Ladycastle #1 (of 4)
Written and Created by Delilah S. Dawson
Art by Ashley A. Woods
Letters by Jim Campbell
Covers by Ashley A. Woods, Elsa Charretier & Margaux Saltel
Boom! Studios
Release Date: January 25, 2017
Cover Price: $3.99

Ladycastle #1 is candid look into what would happen if all the knights and soldiers went off to war and (mostly) got themselves killed. Bordering on satirical, this story focuses on a group of ladies that refuse to accept the roles that their society tries to place on them. From a picky princess who isn’t going to marry a prince just because the king insists, to a blacksmith’s wife who is apparently just as good of a ‘smith as her husband.

The one remaining knight who managed to return to the castle alive, is put to work teaching the ladies how to defend themselves. It’s a lot harder to fight than they thought but with a new curse luring monsters to the castle, they’ve got little choice in the matter. It turns out that the princess is kind of a badass already, which is good since by the end of this issue the curse is beginning to rear its ugly head (pun intended).

Worth noting here is that this is novelists Delilah S. Dawson‘s first comic story. While the setting may not be perfect for every reader, the premise is all about women taking back their lives on terms they set forth. It’s fun, funny, and fantastic. I had a blast reading it and look forward to the next three issues.