Diana, Princess of the Amazons is the story I wish I’d had to give to my children when they were little.
This original graphic novel by writers Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, and illustrated by Victoria Ying, was created for young readers and it’s a delight.
Diana, Princess of the Amazons, out today at all places you can find books, is a story of Diana’s childhood on Themiscyra that also has serious overtones that kids, especially those having trouble fitting in, will appreciate and understand.
The story begins as young Diana is feeling the lack of other children. Her world has been created for adults, is full of adults, and while Diana is friends with these adults, she has no confidante her own age, no one who understands what her life is like from her perspective.
Even more, Diana’s status as a special gift of the gods brings with it expectations that are hard to live up to.
So young Diana makes a heartfelt wish born from longing and loneliness. That wish is granted.
Or is it?
To say any more would be spoiling the rest of the story.
Eisner-nominated authors Shannon Hale and Dean Hale are also the authors of Marvel’s acclaimed Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, and Diana, Princess of the Amazons is full of similar charm to those stories.
The art by Ying, whose film credits include Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Paperman, Big Hero 6, and Moana, is simple, but that’s a compliment. The art has clean lines and clear panels. The world of the Amazons is atmospheric without the art ever being overly fussy. The close-ups on people convey the emotions well, especially when Diana is feeling down, and when Diana matures a little and takes responsibility for some of the choices that she’s made, the action builds to a terrific climax.
The story shows the kind of person that Diana’s destined to become as Wonder Woman but, even more, it signals to other children that they can be heroes too, even if they make mistakes, even if they’re not perfect. (And there’s a bit of message to adults that they should listen better to their kids as well.)
