Preview–A sure thing? Robots battle Princesses in new Dynamite mash-up series

It should be pretty difficult for someone not to get this right. Right? It’s a mash-up of sword and sorcery Transformers-esque robots and Frozen-inspired fairy tale princesses. How can it not be the next best thing to a Pixar movie for animated movie fans? It’s so simple, and yet the first issue of a new series arriving in comic book stores tomorrow shows that it works. Writer Todd Matthy and artist Nicolas Chapuis have come together to create the next series from Dynamite Comics, Robots Versus Princesses. Like Cowboys vs. Aliens? Okay, maybe all these mash-ups all don’t quite work out, but this series has the heart of that new Bumblebee movie trailer and a similar design–a lovable fish-out-of-water robot and a girl looking for something different from the status quo.

Princess Zara doesn’t understand the significance of the upcoming recital. The other princesses in the walled kingdom have their accompanist animals selected and ready to perform. Zara wants something different, to be different. What about the dragons warring outside the gates that no one has ever seen but all have heard? Maybe is she sneaks out at night she could capture a baby dragon and show the others she isn’t the least of the princesses.

Matthy’s story is very modern Disney, complete with a mix of cheery characters and a snarky heroine. A bit Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, and Cinderella, and even more Sleeping Beauty, Issue #1 of Robots vs. Princesses is a solid introduction to a story that should be a keeper for readers looking for their next fairy tale fix. Chapuis’s artwork is perfect for the fairy tale realm, and his realm of robot warriors has a unique design that fuses well with the best modern animated movies.

Here is a preview of Robots Versus Princesses, Issue #1, courtesy of Dynamite: