Review: Disney Villains: Maleficent #1

3.37/5.0 Stars
Rating if the Book Were a Movie: G

Creative Team:

Writer: Soo Lee
Artist: Soo Lee
Letters: Jeff Eckleberry
Cover: Jennifer L. Meyer
Editor: Nate Crosby
Publisher: Dynamite

Ratings:

Story: 3.2 Stars
Artwork: 3.5 Stars
Cover Artwork: 3.6 Stars
Dialogue: 3.4 Stars
Mechanics: 3.4 Stars
Editing: 3.4 Stars 

About the Book:

Maleficent is the most powerful sorceress in all the land. People fear her because she has a dark side to her. It’s not unwarranted, she is the ruler of the Forbidden Kingdom, a realm with many dark denizens. A young man named Reynard is not afraid. He wants to meet the sorceress to see if the rumors are true. He’ll find out just how powerful she truly is.

Reader’s Notes:

A lot of Disney villains are misunderstood. Maleficent is no different. Does she overreact and take things to extremes? Yes. Deep down she just wants to be respected and included.

Imagine how different Sleeping Beauty would have been if King Stephen had extended an invitation to the party for Aurora. Imagine if Maryweather had not told Maleficent that she was not wanted at the party. Maleficent’s reaction was understandable, albeit over the top.

I like how we get to see both sides of Maleficent in this issue. She demonstrates that she can be a good person. We see this with her gift to Reynard. She also demonstrates that she has a temper and will not suffer being disrespected.

I’m fond of this cover. Maleficent and her familiar walking through the Forbidden Kingdom by themselves is very symbolic. It’s Maleficent against the world. She would not have it any other way.

The artwork on the interior pages is solid. We get good lines and colors that help to set the tone for the story. I especially liked the panels with the forest in the Forbidden Kingdom. They help emphasize how dark and dreary the path to Maleficent’s castle truly is.

As a geek on a budget I believe that Disney Villains: Maleficent #1 is worth checking out. It’s not a deep and intricate story (it’s a one shot, not a story arc); but it helps us get to know Maleficent better.