Graphic Novel Review: The Prince in the Basement
The Prince in the Basement is the latest graphic novel from Mira Ong Chua (MOC). Known for other graphic novels such as ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love and Vampire Blood Drive, MOC offers a distinct art style and storytelling to fans of queer romance titles. Their kickstarter was successfully funded the same day it launched because fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on their new title.
Official Summary
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom…
On the day of her coronation, the Princess awakens a forbidden secret that could ruin everything: an imprisoned Prince in the castle basement, bearing a face identical to hers. Claiming to be the true heir to the throne, he exiles the Princess and sentences her dearest husband-to-be to death.
As the mysterious Prince lays claim to her kingdom, the exiled Princess sets out to take back her crown and rescue her beloved- who, while awaiting his fate, begins falling for the Prince, believing him and the Princess to be one and the same.
Upon their reunion, both royal children find that their destinies are more deeply intertwined than they ever expected...
Can the two find sanctuary in a world where only one of them was meant to exist?
Quick Information
Author: Mira Ong Chua
Published: Kickstarter launched January 14, 2025
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Review
My first introduction into Mira Ong Chua’s work was ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love when it was being published by SevenSeas at the time. The character design, artstyle, and premise encouraged me to pick up the title. I hadn’t read something quite like ROADQUEEN before, and it inspired me so much I wrote my very first published review on the graphic novel. Since then, Mira Ong Chua is a comic artist whose work I eagerly follow. So when I heard about The Prince in the Basement, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on their latest graphic novel.
The Prince in the Basement does not feature characters with traditional names. Characters in this story are referred to as their role in the story (i.e., The Princess, The Prince, The Witch, etc). For me this was an interesting and different story choice, and it gives The Prince in the Basement a fairy-tale quality.
The story opens on the day of The Princess’s coronation, but the celebration is interrupted when she hears an unfamiliar voice heckling her from somewhere within the castle. She pursues this voice of doubt, following its echoes to a door that was always previously locked. Suddenly able to open the door, she heads into the basement to find a figure who looks exactly like her encased in a strange crystal, wielding her family’s sword. We’re left wondering who this Prince is, and why he’s been locked in the basement.
This story is often quite funny at times, especially during sections with The Prince. I enjoy how goofy the love interest is, sporting a ridiculous outfit which I thought is fitting for him. The dialogue between the cast of characters is complemented by beautiful, expressive artwork. The overall concept of the story drew me in from the very beginning and made me want to figure out the mystery of who The Prince is and why he looks exactly like The Princess.
One of the most predominant themes throughout the story is learning to accept all parts of yourself. When you try to cut out these pieces to either conform to someone else's expectations (or your own) or society's norms, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Maybe you don't understand why you are different or why you can’t just accept things as they are. Through self-discovery and life experience you can learn to love all these different facets of your identity and being. I really resonated with this motif and I think other readers will feel the same.
While I did enjoy the story for the most part, the plot’s pacing feels uneven. The central, driving conflict of the story could have been resolved much sooner if the two main characters had just talked instead of fighting. I have no problem with characters misunderstanding each other, but I’m less of a fan of miscommunication plots that drag on for hundreds of pages. Part of me thinks this story would have flowed better if it was broken up into multiple volumes to let certain story beats settle before moving on to the next major arc. This is a bit ironic considering The Prince in the Basement is this comic artist’s longest graphic novel to date, clocking in at 425 pages in paperback. In my opinion, The Prince in the Basement tries to juggle too many plot threads for a single one shot, and this lessened my overall enjoyment of the story to a degree.
However, by the end of the book, I did feel satisfied with the development of each character. Their arcs feel resolved with lessons learned. The story’s main romance at times feels complicated, but this feels appropriate given that the romance is interconnected with a major plot point. The romance features fantasy elements which some readers may not enjoy as much. Rest assured, this story has a happy ending, following fairy-tale tradition.
If I had to choose only one thing I like the most about Mira Ong Chua’s work, it’s their art style. As someone who likes 90s anime aesthetic, I believe their art style captures this vibe with a modern spin. Their style is certainly distinct enough to pick out among a crowd of other graphic novel titles. The character design is excellent. Each character’s outfit reflects their personality, and the way their clothes and hair are drawn make it seem as if there’s physical movement despite ultimately being a 2D image. Flashbacks and other planes of existence are clearly denoted with black backgrounds and dark borders, contrasting with the main story sequences. There are a few page spreads which I always enjoy in a comic. The cover and title design is very eye-catching, and it’s one of the first things which immediately drew my interest.
While the kickstarter is over, you can still purchase a physical and digital edition of The Prince in the Basement from Mira Ong Chua’s website as well as a digital only version from their itch.io page.
Finding a story with interesting, heartfelt queer characters with a happy ending can sometimes be challenging, and Mira Ong Chua has crafted another graphic novel which hits these notes in spades. Mira Ong Chua tells stories which are lighthearted and fun without becoming too quirky or absurd. If you are looking for a well-rounded graphic novel to sink your teeth into this Pride Month check out The Prince in the Basement.
A free copy of this graphic novel was provided by the author.