Danger Girl was one of the first things I ever reviewed for this site. I’ve been hooked ever since, gleefully reading whatever Danger Girl comics I can get my hands on. So, when I saw a new Danger Girl title up for review, of course, I jumped on it. It wasn’t until afterwards that I started to wonder: how do you review a coloring book?
Danger Girl: Permission to Thrill has around 70 pages of scenes and characters from the Danger Girl world by artist J. Scott Campbell. Except for the front and back covers, they’re all in black and white, waiting for you to take a set of crayons, markers, or colored pencils to them and bring them vibrantly to life.
All of your favorite Danger Girl characters are portrayed, including Abbey Chase, Sydney and Sonya Savage, Natalia Kassle, Valerie, etc. Some of them are just pictures of the characters, or group shots, while others are elaborate scenes of adventure, involving guns, bombs, crocodiles (or are they alligators?), and more. You’ve got car chases, boat chases, gun battles, and tons of other great scenes. There are also a number of fun and exotic locations and backgrounds, from London to Egypt, and from deserts to jungles. One minor criticism: while some of these pictures and scenes are full pages, quite a few are only postcard-sized or smaller, leaving large amounts of white space all around them. I found this a little disappointing. Still, whether big or small, the artwork in this book is undeniably phenomenal.
Traditionally a children’s pastime, this isn’t really a book for children, even despite the little “This Book Belongs To _____” box at the front. While not exactly “Adults Only,” many of the images are at least PG-13, featuring the girls in a variety of skimpy outfits. Some of the more progressive parents out there might not mind their five-year-old coloring in Sonya Savage’s cleavage, or a hole in Abbey Chase’s jeans that reveals a significant portion of her butt, but for the most part, I think it’s safe to say this is for more mature audiences.
Of course, there’s still certainly a market for coloring books in the adult world. I have a few friends who still enjoy coloring books as a relaxing hobby. I imagine it could also be useful for aspiring comic book colorists. Whatever you want to use the book for, I won’t judge.
Even though it’s just random, wordless tableaux, Permission to Thrill still has all the elements that make Danger Girl what it is. There are the scantily clad women, of course, and scenes of crazy, over-the-top action of all different types. There’s also that little touch of humor and self-awareness that makes the comics more than just another mindless, high octane action thriller.
If you enjoy both Danger Girl and coloring books, then you’ll definitely want to get Permission to Thrill. If you’re not so much into coloring, then this might not be as wise of an investment. Still, it’s a fun and enjoyable book, with beautiful women and plenty of action. In that respect, it’s at least worth checking out.
