Rapunzel's Revenge

Rapunzel's Revengeis an alternate retelling of the Rapunzel story told in a graphic novel format.

The authors chose a western setting to provide a more natural transition for Rapunzel from being a princess in need of a prince to rescue her into a strong female character who eventually meets and works with an equally strong male partner. I know many authors are trying to rewrite fairy tale female roles into stronger more independent characters.

However, what I appreciated about this version is that they did that with allowing the male role to be an equal partner, which is what people have been pushing for in women's roles in these stories. They didn't just flip the roles making the woman the strong character and the male a weak incompetent or useless character in order to make the comparison an easier one. It took more effort to write the characters as having different strengths, but as equal partners, but it made for a stronger book.

The story begins with more background than we find in the traditional tale of Rapunzel. That makes sense as this is a longer graphic novel and thus we have more time to learn about the characters. In this version we begin with a preteen Rapunzel living in a villa with Gothel, whom she believes is her mother. However, she is beginning to have flashbacks of a different life and another family. She longs to see what lies beyond the villa walls, but is forbidden to go there. As with all fairy tales, we know if it is forbidden she will be headed off to seek it.

Gothel however, didn't gain the power she has by being foolish. She knows the girl will at some point seek freedom and when she refuses her offer to join her freely and Rapunzel attempts an escape we finally see the tower of the original tale. As a resourceful girl, Rapunzel begins to find ways to utilize her long hair and it becomes and effective tool and weapon, eventually using it as her means of escape. It is at this point the story introduces and dismisses the western version of her prince. Rapunzel does not need a Prince to help her escape and he is afraid of Gothel. They part ways and she heads off to find her mother who she remembers was working in Gothel's mines.

Along her journey, she does meet a more suitable companion, Jack of Jack and the Bean Stalk fame. He too is on a quest to help his mother. They each have different talents that make this relationship a strong one allowing them to help others as they travel on their journey to rescue Rapunzel's mother and defeat Gothel. Jack's story is saved for the sequel Calamity Jack where Rapunzel has agreed to repay Jack for his assistance by helping him solve his problem.

This was a creative retelling of the Rapuzel story that finally puts Rapunzel at a place of strength and stops her from being manipulated by others. The mash up of Rapunzel and Jack and the Bean Stalk is an interesting one. If I'd been asked about what story to mash up with Rapunzel I'm not sure I'd have chosen Jack, but with the move to the Western theme it works. I also love the way they've moved the hair from being about beauty to a valuable lethal weapon and tool for Rapunzel. I'm looking forward to reviewing the sequel to see if the balance in the character's roles remains when the plot moves to Jack's world.