Scarecrow Princess: I have a suggestion to read instead of this.


I am utterly disappointed with this Lion Forge ROAR release.

An Italian import, I read the English translation of this Graphic Novel. I was initially drawn in by the plot description and atypical artwork. Unfortunately, The Scarecrow Princess has some inexcusable issues that block me from suggesting it to other readers.
  • The Scarecrow Princess (Federico Rossi Edrig)
  • 160 pages
  • Lion Forge
  • ISBN-10: 1941302424
  • ISBN-13: 978-1941302422

READ THIS, NOT THAT
So beyond this is a pretty negative review. I suggest you skip this book and read Nilah Magruder’s M.F.K. instead. While I have not yet read MFK, is on my short list of seemingly amazing work I need to prioritize.

Note, this is an affiliate link. No extra cost to visitors, but makes this site a few cents if used.

Fatal flaws, lets discuss the biggest of them. We wont even talk about the rest.

I was annoyed that the creators of this comic chose to so strongly sexualize the fourteen year old female protagonist. But it is more than just sexualization; It has a strong theme of methodical abuse:
  1. Fourteen year old female protagonist Morgan meets faceless male antagonist the King of Crows. The KoC dispatches Morgan’s mother and brother, removing her support base, leaving her vulnerable and alone in her home.
  2. The faceless King of Crows grabs Morgan, simply saying ‘gotcha’ before Morgan blacks out. She awakes in a strange bedroom/bed.
  3. Morgan starts wearing an additional layer of clothing, an oversized old coat, an unmistakable metaphor of protection to save her from the King.
  4. The King of Crows tells her all the trouble he has caused and the removal of her family is for her own good and because she ‘wanted it’
  5. Early teenage Morgan then, for NO REASON, goes home and masturbates for an 8 panel page.
  6. The King attempts to break Morgans will, causing her oversized protective coat to dissolve.
  7. Author inserts a random Lesbian joke/reference
  8. Morgan and the King of Crows have a battle in which they are both nude. We don’t know why, but they are. Mr Faceless shows his bare chest while Miss Fourteen shows all of her bathing suit areas several times. In the end, her protection backfires, the bad guy is released and promises to return.
  9. The stalker version of KoC has a conversation with Morgan.. shortly after, another Lesbian joke/rederence
  10. After Morgan’s family is returned, she never tells them about the screwed up bullshit she has gone through, and goes to highschool the next week.

If the plotline had not been completely full of holes, perhaps there could be justification for some of these elements, but in its published state, there are no excuses. Nudity for example is warranted in a number of Graphic Novels, for example, in recently published works about eating disorders. Doubtful this work could be saved, it burnt my bridge already.

Disappointed.

—

Disclosure: This Graphic Novel was supplied by the author or publisher for review purposes. The source of the media did not impact my viewpoint..

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