It's hard to think of another graphic novel that gave me the right balance of great characters, exciting visuals, and engaging storytelling as much as ND Stevenson’s Nimona. Initially a webcomic, this soon-to-be graphic novel would become a favorite among many readers. Nimona’s success later allowed ND Stevenson to become the showrunner for the popular Netflix Show She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Netflix also would release a movie adaptation of Nimona in 2023 to widespread acclaim. Nimona has become a favorite of mine, and it's everything I could ever want from a story, with heart, humor, and engaging twists and turns.
In a fantasy/sci-fi world, a teenage girl named Nimona has the ability to shapeshift into any living thing. She looks to be a sidekick for a recent villian named Ballister Blackheart who is wanted for committing a crime he was frammed for. Ballister at first rejects her, but once she sees that she can shapeshift, he sees it as a way to maybe get back at the institution whom framed him as a villain in the first place. The Instution’s Director sends in Ballisters former friend Ambrosius Goldenlion to stop Ballister from exposing the Institution and to kill his sidekick Nimona. Meanwhile Ballister forms a fatherly bond with Nimona and begins to learn more about her history about how she came to be.
The Story creates a world where fantasy and sci-fi genres mesh together to create a world unlike most have ever seen. It's a world filled with interesting characters that have deep and thought-provoking arcs that show themselves as the reader reads further into the story. One of the best things this story does is introduce themes of Queerness and Identity without trying too hard to make the reader know about them, as they are introduced subtly. The pacing helps deliver the twists and turns in the narrative. Many things that happen between characters or plot elements are unpredictable and exciting. All these elements are matched by the novel’s sense of humor, which can be pretty funny, especially when it involves Nimona working on her personality of Ballister Blackheart. ND Stevenson created a fun and engaging story with all the correct elements to create what I believe to be a near-perfect flowing narrative.
The Characters are fun and engaging. Many have relatable qualities that instantly make them exciting to learn about. The main star, Nimona, is a rebellious teen-like shapeshifter who loves to wisecrack and have almost a little too much fun, causing mayhem. Meanwhile, Ballister Blackheart is a supposed villain framed for a crime he didn’t commit. In fact, he’s not a villain, but the institution tells the public that he is. Ballister’s former friend Ambrosius Goldenlion is seen as the hero in the town and is tasked with taking down Ballister Blackheart and his sidekick Nimona. However, further reading into the story suggests that he might have deeper feelings for Ballister that may show that he’s more than a slave to the government system. The Instutions director is the main antagonist of the book. She says and does very little, yet still gives off a vibe of uncomfortable in all the best ways possible. The characters all have interesting quirks while also being deep enough to be more complex than what they seemingly appear to be at first.
The Illustrations are in some ways simplistic, especially in the character designs, but they still make the best of color and action to make each panel full of life and personality. The characters themselves have very simple facil designs yet can evoke a wide range of emotions of grief anger and regret when the story calls for it. In regards to Nimona herself, her ability to shapeshift into any living thing is fun to watch and her red dyed hair cut makes her a standout from many of the other characters. The backgrounds use a good use of color to intestfy the scenes. When things are normal, the colors can be very minimal, when the action happens, greens and oranges fill the atmosphere to make scenes intense and exciting. Despite simplistic human designs, its their emotions and postures that make them feel dynamic. The backgrounds help as well as they are full of color and life and can signify different emotions depending on the panel.
Nimona is one of my all-time favorite graphic novels for a reason. It has the right balance of heart while also telling a compelling narrative about different types of relationships and dealing with themes of queerness and one’s identity. The drama and action-packed moments are matched by its outstanding sense of humor and its incredible pacing. ND Stevenson created this story for three years as a webcomic. The final product is truly remarkable and has engaged many readers into a fascinating and irresistible must-read for any fan of graphic novels or great storytelling.
(Final Grade: A)