs which makes me love his character without needing a single word of that dry dialogue. This is Molly Danger's first appearance and Jamal Ingle uses a measly eleven page long story to his full advantage and develops not only a likable protagonist but also the setting, villain and a slew of other characters. Most importantly, Ingle makes me anxious to see more of Molly Danger. In the next story, Jeremy Whitley gives us a filler story featuring the charcters of Princeless. On her way to save her sisters who are trapped in castles, Princess Adrienne stops to help another princess, Raven, who is trapped in a tower. Unfortunately, she has some sexist competition. The story is basic and is just an excuse to enjoy some entertaining dialogue coming from some great characters. Adrienne and Bedellia have a great chemistry between them and it's almost always funny to see them interact. The "Prince" in this story, thanks to some of Whitley's dialogue, instantly becomes the most despicable character I've read in a while. A new character, the princess trapped in the tower by the name of Raven, is also introduced. She shows some great promise and I hope to see more of her. The cliffhanger brings more intrigue to this character and makes me wish this story would continue. This Princeless story features art from the artist of the second volume of Princeless, Emily C. Martin. Her artwork isn't terrible but I prefer the artwork from the first volume of Princeless because it looks more cartoonish and had some adorable artwork as a result. The one thing I did love about Martin's artwork was the design of the despicable prince. His face looks like a cherub's with his baby doll eyes and reminds me of the feminine male characters you see in anime which fits his character perfectly. Even more comical are the sparkles surrounding him (Edward Cullen has nothing on him). This isn't the greatest first impression to the Princeless universe. I would suggest reading the third issue first since it is also free and a better issue, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't still pick this issue up as well. Both issues do have what some people would call "in your face" messages. It isn't subtle about how poorly women can be treated by men and it can sometimes be overplayed. For people interested in that message though it is still extremely enjoyable despite being bashed into your brain at times. If you've read Princeless before and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy it here too. The score that I rated this comic (a 6.9) means that I think this comic has it's moments and should be picked up if you have a couple of extra bucks, meaning Molly Danger/Princeless is more than worth $0. In fact, if you miss it and find it like I have other former Free Comic Book Day comics at a Comic Con for a dollar or two I'd still encourage you to buy it if you want an introduction to a powerful female character like Molly Danger and another fun experience with the always inspiring Princess Adrienne. They're perfect for young female readers but can be enjoyed by all ages and genders. If you enjoyed this freebie, be sure to check out Jamal Ingle's Molly Danger which will be starting this July and Princeless Volume 2 #1 which was just released a couple months back.