Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders is another of Mad Cave’s Maverick imprint’s 90s cartoon adaptations. But compared to King Arthur & the Knights of Justice, this counterpart has the character and arcs that the other lacks. Is it enough though?
Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders… Background?
I’d like to think it was a coincidence that the show this comes from the same Arthurian theme as the other one. Because I don’t know anything about it. According to material outside of the newsletter… this is… a sequel?! Okay, no trying to cram too much of a show into one book…
Purpose Beyond Roles
I’ll give credit to Jordie Bellaire for making the characters feel a little more like people. The title character for example feels restless in her life. She’s got a sense of purpose as a Jewel Rider and a fiance to support her in her role as the future queen. But there’s so much more that Gwen wants to do and can’t name. All that she does know is that her betrothed Drake isn’t part of it. Not because she doesn’t like him, but because she’s not in love with him.
Yet Drake relates to Gwen in that way. After giving up his role as leader of Avalon’s protectors, he’s looking for direction. It’s a relatable feeling to want more out of your life, to feel important and loved for it. Even if it does come with a bit of weight that Drake’s replacement and Gwen’s teammate Fallon feels on her shoulders. As for Gwen’s other teammate Tamara… she actually seems fine despite the official summary.
Were These Arcs In The Show?
As for the story and character dynamics… they’re not as interesting. There’s some kind of wild magic going around and characters are making sudden tonal shifts. The Queen and Merlin for example turn into completely different characters. Merlin’s shift can at least be implied because some magic dust wasn’t properly cleaned up. But there was potential where Merlin would interact with the Queen where two old friends would be at odds when it comes to another character. It would’ve made that villain’s role feel a little more important than coming out of nowhere. Not to mention the Queen’s shift in tone. It all gives the impression that readers are supposed to watch a 30 year old show to understand what’s going on.
If that would help… When a standoff ends so anti-climatically, I have to wonder if this Kale was supposed to be the graphic novel’s villain. Plus there was a MacGuffin that was supposed to do something, but it was brushed off without being brought up again.
Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders On Modern Designs
Koi Carreon’s designs for the characters feel expressive and on-point for what this graphic novel’s going for. They would look great animated and the more magical girl-inspired look mixed with knight armor give the cast a distinct look. That last part is definitely helped by the coloring from Sarah Davidson especially with the visual flair during “transformations”.
The panels and transitions are nothing to sneeze at either. The first pages give the best impressions on what to expect and how out of place Gwen and Drake feel. While a high riding, high flying adventure is out there with a probably better mentor than their tutor, these betroths are stuck in a garishly dull lecture in an equally dull gold room. The color contrast with the pack’s purple colors and background would make everything more lively. Plus Chas Pangburn’s lettering with Fallon, the tutor, and Fallon’s alicorn(?) gets the point across just as well.
Where’s Your Focus?
Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders has everything it needs to feel fresh to a new audience. From the magical girl designs and visual cues that show characters looking for direction, it has everything for that YA demographic. But this graphic novel seems to suffer from a problem from another post, trying to put that YA audience in the same category as fans for a 30 year old show. The plot is a mess that’s full of uninteresting distractions that take readers away from character arcs. So in recognition for putting in the effort to make characters feel like they’re asserting themselves while the plot pushes them away, I’ll give this GN 6/10.
