Nimona is a really sweet story with a lot of heart. It’s got a devilish bit of wit and a big dose of discovering identity while becoming your boldest & most brilliant self.

Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villainous ex-knight who has a bone to pick with the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics. Nimona is a superpowered shapeshifter who is ready to cause as much chaos as possible. When she declares herself Blackheart’s violent sidekick, the two embark on a mission to show the kingdom what their heroes are hiding. But things get murkier and deadlier, and Nimona is unpredictable.

Nimona is such a rockstar of a character and her dialogue made me laugh out loud so many times. And Blackheart is the sweetest, clumsiest, most earnest villain around. It’s clever and I enjoyed the explosive art style during shapeshifting and fighting moments.

I read half of this graphic novel before watching the film adaptation and half afterwards – and that sandwiching experience definitely impacted my rating. I thought the adaptation was phenomenal and both improved on & expanded the source material. It took the subversiveness and queerness and heart of the original story and crafted it in a way I thought was brilliant.

In the novel, I wanted less subtlety around Blackheart’s romance. I wanted a deeper exploration of what it means for Nimona to shapeshift. I wanted more backstory around the knights & Nimona – and to my delight, the movie did all those things.

CW: murder, death, confinement, blood, fire, injury, child abuse, torture, gun violence, ableism, pandemic, classism, body horror, gaslighting

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