'The Avalon Chronicles Volume One: Once in a Blue Moon' is a fairly standard fantasy comic/manga.
Aeslin Finn is a modern day teenage girl who, due to a childhood tragedy, had given up on fairy tales and fantasy. Reality is not what she thought it was, however, as one day with a school friend, Meg, she stumbles upon an old fantasy book (a sequel, actually) which portals her into another world, Avalon. Inside the fantasy story she'd loved as a little girl, Aeslin discovers that she is a chosen one (!!!I am shock!!!) - not only that, but a princess (!!!!!!!!) - who must live up to her destiny as a hero, and defeat the warlord tyrant Khrom.
There is a lot more to add, such as Aeslin's bereaved politician mother hiding far more than she is letting on, but that is the knight template plot in a nutshell.
I'll say that if you like Isekai anime with a female protagonist (who is ALWAYS in a school uniform), such as 'Inuyasha', 'Fushigi Yūgi', 'Magic Knight Rayearth', 'The Vision of Escaflowne', and 'The Twelve Kingdoms', then this little medieval fantasy portal land comic might become a gem for you. It also reminds me strongly of DC's New 52 'Amethyst' reboot, one reason being the blonde princess warrior mother-and-daughter bonding, and 'The Neverending Story', with the entering-a-fantasy-world-through-a-storybook motif.
Regardless of what other franchises it reminds you of, 'The Avalon Chronicles' is enjoyable on its own. It's far from perfect. It has a few pacing issues, and rushed character development issues. It's not in colour, like a manga, and this made some of the characters indistinguishable to me. It's an unfinished story as the first volume. It also plays the destiny vs choice and free will trope which leans heavily on the destiny side of the argument, which is frustrating. But it might be subverted in future stories.
'The Avalon Chronicles' contains elements in fantasy with female leads that I do like. There's girl friendships and support (Aeslin and Meg), a strong mother and daughter relationship and dynamic (I love that Aeslin's mother Laura is actually involved in the plot and her life), and the fact that the modern teenage girl is not the only female in the story. Apart from Laura, another important lady in Avalon is the badass Cassidy, who wishes to be a knight, but is not allowed because she's a girl...even though Avalon's revered chosen one, the Dragon Knight, has always been a girl. Because sexism and logic don't mix, and they never have even in medieval settings. Plus, fantasy with dragons and all that.
Cassidy and Aeslin have an interesting hate-to-rivals-to-begrudging-partners relationship. Meg might not be Aeslin's only girl-friend.
'The Avalon Chronicles' is funny and self-aware, as well. There are occasional pop culture references, and plays being performed in Avalon as political satire against a tyrannical overlord. I am disappointed, however, that the line 'It's dangerous to go alone, take this!' is not in the comic in any shape or form. It's no stranger to video game references, so huh?!
But a dragon! And a sign that the main heroine will learn sword fighting!
On another note: the cliche of the modern girl wearing school uniform (because skirts!) in the fantasy world is somewhat subverted by Aeslin putting on more comfortable and appropriate clothes on her second trip to Avalon. Intentional?
And I'm calling it now: Will Redding, the playwright of Avalon and magical storyteller of the book portals between Avalon and earth, is evil. Or at least he's connected to the bad guys in some capacity.
Whatever foibles, what an enjoyable fantasy work from the creators of 'Amazing Agent Luna'! a fact which made me want to read it in the first place. I have a soft spot for premises like this one, when they're done well and are full of passion for the genre. A cute and heartfelt storybook comic.
Happy 650th review for me, too!
Final Score: 3.5/5
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