Hitting stores this week is Three Little Wishes, a comic spin on a classic morality tale. Kelly Castleton is the most detail-oriented, by-the-book contract lawyer you could ever wish to have on your side – unless of course you happen to be an immortal fairy with three malicious wishes to grant! Of course the day Kelly decides to be spontaneous on ONE LITTLE THING, she stumbles upon an ancient magic with the power to change everything! What to do – world peace? Win back her oh-so-perfect ex? Well, if underthinking got her into this mess, her habitual overthinking should be able to get her out of it! When the fairy king Oberon is released from his enchanted imprisonment, he offers Kelly the simplest of gifts: THREE LITTLE WISHES. That’s all, no need to think too hard about it. Just wish for what you’ve always wanted and he’ll give you exactly that. Exactly, to the T… what could possibly go wrong?
Beyond an immediately entertaining premise, Three Little Wishes boast two very talented British creators. Best known for his stellar Doctor Who work, Paul Cornell has a ton of quality comic experience under his belt, from DC (Action Comics, Batman and Robin) and Marvel (Captain Britain and MI13, Wolverine, Young Avengers) to his recent series from Heavy Metal Modern Frankenstein. Steve Yeowell meanwhile is renowned for his various works at 2000AD including the much-loved series Zenith co-created with Grant Morrison and various stints on Judge Dredd, Future Shocks and Sinister Dexter. He has also worked on various series for DC and Marvel including Doom Patrol, The Invisibles and Skrull Kill Krew. With this impressive body of work between them, you know you’re in for something special.
If you’ve ever read The Monkey’s Paw or seen one of its many adaptations or parodies, you have a good idea of what to expect. Wishes that always come at a price or aren’t granted in the way the wish maker imagined. But Cornell shakes up the formula with protagonist Kelly who – as a result of her intense legal job – is obsessed with details and making sure no stone is left unturned. She therefore is not one to make a wish without making sure any possible loopholes are closed, but this does not go as smoothly as she hopes. Wish facilitator Oberon is also a fun addition with his magic having a more unique quality than you’d expect.
Yeowell is a great fit for the art side of things. He has a brilliant style that can work with both real life and fantasy elements. The serious corporate setting clashing with the more out-there presence of fairy king Oberon is a perfect example.
Three Little Wishes is a fun take on a classic tale that brings a lot of fresh ideas to the table. Anyone looking for something a bit different in their current comic intake should definitely give it a look.
Three Little Wishes is out now from Legendary Comics (9781681161082, p/b, £18.99)
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