By Svetlana Fedotov
The Disney Company has pretty much owned the word “princess” since Snow White burped onto the movie scene in 1937. Doe-eyed girls with full bosoms and sassy attitudes have defined the world of royal ladies, inspiring millions of little girls to match their shoes to their dresses while speaking in a very proper British accent. But if you’re a little girl reading this article on a website named Brutal as Hell, you might’ve been a different kind of princess, someone more like Princess Ulga. The newest release from indy favorite Oni Press, the comic Princess Ugg follows the story of a warrior princess from the high mountains of Grimmeria (how fucking metal is that?) as she attends princess school to learn the feminine ways. Obviously, nothing goes as planned and things go awry the moment she steps off the mountains.
The story of Princess Ulga is intertwined with the tale of Her Royal Brat Lady Julifer from the city of Atraesca. Though both royalty, their different upbringings are immediately apparent and as Ulga heads to the city of her school, that is Atraesca, she immediately learns how different she really is. After promising her mother she would attend school for “edgykayshun,” Ulga hops her giant ass elephant and coming into the city, quicly knocks over Lady Julifer man-carriage. A battle of Vikings versus royal guards scores across Atraescas streets accidently ending with Ulga crashing through the roof her school as she defends herself from Julifer’s handsome beau. Though gracious to be in the academy, the Gods have yet to be finished with her, and leave her one more surprise as she meets her newest roommate.
Now, while Princess Ugg is definitely more relatable to the younger female crowd, I would like to point that it’s enjoyable for any gender or age. It’s not so much a young reader comic as it is a more of an all-ages comic, like Bone or the Harry Potter books. That out of the way, this is a great read. Sure, it’s not a traditional “blood and guts” Viking porn, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work well as a Viking book. The creator stayed true to the design and mindset that is typically associated with the “warriors of the ice and snow” while adding an air of fun and excitement reminiscent of that first adventure book we picked up as kids. High action, exotic lands, awkward friend making, the works! The characters are instantly relatable, making this a fun and quick read and the design of the world is fantastically thought out. It’s like a really kick ass cartoon.
The creator who both writes and draws Princess Ugg, Ted Naifeh, has been doing all-ages comics for a long time. His other project, Courtney Crumrin (which is also completely amazing), has won numerous Eisner Awards and is also centered on a serious little girl way out of her element. With the release of Princess Ugg, he continues his beautiful talent for writing a strange and exotic story while creating a magical background packed with unique characters and perilous journeys into the unknown. The coloring by Warren Wucinich only adds to the inks, making the story really come to life in its almost dream-like atmosphere. Though it’s not available until June 4, be sure to put in on your list of must-buys, you won’t regret it. Until then, grab some Courtney Crumrin and get in on the hype!