Dynamite is releasing another series following a Disney Villain, and this time it’s everyone’s favorite sea witch, Ursula. Disney Villains: Ursula #1 explores her story before the events of The Little Mermaid take place. This series follows Ursula and her six sisters, who differ from the versions of her sisters previously introduced by Disney in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea and Descendants: Rise of Red.
Sherri L. Smith starts the story with Scylla, Ursula’s younger sister and witch of the Southern Sea before she calls for help. Scylla isn’t like the portrayals of Ursula’s little sisters we’ve seen in the past. She’s not the overly zealous, power hungry type. While she still commands power, it’s refreshing to see Ursula’s little sister not trying to take her spot.
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Smith then introduces the Ursula we all know and love, perfectly capturing her dramatics. Ursula feels as if she was pulled straight from the screen, evoking Pat Carol, her original voice actress, in the early pages. We see a little bit of Ursula’s famous slimey sidekick, but is quickly left behind. Smith soon shows us a side of Ursula that seems completely out of character. Whether driven by grief or revenge, it doesn’t seem like something Ursula would do.
The story is easy to follow, and Smith is starting to build the origins of Ursula’s most famous rivalry. The pacing is quite fast but allows for Gabriele Bagnoli’s artwork to shine. There are many pages where there is little to no dialogue in which Bagnoli’s art drives the narrative. Bagnoli does a great job at capturing the classic Disney animated feel in a comic book format while adding texture and shading that makes the story dynamic and emotional.
Although the pacing is fast, the issue feels almost exclusively like a set up for the next one, which could leave readers wanting more or just leave them feeling unsatisfied. Aside from Ursula, this issue introduces three named characters, which we move on from pretty fast. It’s clear that some of these characters will play a big part in this story but it feels more like an introduction than a first issue.
Disney Villains: Ursula #1 is a great setup issue, but struggles to stand on its own and leaves much to be desired. Bagnoli’s artwork is the silver lining to an otherwise lackluster story.
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