PRINCESS

Writer Mark Waid left readers in suspense at the end of the previous issue, with Princess Leia offering herself up in exchange for a fellow Alderaanian in Imperial custody. In the opening pages of “Princess Leia” #5, Waid reveals that the Princess is every bit as resourceful — perhaps moreso — than her compatriots, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. Waid keeps the Empire in sight but makes Princess Leia’s adventure a very personal one, momentarily narrowing the scope of galaxy. With her plans seemingly crumbling around her, Leia makes a desperate plea tinged with farewell that Waid transforms into a rallying cry. In that speech, Waid makes it quite clear he understands what makes Leia tick and where her priorities lie. The story comes naturally from Waid, flowing like a lost scene or an unproduced special, as he balances the conflict in the stars with the bureaucracy and the accompanying frustration inherent in Leia’s rescue mission: reuniting the Alderaanians and preserving the culture o

If it wasn’t for the promise at the end of the issue, I’d worry that “Princess Ugg” #8 was the conclusion of Ted Naifeh’s series about a barbarian princess named Ugla who was sent to learn what the rest of the “civilized” world is like. That’s because Naifeh wraps up so much this month that, if it was to suddenly come to a close, it wouldn’t feel like we’d stopped mid-stream. “Princess Ugg” #8 picks up right where the previous issue left off: the princesses are still captive, being held hostage until their various kingdoms make the appropriate concessions. What’s great is that Naifeh doesn’t tell us how Ugla and the rest of the princesses have changed in their time together; he simply shows us. It’s satisfying to watch Ugla gain not only respect but friendship from the other princesses, which has been a central part of the title and an enjoyable progression. Perhaps more importantly, though, Naifeh doesn’t lose track of the fact that Ugla’s trip outside her homelands was supposed to

“Princess Leia” stills runs a bit flat in its second issue, but the intrigue is picking up. Mark Waid’s post-Alderaan Leia is a driven and compelling royal, owning her responsibilities to a home that no longer exists, and her winning partnership with Evaan is fun and fulfilling to read. Terry and Rachel Dodson have their own fresh approach to the “Star Wars” look and feel and, with Marvel’s “Star Wars” line-up as crowded as it is, that’s an important differentiator for the title. “Princess Leia” #2 gets ever-closer to excellent, though it isn’t there yet. Leia is a capable, determined protagonist with a stubbornly smart foil in Evaan, and their partnership is one of the issue’s strongest elements. Evaan deploys “ma’am” in every possible inflection, from support to sarcasm, and it’s one of those rare verbal tics that actually works. Leia’s interactions with Lord Junn are similarly layered; her reaction to his less-than-honorable actions is surprisingly pragmatic and sly. I didn’t exp

Right from the start, Princess Ulga knew that she was different from her classmates at Princess Academy in a big way. However, as her classes kick into high gear, she realizes she is totally unprepared for the kind of warfare they wage; a battle axe just isn’t going to cut it in a history lecture! Charming and adorable, Ted Naifeh’s “Princess Ugg” has a world of potential, although it has some trouble finding its target audience. Since picking up the first issue, I’ve puzzled over exactly who Naifeh envisioned as his intended readership and — now two issues in — I still don’t quite have an answer. Naifeh seems to have modeled his story on existing Disney princess fairy tales, including characters that look like they might have walked out of “Mulan” or “Sleeping Beauty.” Likewise, he’s kept the violence to a largely PG level, only implying it or referencing it in Ulga’s dialogue (save for one purely imagined, bloodless scene, of course). However, the princesses don’t seem quite so yo

Ted Naifeh’s “Princess Ugg” is a charming idea with a ton of potential, but unfortunately, it suffers from an inconsistent execution that makes it difficult to fully enjoy. There’s a fun story with some lovely heart, but the rough edges create some big stumbling blocks to fully appreciating what Naifeh is trying to do. The story — one of Princess Ãœlga of Grimmeria, a “berzerker” from a “less civilized” land than most other princesses, as she leaves her home to attend “princess school” — has a ton of character potential. It’s clear from the beginning that Ãœlga is set up to be a stranger in a strange land, that lessons will be learned and everyone will be better for it. There’s a lot of heart and energy to the book, but as they say, the devil is in the details, and the details here are inconsistent and lack clarity. We meet Ãœlga and her magnificently powerful mother prior to a battle, and that’s the last we see of the queen. The text implies she’s dead, and after a third read I r

Opening up “John Carter: A Princess of Mars” #1, I had no idea what I was getting into. A kinetic and incredibly fun Skottie Young cover, an intriguing title, and a (far too slight) familiarity with Edgar Rice Burroughs’ work suggested it was something I should try out, though, and I’m glad I did. In this issue, our hero, John Carter, wakes up in a very strange place and has no idea how he got there. His last memory is of prospecting in Arizona and then being accosted by strange fumes in a cave. In short order, Carter realizes he’s on Mars. Because he seems to be able to jump to incredible heights and read his captors minds, he is kept as a prisoner, guarded by a giant “dog” he calls Woola. He defeats some giant apes and, out of respect, the Martians agree to call him John Carter, instead of “mammal.” When some ships from the great Martian city of Helium crash land and a prisoner — “The Princess” of the title — emerges and is human, John finds his priorities and interests shifting, t