Graphic Novel Review: Other Ever After: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman

Posted on January 24, 2023 at 6:11 am by Gene Ambaum

Other Ever After: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman. RH Graphic, 2022. 9780593303184.

Many stories in this collection of short works by Gillman started out as 24-hour comics, though they say they broke many of the rules McCloud set out for those. In the first, a young forest ranger confronts a girl eating the King’s magic flowers and then confronts the real beast from the forest. In “The Goose Girl,” a poor young woman refuses the Princess’ proposal because their marriage wouldn’t bring her happiness. (It all works out in the end in a way that’s unexpected and wonderful.) In fact all of these stories are great. The less I tell you about them the better.

Gillman’s beautiful colored pencils add to the sense of innocence and wonder in all of these tales, and make them feel timeless and true.

If you’re looking for something else to give a kid who loved Chad Sell’s Cardboard Kingdom series, this is it. It’s also perfect if you’re just looking for a good book of stories to read together, no matter how old you are.