3 ways Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince is a good comics gateway for fantasy readers

V.E. Schwab’s first comic issue is only one part of the story, but for an introduction, The Steel Prince #1 is as solid as they come.

Speaking as a binge reader, it’s tough to review individual comics. They come and go so quickly that you’re always left wanting more, and while that’s the point (to sell more issues), it still means that you’re left having to wait sometimes a month — or more — for the next part of the story. Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince, with issue #1 out today, is no different.

But it’s also possibly the best fantasy comic out there right now that can draw reticent-to-try-something-new fantasy readers in, just based on the first issue. V.E. Schwab has made a name for herself in fantasy fiction. Here’s hoping this will make her a name in comics as well.

A familiar world

If you’ve been in fantasy for the past few years, then you’ve probably heard of the Shades of Magic series. A Conjuring of Light, the conclusion to the trilogy, just dropped last year. The Steel Prince is set in the same world, but rolls things back to the youth of Maxim Maresh — Rhy’s father. When we meet him in the books, he’s a king, so it’s entertaining to get a look at a younger version of him.

But even for those who don’t know the world, Schwab has spoken about her intention of making this series accessible — and indeed, there’s effectively a prologue in this first issue that serves as a nice refresher for old hands and a quick “here’s what you need to know” for newcomers alike.

Plenty happens

One issue of a comic doesn’t have a lot of pages. It means that it can’t really be a prologue, because there’s no chapter one to then turn to. Steel Prince avoids this with ease, putting in a killer fight scene (kudos to Andrea Olimpieri and Enrica Angiolini for their art and coloring, respectively) and ending on a note that will have you wishing that you could have the second issue right away.

Any explainers on who is whom or what certain things mean aren’t particularly obtrusive; there’s perhaps some brief overemphasis in the very beginning about what Antari are, but keeping in mind that not everyone who picks this up will know what’s going on, that’s not the worst thing.

Character work

Let’s just flat-out say it: Maxim Maresh is great. Here, we can see the man who will become the king we know in the trilogy, but we also get to see how he bears a certain resemblance to his son in terms of recklessness. It’s a tricky balance, but it’s nailed here. Oh, sure, Maxim is able to justify his actions and make them sound good, but his actions and dialogue smack of overconfidence, and it’s nice to see him have those challenged already.

In short, this is a miniature version of what Schwab has become known for in fantasy — and even newcomers can pick this up. No, it’s not 500 pages. But for a train ride? It might be just what you need. (Besides, it’s much lighter.)

The Steel Prince‘s second issue will go on sale next month.