THE SAVAGE BEARD OF SHE DWARF

The last dwarf in existence forms unlikely friendships while in search of a lost city.

She Dwarf has been lonely since the death of her heroic mother and longs to find the mysterious Dammerung, home of other dwarves like her. During her first time in the “Big World,” She Dwarf proves her dominance over showboating Hack Battler in a beard challenge (She Dwarf’s beard is long and luxuriant), gets duped by a leprechaun, and fights a wolf-bat-dragon creature. Stubborn and determined, She Dwarf continues her quest with none other than Hack Battler, who, disgraced by his defeat, is hoping to learn from She Dwarf. Their journey takes them to an abandoned dwarven outpost, an oracle, and a relaxing bathhouse. Along the way they meet Drift, an elven assassin, a monster with bears for hands, and many more interesting individuals. In the end, She Dwarf has to confront the truth about what happened to her people and make a difficult decision. In this action-packed, fast-paced graphic novel, readers will feel the energy in every detailed panel. At times the pacing feels too rushed, possibly causing confusion and missing the opportunity to further explore She Dwarf’s surroundings. The bright colors pair well with the lighthearted tone of this adventure but don’t detract from the emotional moments. Most characters with natural human skin tones appear white; Drift is black.

A fun, heartwarming questing story.