NTE

I love me some fairytale retellings, and Rapunzel's story - as told in comic book form by Shannon & Dean Hale (with art by Nathan Hale) is awesome. In this version Rapunzel doesn't know that there's anything beyond the gated, guarded semi-Utopian community her 'Mother' has created for her. She just knows she's not allowed over the walls. And - as anyone who has ever dealt with children in any capacity can tell you - that means that going over the walls is exactly what she yearns to do. But once she makes it over, she finds a startling new reality: here there are mines and slaves, and magic-less barren wastelands. And here is her true mother, the one she was stolen from long, long ago. Now that she knows all of this, can she once again hide behind the walls, live as if nothing has changed? Hell no: and so she is locked away in the tallest tree, as punishment for disobeying, for rebelling. And in that tree, as her hair grows longer and longer, and time passes, Rapunzel plots her revenge. Which is all super entertaining and amusing and kick-ass: any girl who manages to use her hair as a weapon, a harness, a rope and a disguise, is one I want on my team. And she's fighting for the people who need it, against the Big Bad: comic book 101! I really enjoyed this, and will definitely be passing it on to some littles in my life, and finding the sequel as well.